New Britain herald., 1917-08-30
LESSON NO. 18.
STAFF BRANCHES OF THE

= SERVICE-1.
preceding Lessons: 1. Your Post of
Honor. 2. Making Good AS a Sol
der. g. Nine soldierly Qualities
4. Getting Ready for Camp. s. First
Days in Camp. 6. Cleanliness in
Camp. z. Your Health. 8. March
ing and Care Of Feet. 9. Your
Equipment and Arms. 10. Recrea-
ton in Camp. II. Playing the
Game. IL. Team Work in the
Army. 10. Grouping Men Into
Teams. IA. The Team Leaders,
Is. Fighting Arms of the service.)
In addition to the three fighting
arms-Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery
Army known as the staff corps, and
department. In general their first
and most important duty is not fight
ing, but assisting those who do fight,
by providing them with everything
they need. Very few people outside
the Army have a clear idea of the
organization of these nine branches
or of their duties.
Following are the staff corps and
departments: General Staff Corps;
Adjutant Generals Department.; In
spector Generals Department; Judge
Advocate Generals Department.; En-
gineer Corps; Signal Corps; Medical
Department.; Quartermaster Corps;
Ordnance Department.
| The first four of the staff branches
| just named are composed entirely Of
| experienced and capable officers. The
| other five include enlisted men as we'll
! as officers.
The Brains of the Army.
ThA ui ~ ~ ho C$o%
Corps is to study military problems
of all kinds, to work out the best solu-
tons, and to report to the Chief of
Staff of the Army. It is often called
the brains of the Army" and it
| would be hard to give a better de-
scription in a few words. The War
| College division Of the General Staff
Corps is devoted to the study and in
| vestigation of new and special prob
lens.
In time of war some of the mem
bers Of the General Staff Corps serve
with the generals in the field and as
sist them In solving and handling
their various problems. While on this
duty the senior General Staff Officer
acts as chief Of staff of the command
ing general. This position is not to be
confused with that of Chief of staff
| of the Army, who has general super
| vision of all military operations, both
at home and in the field.
The Adjutant Generals department
has charge of all of the records re-
! lating to officers and enlisted men, is
| sues orders to carry out the wishes of
the commanding officer, and carries
| on military correspondence. In every
battalion and regiment one of the off,
! GERS of the line is detailed as ad-
jutant to perform for his organiza-
ton the duties just named.
Military Observers.
The Inspector Generals depart
ment observes everything that goes
| on and reports on the skill and gen
eral fitness of officers and troops. AT
intervals an officer from the Inspector
Generals department reviews their
arms, equipment, and supplies; looks
| over all records showing expenditures
of money or distribution Of property;
and sends in a complete report,
pointing out the good and bad fea-
lures of the organization. In this
way the higher officers are kept in
formed at all times as to the state OF
affairs in every section Of the Army.
The Judge Advocate Generals de-
partment is the legal department of
the Army. It prepares opinions on
| legal questions for the guidance of
| other officers or departments; serves
as the representative Of the law in
military courts, and keeps the legal
lrecords of the Army. Closely related
| is the office Of Provost Marshal Gen
| eral who has charge, among other
| things, of enforcing the selective-ser-
vice law.
| Unless you work your way up to a
| commission, 1t is not likely that you
will come into touch in any direct
! way with any of the four staff de-
partments just named. Their duties
are reviewed here simply because 1t
should be interesting to you to know
how the great Army machine Is kept
we'll oiled and running smoothly even
| in periods of great difficulty.
| The Engineer Corps.
| You will frequently see the other
! five staff branches in operation. how
ever, throughout your Army life.
The Corps of Engineers are the
| skilled workrnen Of the Army. They
| lay out permanent camps and en-
| trenchments; build and repair mill
I tary roads, railroads, and bridges;
| dig saps and mines under the enemy's
! trenches; and take care of other work
which requires technical skill of this
| character.
Theoretically the Engineer Corps is
and If there was anything unlawful