Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-29
LESSON NO. II
THE TEAM LEADERS

THE TEAM LEADERS
| breeding Lessons: !. Your Post
OF Honor; 2. Making Good as Sol
dler; g. Nine Soldierly Qualities A.,
Getting Ready for Camp 5, First
pays in Camp; 6, Cleanliness in Camp
q, your Health; 8. Marching and Care
9a 4a feet; y. Your Equipment and Arms;
/ ~, recreation in Camp; IL, Playi
the Game; IL. Team Work in the
Army; IL. Grouping Men Into Teams }
J Most of the men in Army are pri-
Vate soldiers. Their work is of the
greatest Importance and deserves all
the respect and praise which it re-
eeives. A great many men in the
National Army, however, will be am
bilious to rise to higher ranks. They
VIII find plenty of encouragement and
! of opportunities for promotion.
If you are one of these men, don't
allow yourself to forget the fact that
| you can win promotion only by proving
your fitness in each duty intrusted to
| you. 1t is rare case when a man is
Jumped" several ranks ahead. AS a
rule, he climbs from one rank to
the next higher rank after having
demonstrated in each position his in
tellisence, honor and reliability.
Even as a private, you may win ad-
| vancement to the grade known as
first-class private. About one-fourth
of the privates in each company may
be given the rating "flrst-class",
which means in substance that they
| are regarded as skilled and trust
worthy soldiers
NOncOmmissiOned Officers
From the first-class privates are
usually chosen tn ecorporals. These
are the squad leaders. They are ap-
pointed by the commanding officer of
! the regiment on the ton
OF the commanding officer of the
/ company In addition to the regu-
larly- appointed corporals each COM
pany may have one lance corporal.
This is a temporary appointment
made by the company commander for
the purpose of testing the ability of
! some private whom he is think
ing of recommending for per-
manent appointment. In case the
! lance corporal does not make a good
! showing, or for any other reason, he
\ may be returned to the ranks when
| the commander of the company sees
! fit.
Next above the corporal in rank
! comes the sergeant. There are usu-
ally nine to eleven sergeants in a
company. Unless sergeant has
| some other duty assigned to him. he
is normally the leader of a platoon.
! There are. however many special
! duties constantly assigned to SER
! geants. The first sergeant lin Army
! slang, the top sergeant'). for exam
| pie, keeps certain company records,
| forms the company in ranks, trans
! mits orders from the company COM
mander. and performs many other
| important tasks. The supply sergeant
sees to bringing up supplies of all
kinds to the company. The mess SER
! Rpgnt lOnlxG n nj
! sergeant is responsible for the proper
i care of horses and mules. The color
sergeant carries the national or regi-
! mental colors. These are, many other
| grades within the rank of sergeant
which cannot be described here. You
! viii gradually become familiar with
them during your army experience.
Commissioned Officers
Sergeants and corporals are known
as noncommissioned officers, because
| they are appointed by their 'regi-
mental commanding officer. Officers
| of higher ranks are known as COM
mlssioned, since they hold their rank
| by virtue of a commission issued to
| them under authority of the President
of the United States. The commits
! stoned officer is thus on quite a diff
ferent footing from the "noncom"
| noncommissioned officer). He OBJ
tains his rank and authority from a
higher source. He is treated with
respect which is of a different char
aCter from that extended to a nom
| commissioned officer. This is one of
the fundamental things in Army or
| ganization.
Lowest in rank among the commis
stoned officers is the second lieuten-
ant. Above him comes the first lieu
tenant and above him the captain.
These are the three company Of
| hcers.' The captain is ordinarily the
commanding officer of company,
Whlle the lieutenants might be de-
scflbed as assistant captains. In the
| absence or disability of the captain
however, the first lieutenant takes his
place and has full command and in
the absence of disability of both, the
second Lieutenant takes the command
Next above the captain is the major
whose proper command is a battalion
A step higher is the lieutenant colonel
and above him the colonel. the COM
| manding officer of a regiment. The
lieutenant colonel ordinarily assists
the colonel and in his absence takes
the command. In case both the lieu
tenant colonel and the colonel are dis.
! abled or absent. the senior majo,
takes the command.
The General Officers
Above the colonel is the brigadiei
general, whose proper command is a
brigade. Above the brigadier general
Is the major general, the highest rank
at present held by any officer of the
American Army.
One general, however, serves as
| chief of staff of the Army. AS such
he supervises all troops and depart
ments of the military service. He in
turn reports to the Secretary OF
War. The Secretary of War in his
turn acts under the general direction
/ of the President of the United States,
who is commander in chief.
The chain of authority reaches in
an unbroken line all the way from
the President to the newest recruit.
If the President chooses to give an
order which in any way affects the
recruit, it passes through the Secre-
| tary of War, chief of staff, major gem
eral, brigadier general, colonel, major
! captain, sergeant and possibly cor
poral until the recruit is reached and
the order obeyed.
| Ordinarily only the most general
! instructions are issued by the higher
officers. The manner in which these
| instructions shall be carried out is
left to the judgment of officers in
close contact with the troops and with
more intimate knowledge of the
conditions under which they are
| working.
CANADA HAS CONSUMPTION
Toronto, Aug. 20. The military
| conscription bill for the Dominion of
10 hAaa n ln M hnY 6