The Monticellonian., 1917-08-09
SELFHELPS for the
 NEW SOLDIER
By q United States Army Officer
Copyright. 1917. by the Wheeler Syndicate. Incl
THE CoRPoRAL'S IMPORTANCE IN
 EXTENDED ORDER.

We have seen that, as the squad is initiated into extended order the men, tion of the corporal becomes more ire quent. In the same degree, his impor- tance increases. For, while a corporal commands squad in close order to a limited extent, he exercises more au- thority and discretion when it is de- ployed in a line of skirmishers. He then has the responsibility for the con-. duet and safety of his men under vary ing conditions and rules far less mi nutely prescribed.
 If the new soldier, in verdant igno- rance, has been inclined to resent the corporal and his exercise of authority heretofore, he will appreciate it dis tinctly now. For, exactly as the rules for extended order work are less cut and dried than in close order, generally speaking, the new soldier now feels the need for encouragement and guidance. The function of corporal is to encour- age and instruct as we'll as command his men.
 The basis of the resentment which the new soldier may at first develop against a corporal or sergeant lies in the fact that the noneommissioned officer, save for two or three stripes on 4he arm, shoulders his gun and plugs along in the line just like a private. The "rookie'' therefore dislikes to be "bossed around" as he would express 1t, by a man with whom he rubs el- bows. As soon as he finds himself in extended order, however, and loses the sense of mutual support that comes from standing shoulder to shoulder as in close order, the new soldier becomes exceedingly grateful for constant ad- monition, instruction and command from the corporal. These act as prop. They do a vast amount toward filling up the 15 inches of vacancy to either side of him.
 When squad Is deployed on the firing line with a platoon or company, the corporal transmits to his men commands and signals from the officers when necessary. Even when 1t is not, at all times he observes the conduct of
 
 full, encouraging manner-verbal pats on the back-abates the excitement. "The best troops" says the Drill Regu- lations, "are those that submit longest to fire control. Loss of control is an evil which robs success of its greatest result To avoid or delay such loss should be the constant aim of all"
 In everyday, unmilitary English, this means that the last troops to "blow uph in a fight will win. Therefore, never blow up. It is the corporai's job to see that the new soldier does not blow up. And the new soldier, after skirmish exercise. even against blank cartridges, will find that he is extravagantly grateful for every word with which the corporal has helped to keep him firmly anchored to the ground.
 The experience of citizen soldiers on the Mexican border and in more inn portant degree, in the new armies of England, has shown that obedience to the corporal and the sergeant, carried still step further to obedience to the senior private, then to the next in length of service, rather than making men servile, has an effect quite the opposite. For each man thereby learns automatically to command the next man below him. and in battle, if his noncommlssioned officer or seniors are put out of action, he assumes their authority without a hitch.