The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-09-27
SELFHELPS for the
NEW SOLDIER
By a United State, Army Ofheer
THE COMPANY HOME.
C+s"s's"s-s-s"s-s-~-s"s-s s-s-s-s-
Copyright, 1917, by the wheeler Syndicate, In

Inc new soldier mas been instructed
as Il member of a squad, but the COM
pany Is the unit with which he will
be permanently identified. He may be
shifted from squad to squad as the
strength of the company varies, but
he will In all probability continue to
lie member of the same company.
Owing TO the loose and tentative or
ganization of the squad--that is, so
far as individual members are con-
cerned-real esprit de corps does not
begin with the squad but with the COM
pany. Even when in camp and MEM
bers of the same squad are terminates.
II change in the formation of the com
pany may occur at any time which
would throw the new soldier into a
different squad.
The company is different. It is a
fixed and continuous thlng-a going
dier's military home, even on the
march or. to put 1t another way, 1t is
his military class I'm the regiment,
which corresponds to his military col
| lege. Toward other regiments he feels
as he would toward rival college.
The present regiment in the Ameri-
can army consists of Is companies.
These include II infantry companies.
authorized to have 100 men and three
officers at peace strength, and $50 men
and three officers at war strength. The
three additional companies which 90
TO make up the 10 are headquarters,
supply and machine gun companies.
a The captain is the commander of the
company. There are two subordinate
commissioned ofiicers-the first and
second lieutenant. These command
platoons. and, as need arises, i'm order
of rank take command of the com
pany.
Although the war department Is con
sidering the organization of companies
of $50 plen, on the French plan, under
the Hay bill the company at peace
strength is constituted as follows: One
captain, one first lieutenant, one sec
ond lieutenant, one first sergeant. one
mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, SIX
sergeants, IL corporals, two cooks
two buglers, one mechanic, 10 privates
of the first class, and SO privates of the
second class-total, 103. For wal
strength there are added two ser
geants, SIX corporals, one cook, one
mechanic, niae privates (first class)
and 81 privates (second class)-total
153 men and officers.
The company, then, is divided into
two, three or four platoons, each con
sistlng of not less than two nor more
than four squads. In other words, a
full war strength, there would be II
squads, or. 12S men, In the four pla
toons. The remainder besides the Off
GERS has assigned positions such a.
guides and file closers.
The sergeants, of whom there ma,
be IL at war strength. will be fount
to be of more Importance In the com
pany than The corporal, who has n,
authority except over the men of hi:
immediate squad. Sergeants are no
only In charge of two squads when S,
grouped, but may be placed in com
mand of a platoon. In "A company o
four platoons, two platoons at leas
must be commanded by sergeants. Tn,
new soldier will find that the sergean
is the normal medium between the non
commissioned man and the officer, an,
that sergeants are the supervisors o
all company affairs which relate exclu
sively to enlisted men.