Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-30
LESSON NO. 10
STAFF BRANCHES OF THE
SERVICE

(Preceding Lessons: 1. Your Post of
Lionor. z. Making Good as a Sol
dler. 3. Nine Soldierly Qualities.
4 Setting Ready for Camp. s. First
lays In Camp. 6. Cleanliness in
lamp. 4. Your Health. 8. March,
nS ana Care of Feet. 8. Your
equipment and Arms. 10. Recre-
alton in Camp. II. PLAYING the
Game. II. Team Work in the
army. 1S. Grouping Men into
leans. IA. The Team Leaders. Is.
Fighting Arms of the Service0
IN addition to the three fighting
a,rms-lnfantry, Cavalry and Artil-
lery-there are nine branches of the
army known as the staff corps and
department. In general their first
ana most important duty is not fight
ing put assisting those who do fight.
pS providing them with everything
tney need. Very few people outside
tne army nave clear idea of the or
sanizatlon of these nine branches or
OF their duties.
foIloWing are the staff corps and
departments: General Staff Corps;
AoJutant Generals Department.; In
spector Generals Department.; Judge
sIneer Corps; Signal Corps; Medi-
car Department; Quartermaster
Corps; Ordnance Department.
Inc hrst four of the staff branches
Just named are composed entirely of
experienced and capable officers.
me other five include enlisted men
as well as officers.
The Brains of the Army
The business of the General Staff
corps is to study military problems
OF all kinds, to work out the best
solutions, and to report to the Chief
OF stan of the army. 1t is often
called the brains of the Army" and
II would be hard to give a better de-
scrlption in few words. The War
College division of the General Staff
Corps is devoted to the study and
investigation of news and special
problems.
In time of war some of the mem
oers of the General Staff Corps serve
with the generals in the field and as
sist them in solving and handling
thelr various problems. While on
this duty the senior General Staff
ofhcer acts as chief of staff of the
commanding general. This position
Is not to be confused with that of
Chief of Staff of the army, who
has general supervision of all mill
tary operations, both at home and in
the field.
AO AuJQIdHL IeH6Tdl ueDaTL-
ment has charge of all of the rec
ords relating to officers and enlisted
men, issues orders to carry out the
wishes of the commanding officer,
and carries on military correspond
ence. In every battalion and regi-
ment one of the officers of the line
Is detailed as adjutant to perform
Tor his organization 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 In
spector Generals department re-
views the mon in each organization;
examines 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 features of the organ
ization. In this way the higher of
ficers are kept informed at all times
as to Sthe state of affairs in every
section of the army.
The Judge Advocate Generals de-
partment is the legal department of
the army. 1t prepares opinions on
legal questions for the guidance of
other ofncers or departments; serves
as the representative of the law in
military courts, and keeps the legal
records of the army. Closely related
Is the office of Provost Marshal Cen
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 di-
rect way with any of the four staff
departments just named. Their du-
ties are reviewed here simply be-
cause it should be interesting to
you to know how the great army
machine is kept we'll oiled and run
ming smoothly even In periods of
great difficulty.
The Engineer Corps
You will frequently see the other
flve staff branches in operation, how
ever, throughout your army life.