Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-08-10
SELF HELPS for the
NEW SOLDIER
By United States Army Officer
THE COMPANY HOME.


The new soldier has been Instructed
as a member of 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
be q 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,
n 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. 1t is a
fixed and continuous thing-a going
concern, SO to speak. 1t Is the new SOL
fiier's military home. even on the
march; or, to put it another way, 1t Is
his military class in 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 Mt war strength. The
three additional companies which 60
to make up the Is are headquarters,
supply and machine gun companies.
The captain is the commander of the
company. There are two subordinate
commissioned officers-the first and
second lieutenant. These command
platoons, and, as need arises, in order
OF rank take command of the com.
pany.
Although the war department is CON
sidering the organization of companies
| of $50 men, 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 Sc privates of the
second class-total, 103. For wal
| strength there are added two ser
geants, six corporals, one cook, one
mechanic, nine privates (first CLASSY
and 81 privates (second class)-total
1853 men and officers.
A company Is subdivided into pla
toons and squads. The number boil
Of platoons and squads varies accord
ing to whether the company is a
peace or war strength, or even below
the authorized pence strength. Like
wise, the strength of squad may var.
In order to extend the framework o.
the company, except that no squat
may contain less than six men.
The company, then, is divided int
two, three or four platoons, each con
sisting Of not less than two nor NOR,
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 Al
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 81
grouped, but may be placed in com
mand Of platoon. In company o
four platoons, two platoons at leas
must be commanded by sergeants. TIL
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.