Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-07-04
THE cORPoRAL'S IMPORTANCE IN
EXTENDED ORDER.

We have seen that, as the squad is
initiated into extended order the men
ton of the corporal becomes more fire.
quent In the same degree his impor
lance increases. For, while a corporal
commands a 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-
duct 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 inclired to resent the
corporal and his exercise of authority
heretofore, he viii 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 a corporal is to encour-
age and instruct as well as command
his men.
The basis of the resentment which
the new soldier may at first develop
against a corporal or n sergeant lies
in the fact that the noncommissioned
officer, save for two or three stripes on
the arm, shoulders his gun and. plugs
along in the line just like a private.
The "rookie" therefore disIikes to be
"bossed around as he would express
II. BY a man with whom he rubs ell
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 adj
monition, instruction and command
from the corporal These act as a prop.
They do a vast amount toward filing
up the Is inches of vacancy to either
side of him.
When a 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 it is not,
at all times he observes the conduct of
his squad and by talking in cheer
full, encouraging manner-verbal pats
on the back-abates the excitement.
1.-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 elbow
up" in a fight will win. Therefore,
never blow up. 1t is the corporal's
job to see that the new soldier does
not blow up. And the new soldier,
after a 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 i'm
portant degree, in the Few 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 a battle, if
his noncommissioned officer or seniors
are put out of action, he assumes
their authority without hitch.