Evening star., 1926-10-24

each month, beginning this month
and concluding May 81. 1927. are on
the inactive duty training schedule of
the 320th Infantry, the Reserve In
fantry regiment Of the District of Co
lumbia. Col. Glendie b. Young, com
manding. AS pointed out at the
Washington Reserve headquarters
last week. the training objective is
the efficient and adequate preparation
Of the regiment for the next active
duty period, which takes place in
1923. and it is assumed that this ac
tive duty training period will be pri
marily devoted to instruction in the
functions of command in combat
through the medium of tactical prob
lens conducted on the ground. With
this training objective and aSSump-
tion AS basis. the program has been
prepared with view to its culminat-
ing in 15-day practical application
of command functions and tactical
principles enumerated during a two
year period of inactive training. Two
courses of inactive duty training will
he conducted for the officers belonging
to this regiment. one Of which will he
senior officers course for field of
fcers. captains holding certificates of
capacity. and such other officers as
are deemed qualified. while the second
course of instruction will be a COM
pany officers course for all other Of
hcerS of Infantry. This twO-year
course will be divided.that is. in the
first year the senior officers will take
up the battalion, and in the second
year the regiment and reinforced
brigade will be covered. The company
off1celF the first year will study the
platoon and company. while in the
second half of the course they will
take up the company and battalion.
Next to the use of the actual ground.
1t has been found that the sand table
is the medium Of instruction best suit
ed to the realistic and practical train
Ing in command functions and the
application of tactical principles
Their use in every conference and
problem to which they are adaptable
will be an outstanding feature of the
instruction which will obtain at the
Washington Reserve headquarters dur
ing the 1926-27 inactive duty training
season. instruction by means of lee
lures will be reduced to the minimum
and the applicatory system. through
the medium Of troop-leading problems,
will be emphasized. as will also tao
teal problems requiring the exercise
of command functions and the appli-
ing is given the subject matter of
conferences, all of which will be fol-
lowed by a sand table problem. to he
taken up by the senior officers: The
battalion as advance guard; the bat
talon as an outpost: the battalion
an estimate of the situation; the bat
talon in attack-a problem in deci-
sions: the battalion in defense-a prob
lem in decisions; the battalion in at
tack-attack of single point Of re-
sistance: the battalion in attack
action of interior assault battalion,
showing cooperation and .co-ordina
ton with adjacent units; the battalion
in attack-action of the reserve bat
talon; the battalion in attack-the
machine gun company and attached
HoWitZer platoon; the battalion In de-
fense-Organ niZation of center of re-
sistance and machine gun and auto
matte rifle defense: the battalion in
defense--orga nization of center Of re-
sistance, location Of trenches. strong
points and combat troops: the battal-
ion In defense-conduct of the defense
and counter-attack. The next four
meetings will be devoted to confer
ences and problems. the last three Of
which will be held Jointly with the
company officers class. Mobilization
plans, which will include revision
of the regimental and battalion unit
plans. will he taken up at the first of
this final group Of meetings. The
subject to he covered at the next
meeting will be a test mobilization. to
be conducted Jointly in conference
with the company officers. AT the
next meeting the organization and
functions of headquarters, to include
the regiment and the operation of
lines of communication. will also be
taken up in joint conference and
problem with the company officers.
while at the concluding conference of
the 1926-27 season there will be taken
up in Joint conference and demonstra-
tion with the company officers class
supply, the ration and billet, from the
railhead to the front lines.
The following subjects will he taken
up in conference and problems by the
company officers: Infantry organiza-
ton and weapons this will be illus
will be demonstrated by sand.table
instruction): scouting and patrolling:
advance guard: platoon in approach
and march and attack and reorgani-
IA ton: assault platoon in attack: sup
port platoon in attack: defensive com
bat-orga niZation Of strong point;
platoon in defense: employment OF me-
chine guns in offensive: company In
attack: employment of machine guns
on defensive: company in defense.
The next four meetings of the COM
panv officers class. which will con-
clude their 1926-27 inactive duty train
ing program, will be the same as the
four concluding meetings of the senior
officers class.
Due to the desira bility Of utilizing
sand tables for two or more problems
and the necessity for the coordination
of their employment to the instruc-
ton of reserve officers Of other arms
of the service at the local headquar-
ters, no definite order of the subject
matter for the entire year can be pre-
scribed. AS general rule, however.
the conferences will follow the order
as given above but in order to meet
the exigencies of the situation they
are S;,,tx-t to change. In order that
the student officers may prepare them
selves. there will be announced in this
column the subject and text refer
ences covering the instruction to be
given at each conference.
The following changes in assign
ments of Washington Reserve officers
were announced last week: Capt.
Clyde l.. Miller. Engineer Reserve,
having moved to 5th Corps Area, is
from assignment to 343d En-
gineer General Service Regiment, 18th
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