Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 232, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1917 — SELF HELPS for the NEW SOLDIER [ARTICLE]

SELF HELPS for the NEW SOLDIER

By a United States Army Officer

(Copyright, l#rt, by the Wheeler Syndicate, Ine.) DISPOSITION OF OUTPOST TROOPS. A column on the march is preceded and covered by a detachment known as the advance guard. ‘‘ The strength of the advance guard varies from onethird to one-twentieth of the main body, depending upon the size of the main body, and the character of service expected of the advance guard. An advance guard as large as a battalion or more is primarily divided into the reserve and support. The division in strength is usually, reserve, two companies; support, two companies; the advance party, from three to eight squads—about half a company—sent forward from the support ; and the point, a noncommissioned officer and three or four men sent forward from the advance party. The advance guard is also responsible for the reconnaissance of the country upon both sides of the line of march, and this is effected by patrols sent out by the leading subdivisions of the advance guard. The disposition of outpost troops follows the principle of the distribution of the advance guard to the extent that it consists of the'reserve, the line of supports and the line of outguards. There is no uniformity of distance between these different parts, since the problem of keeping .in contact and guarding the avenues of approach will to a large extent govern their positions.

The reserve constitutes the main body of the outpost. It Is located at some central point from Tyhlch It can readily both support the troops in front and serve as a rallying position upon which the outguards and support may retire if strongly pressed by the enemy. The reserve, which may comprise from one-fourth to tw’o-thirds the strength of the outpost, may be omitted if the outpost consists of less than two companies. The supports, constituting a line of supporting and resisting detachments, may vary |n size from half a company to a battalion. The supports furnish the line of outguards. The outguards constitute a line of small detachments furthest to the front and nearest to the enemy. They may “be classified as pickets, sentry squads, or cossack posts. A. picket Is a group of two or more squads—though not exceeding half a company—which Is posted on the line of outguards to cover a given sector. It furnishes patrols, one or more sentinels, sentry squads or cossack posts for observation. A sentry squad is a squad posted in observation at an Indicated point. A cossack post consists of four men. It is an observation group similar to a sentry squad, but employs only a single sentinel. Sentinels are generally used singly in the daytime, but double at night. Patrols or sentinels must be the first troops which the enemy meets and each body in the rear should have time to prepare for the blow. When he once understands the principle of outpost, advance guard or patrol duty, it is infinitely easier for the young soldier to proceed Intelligently, since he then appreciates the relation of what he is called upon to do to the safety of the command as a whole.