_The Director_: “Before terminating this Terrain Exercise I want to
invite the attention of the members of the class to the multitude of
small details that infantry commanders have to attend to in a problem so
simple as the one we have had under consideration today. Let us suppose
we have an active and aggressive enemy opposing our advance, and you can
see how these details would multiply. The point I want to bring up is
that, unless officers and non-commissioned officers prepare themselves
for this duty by study and practice, they have not a chance of being
able to meet these problems intelligently in active service. You must
know what to do under any given situation, and you must know how to go
about doing it. The commander who hesitates, gives his orders and then
changes them several times, soon loses the confidence of his men and
will eventually find himself replaced by another man who has taken
advantage of his opportunities to learn the game and has the ability to
carry it out. The best way I know of to acquire this knowledge is by
actual practice along the lines that we have gone today.”
* * * * *
=Advance Guard= =Card No. 7=
=Director’s Key=
1. Hand out slips bearing Situation No. 7. Read situation and make any
necessary explanations.
2. Explain what advance guard does when the column halts. State
relative advantages and disadvantages of message and order
systems.
3. Estimate of the situation, mission, enemy, own troops, plans of
action, decision.