Physical Exercise
Categories: ATTENDING A CAMPMilitary Handbooks: The Plattsburg Manual
The greatest problem you will have to solve will be that of making your
body do the work required. Every one else will be doing exactly what you
are doing, and you have too much pride to want to take even a shorter
step than the man by your side. Some men have to leave the training
camps because they are not in the proper physical condition to go on
with the work. If this chapter is taken as seriously as it should be, it
If you have not a pair of sensible marching shoes (tan, high-tops, no
hooks on them) get a pair. These shoes should be considerably larger
than a pair of office shoes.
Walk to and from your business. Take every opportunity to get out in the
country where the air is pure. Fill your lungs full. Get into the habit
of taking deep breaths now and then. Don't make this a task, but
surround it with pleasantries. Get some delightful companion to walk
with you. Walk vigorously.
Let down on your smoking. Better to leave it alone for a while. You will
enjoy the air. Deep breathing seems to be more natural.
Make it a work for your country. View it in that light. If you are not
going to be called upon to undergo the cruel hardships and physical
strain of some campaigns, your son will be, and you can be of great help
to him by being fit yourself. You and your sons will form the backbone
of America's strength in her next peril.
You will have a great deal of walking after you arrive in camp, possibly
a great deal more than you have ever had, and probably a great deal more
than you expect, even with this word of warning. If you have failed to
provide yourself with proper shoes and socks, great will be the price of
your lack of forethought. You will wince at your own blisters. You will
get no sympathy from any one else. It is the spirit of the camp for each
man to bear his own burdens. So arrive at camp with hardened legs and
broken in shoes. Don't buy shoes with pointed or narrow toes. They
should be broad and airy.
Immediately after you arise in the morning and just before you retire at
night, go through the following exercises for two or three minutes. In a
short time you may want to make it more. No objection. Give it a fair
trial. Be brisk and energetic. Forget, for the time being, what you are
going to get out of it. Give and then give more. The result will take
care of itself.
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Junior Division
A junior division of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps may be established at any institution to which an army officer has been detailed as the professor of military science and tactics, and which cannot meet the necessary requirements for the s... Little Never-upset
Little Never-upset was a roly-poly fellow, with weights in his little body so placed that no matter how he was treated or tumbled about he always bobbed up smiling. His face was a jolly little round one, with a smile that could not be rubbed o... Little Never-upset
Little Never-upset was a roly-poly fellow, with weights in his little body so placed that no matter how he was treated or tumbled about he always bobbed up smiling. His face was a jolly little round one, with a smile that could not be rubbed o... Little Pitcher-man
On a pantry shelf there once lived a funny squatty-looking pitcher-man. His cap was brown and that was the top of the pitcher. His coat was yellow and his vest green. He was round and fat, as well as squatty, and his legs were short. He wore... Little Pitcher-man
On a pantry shelf there once lived a funny squatty-looking pitcher-man. His cap was brown and that was the top of the pitcher. His coat was yellow and his vest green. He was round and fat, as well as squatty, and his legs were short. He wore... Loadings And Firings
The commands for loading and firing are the same whether standing, kneeling, or lying down. The firings are always executed at a halt. When kneeling or lying down in double rank, the rear rank does not load, aim, or fire. The instruction in f... Machine Guns
Before the present European War, machine guns were classified as emergency weapons. It was not believed that they could remain long in action, because they would soon be silenced by hostile fire (artillery and infantry). It was recommended, theref... Mail
Mail is most often delayed because there is not sufficient information for the Postmaster on the envelope. The delivery of your mail will be delayed unless your letters are sent to the company and the regiment to which you belong. Therefore, prepa... Making Up Your Pack
Immediately after reveille, take down your tent and make up your pack. Place your extra blankets on the pile with those of the other members of your squad. Make up your surplus kit bundle and put it in the surplus kit bag. ... Manual Of Arms
To acquire proficiency in the Manual of Arms, you should practice, practice, and practice. Position of order arms standing, i.e., the position of attention under arms. No. 1. Arm and hands hang naturally. Right hand holding piece between thu... Marching Rules
1. Adjust your equipment, if necessary, at the first halt. 2. Do not leave the column without the express permission of your company company commander. 3. Keep in your proper place in the column. 4. keep forty inches from the man in front o... Meeting Engagements
When two hostile forces suddenly meet we have what is termed a meeting engagement. Very little or no reconnaissance is possible. There is an absence of trenches. Both sides deploy rapidly. The smaller the force the more frequently will it fight a ... Methods Of Estimating Distances By The Eye
1. Decide that the object cannot be more than a certain distance away, or less than a certain distance. Keep the estimate within the closest possible limits and take the mean of the two estimates as the range. For instance, that deer cannot be ove... Military Correspondence
An official letter should refer to one subject only. In writing to the War Department address your letter to The Adjutant General of the Army, Washington, D. C. The United States (including colonies) is divided into the following departments:... Military Maps
Definition. A military map is a drawing made to represent some section of the country, showing the features that are of military importance, such as roads, bridges, streams, houses, and hills. The map must be so drawn that you can tell the distanc... Miscellaneous
1. Take great pains each morning to make a neat, small and solid pack and strap it up securely. 2. Don't put your pack on until ordered to do so by your company commander or first sergeant. 3. Get your pack properly adjusted. 4. Don't take y... Miscellaneous Information
For convenience, military information is considered under two heads, namely (1) that collected in time of peace by the body of army experts in Washington called the General Staff; and (2) that obtained by troops in the field after war has begun. T... Miscellaneous Information
The Bayonet. The bayonet is a cutting and thrusting weapon consisting of three principal parts, viz., the blade, the guard, and the grip. The weight of a bayonet is 1 pound. Captain B. A. Dixon, retired, has compiled the following interesting d... Morning-glory
Once upon a time there was a very little Morning-glory that grew on the end of a high vine, and one day when the wind was blowing a brisk breeze passed by the little Morning-glory, making it wish it, too, could go along and see more of the world.... Morning-glory
Once upon a time there was a very little Morning-glory that grew on the end of a high vine, and one day when the wind was blowing a brisk breeze passed by the little Morning-glory, making it wish it, too, could go along and see more of the world.... Mr Crow Goes And Tells
Mr. Coon and Mr. Possum lived near each other in the woods, and one day they decided to give a supper the first bright moonlight night. "It will be much easier for us to provide the supper together," said Mr. Coon, "because we are bachelors and... Mr Crow Goes And Tells
Mr. Coon and Mr. Possum lived near each other in the woods, and one day they decided to give a supper the first bright moonlight night. "It will be much easier for us to provide the supper together," said Mr. Coon, "because we are bachelors and... Mr Fox Cuts The Cottontails
Mr. Fox decided that the only way to get all the wood animals to have a good opinion of him was to give a big dinner, for he had somehow got rather a bad name among the animals for being so tricky. So all day long he went about telling all the ... Mr Fox Cuts The Cottontails
Mr. Fox decided that the only way to get all the wood animals to have a good opinion of him was to give a big dinner, for he had somehow got rather a bad name among the animals for being so tricky. So all day long he went about telling all the ... Mr Fox's Housewarming
Mr. Fox had been so much disturbed by Mr. Dog and his master that he decided to try living somewhere besides on the ground floor of the woods. One night he took a look around in the moonlight, and to his delight he discovered the very place fo... Mr Fox's Housewarming
Mr. Fox had been so much disturbed by Mr. Dog and his master that he decided to try living somewhere besides on the ground floor of the woods. One night he took a look around in the moonlight, and to his delight he discovered the very place fo... Night Operations
By employing night operations troops make use of the cover of darkness to minimize losses from hostile fire, to escape observation, to gain time. (Infantry Drill Regulations.) They are dangerous because control is difficult and confusion is freque... Obstacles
The main object in placing obstacles in front of a defensive position is to delay the enemy while he is under the defenders' fire, and thus make his advance as difficult as possible. To accomplish this result they must be so placed that the enemy ... Officers Reserver Corps
To make it possible to fill the gaps made in the Regular Army, by the heavy loss of commissioned officers which is inevitable in time of war and to make it possible to train large volunteer armies which are called into existence when war is immi... Old North Wind
Old North Wind lived away up in the North Pole Land in the winter, and there her children, the Icebergs, grew. Old North Wind was very proud of her huge children, and when the long, cold winter was at an end she said: "My big, strong children, ... Old North Wind
Old North Wind lived away up in the North Pole Land in the winter, and there her children, the Icebergs, grew. Old North Wind was very proud of her huge children, and when the long, cold winter was at an end she said: "My big, strong children, ... Orianna
Bunny White, one night when the Fairies were holding a revel, peeped out of his window to see the frolic, for Bunny and the Fairies were the best of friends because members of Bunny's family had for ages drawn the carriage of the Queen. But to... Orianna
Bunny White, one night when the Fairies were holding a revel, peeped out of his window to see the frolic, for Bunny and the Fairies were the best of friends because members of Bunny's family had for ages drawn the carriage of the Queen. But to... Outposts
The size and disposition of the outpost will depend upon many circumstances, such as the size of the whole command, the proximity of the enemy and the situation with respect to him, the nature of the terrain, etc. A suitable strength may vary f... Patrolling
Everything else being equal the army that possesses the most accurate information about the enemy will win. Military history recites the fact that almost every important battle has been either lost or won because of information or lack of inform... Physical Exercise
The greatest problem you will have to solve will be that of making your body do the work required. Every one else will be doing exactly what you are doing, and you have too much pride to want to take even a shorter step than the man by your side. ... Poisoning
Treatment: Send for a doctor at once. Empty the stomach and bowels. Give two tablespoons full of mustard and warm water or a tablespoon full of salt in a glass of water to produce vomiting. Then give a purgative. Tickle throat with finger or feath... Position Of A Soldier At Attention
No. 1. Eyes to the front. Hands hang naturally. Rest weight of the body equally on feet. Feet turned out making angles of 45 deg.. No. 2. Head erect. Shoulders down and back. Chest out. Stomach up. Thumb along the seams of trousers. Knees straig... Practise March Or Hike
The manoeuver practice march will be the most instructive, the most pleasant, and one of the hardest periods of your service. You will return from it proud of the hardships you have undergone and capable of speaking with authority on many practi... Preliminary Instruction
Your preliminary instructions and their purposes are as follows: 1. Nomenclature of the Rifle. The word nomenclature means the vocabulary of names or technical terms which are appropriate to any particular topic. In this case the topic is the ri... Preparation
Before going out the patrol commander will make a careful inspection of the members of his patrol in order to see: 1. That the members are in a suitable condition for the duty to be performed. (Not drunk, sick, lame, having a bad cough, etc.) ... Preparing A Defensive Position
Now let us suppose ourselves as part of a battalion that is to occupy a defensive position. What would probably be done? How and in what order would it be done? What would the major do? He would decide upon the kind of defense (active or passive) ... Preparing Your Bed
After you have pitched your tent, get some hay, grass, straw, or leaves and cover the floor. Place one poncho on this, then one or two blankets on top of the poncho to sleep on, and use the remaining blankets as cover. Spread the other poncho over... Property
In the absence of regulations on the subject, each Reserve Officer should own a good watch, a pair of field glasses, a compass, and a note book. ... Pussy Willow's Furs
Miss Pussy Willow put on her furs one day in March and stepped out into the sunshine; but, while the sun was warm, March's breath was cold, so she hugged her furs closer about her and sat on a swaying bough. It was early and Miss Pussy knew it,... Pussy Willow's Furs
Miss Pussy Willow put on her furs one day in March and stepped out into the sunshine; but, while the sun was warm, March's breath was cold, so she hugged her furs closer about her and sat on a swaying bough. It was early and Miss Pussy knew it,... Quick Time
Being at a halt, to march forward in quick time: 1. Forward, 2. MARCH. At the command forward, shift the weight of the body to the right leg, left knee straight. At the command march, move the left foot smartly straight forward 30 inches from... Range Finders
Five or six enlisted men, selected by the company [Illustration: This shows the path of the bullet (Line of Trajectory) of the 1917 Rifle (Enfield). The Line of Aim, we see, connects the eye, the rear sight, the front sight and the bottom par... Range-finding Instrument
Each company is equipped with a range-finding instrument. All company officers and sergeants should be proficient in using it. The accuracy of this instrument will greatly depend upon the skill of the user, and the visibility of the objective. ... Rapid Fire
In rapid fire the battle sight is always used; the firing is against time and at a field target (Target D), and from ranges 200, 300, and sometimes 500 yards. The battle sight corresponds to an elevation of 547 yards, which makes it necessary f... Rapid Fire Target
This target is always used with the battle sight at 200, 300, and 500 yards rapid fire. Battle sight is the position of the rear sight when the leaf is laid down, which is the habitual position of the rear sight leaf at drill. It is an open sigh... Rear Guard Of An Advancing Force
If there is a possibility that the rear of the column may be attacked, a rear guard of suitable strength and composition is provided, its conduct is practically the same as that of the rear guard of a retreating force. It generally marches in rear... Rear Guards
The rear guard is charged with the important duty of covering the retreat. When a commander decides to retreat, he issues the necessary order. During a retreat the outpost for the night usually forms the rear guard of the following day. ... Reconnaissance
In conducting the reconnaissance the patrols are, as a rule, small--from two to six men. If additional protection is necessary, a flank guard covers the threatened flank. The flanking patrols, whether of the advance cavalry or advance party, are s... Relieving The Outpost
Evening and shortly before dawn are hours of special danger. The enemy may attack late in the day in order to establish himself on captured ground by intrenching during the night; or he may send forward troops under cover of darkness in order to m... Reports To Be Made
Officers in the Officers' Reserve Corps are required to report at once to the Adjutant General of the Department in which they live or to the heads of the Staff Corps or Departments to which they may belong of any permanent change of address. If a... Requisites Of A Good Defensive Position
If you were looking for a good defensive position, what points would you have in mind and of these points, which would be the most important? The requisites to be sought in a good defensive position are: (1) A clear field of fire up to the ... Reserve
The reserve follows the support at several hundred yards' distance. It consists of the remainder of the infantry and engineers, the artillery, and the ambulance company. The artillery usually marches near the head of the reserve, the engineers (wi... Returning
A patrol can never be certain that the enemy's patrols are not operating in its rear. Hence in returning, it is necessary to observe the usual precautions. If the patrol has eluded the enemy, it is best to return over a route other than that over ... Route Step And At Ease
The column of squads is the habitual column of route, but route step and at ease are applicable to any marching formation. To march at route step: 1. Route step, 2. MARCH. Sabers are carried at will or in the scabbard; the men carry their pieces... Rules For Deployments
The command guide right (left or center) indicates the base squad for the deployment; if in line it designates the actual right (left or center) squad; if in column the command guide right (left) designates the leading squad, and the command guide c... Rules For Guides
A guide is a noncommissioned officer or a private upon whom the company regulates its march. It is not difficult for an inexperienced man learn, with a little practice, the duties and the correct positions of a guide. Remember the rule of thumb... Rules Governing The Carrying Of The Piece
Third. The cut-off is kept turned down, except when using the magazine. Being at order arms: 1. Unfix, BAYONET. If the bayonet scabbard is carried on the belt: Take the position of parade rest, grasp the handle of the bayonet firmly with the r... Rules Of Conduct For Camp Life
The first few days will be easy and profitable if you will read carefully and adhere to the following plan of procedure: 1. Get up at the first note of reveille and get quickly into proper uniform. 2. Get within two or three feet ... Sallie Hicks's Forefinger
Sallie Hicks was a little girl who was good most of the time, but she had one bad habit, and that was caused by her forefinger on her right hand. Sallie's right-hand forefinger would get into things it should not, and it caused Sallie's mother... Sallie Hicks's Forefinger
Sallie Hicks was a little girl who was good most of the time, but she had one bad habit, and that was caused by her forefinger on her right hand. Sallie's right-hand forefinger would get into things it should not, and it caused Sallie's mother... Saluting
The military salute is universal. It is at foundation but a courteous recognition between two individuals of their common fellowship in the same honorable profession, the profession of arms. Regulations require that it be rendered by both the seni... Saluting
Saluting distance is that within which recognition is easy. In general it does not exceed thirty paces. A junior, who is mounted, dismounts before addressing a senior who is dismounted. If the senior is mounted the junior does not dismount when ... School Of The Company
The company in line is formed in double rank with the men arranged, as far as practicable, according to height from right to left, the tallest on the right. The original division into squads is effected by the command: Count off. The squads, su... School Of The Soldier
Based on the Infantry Drill Regulations Success in battle is the ultimate object of all military training; hence the excellence of an organization is judged by its field efficiency. Your instruction will be progressive in character, and will h...