The Problem
Situation No. 8:
You have arrived at outguard No. 3. On your way back the outguard commander who was at the sentinel post joined you. He left the two additional men at the sentinel post. You explained to him what happened on your reconnaissance to the front.
At this moment Sergeant Hamilton, the section leader in command of a patrol of one squad from the support, arrives, and states that he has been ordered to make a reconnaissance to the front of our line of observation. Patrols are going out from the other supports to reconnoiter their fronts. Sergeant Hamilton says:
“Corporal Canes, give me all the information you have.”
Required:
State the information you, Corporal Canes, would give to Sergeant Hamilton.
Procedure
The Director: “Now, I assume that each of you have followed the details of the problem. You know just what has taken place. Now, I want each of you to write out on your pads just what you would say to Sergeant Hamilton in reply to his instructions,
“Give me all the information you have.”
“I want you to write down the exact words that you would use if you were Corporal Canes.”
When all the members of the class have completed their solutions they will be collected and again distributed, making sure that no man receives his own solution back again.
The Director calls upon one or more members of the class to read the solution in his possession and it is discussed.
At the conclusion of this the Director will submit the following solution for discussion (copies of this will be distributed to the class):
Solution
“When my patrol arrived about midway between outguard No. 2 and outguard No. 3 we captured a soldier of the enemy. I asked several questions. He refused to answer, except that he said he was lost. I sent him back to the support and came on over to outguard No. 3. On arriving there the sentinel told me that he had heard a suspicious noise out in front of his post. I took two men and went out about 100 yards where I found a cavalry horse, fully equipped. Sent him back to the outguard here. Made examination to see if I could find any evidence of other horses or men. Found none. Stayed a few minutes out there. Heard nothing.”
Procedure
The Director reads the solution aloud. The members of the class follow from the copy in their possession.
The Director: “This is merely one solution of the problem. There may be others equally good. This situation was devised to give you practice in imparting information that you may have. On occasions like this time may be limited and the information will have to be given hurriedly and without waste of words. The idea is that you should state the circumstances of the incidents in the fewest words possible and at the same time make clear just what has happened. You will find practice of this kind very valuable and will pay you large dividends on actual service.”
Explanation
The Director: “This is the conclusion of our Terrain Exercise on the subject of the visiting patrol. I feel sure that if any one of you ever have occasion to order out visiting patrols that you will have a better idea of how they go about their tasks than you previously had. I am sure that you know what a visiting patrol is and what it is supposed to do.
“I am sure you will appreciate how necessary it is for your non-commissioned officers to be trained in this work so they may know how to meet the situations and solve the problems that may confront them.
“In outlining the future action of Corporal Canes’ patrol I may say that Sergeant Hamilton now assumes responsibility for the further reconnaissance to the front of the line of observation. Corporal Canes will send Harrison back to the support commander with the horse with a verbal message. Cline has again joined him at outguard No. 3. The three men, Corporal Canes, Manley and Cline continue the operations of the visiting patrol, going on over to outguard No. 1 of support No. 3 and then back to their own support. On arrival there Corporal Canes finds that it is about time for him to start out on the rounds with his 2 o’clock patrol. This has been his busy night.”
Visiting Patrol Card No. 8
Director’s Key
1. Conduct class to position of outguard No. 3. Distribute Situation No. 8 and explain.
2. Have members of class write out solutions on pad. Collect and distribute. Read and comment.
3. Distribute solution for discussion. Read it aloud.
4. Explain that this is merely a solution.
5. Situation designed to give practice in stating information.
6. Conclusion of Terrain Exercise. Knowledge of work of visiting patrol. Necessity for training of non-commissioned officers.
7. Future action of visiting patrol. Send back horse. Continue patrol to outguard No. 1 of support No. 3; thence to support. Time to go out with 2 o’clock patrol.