Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 / To be used by Engineer companies (dismounted) and Coast Artillery companies for Infantry instruction and training

by United States. War Department

All men should fill their canteens as there will probably be no time for this in the morning.

The mess sergeant should find out whether lunch or the reserve ration will be carried on the march and should attend to these details in the evening in order that the issue can be made promptly in the morning.

The commander of the guard should be given a memorandum as to what time to awaken the cooks and where their tent is. The member of the guard who does this should awaken them without noise so as not to disturb the rest of the remainder of the command.

The cooks should be instructed as to what time breakfast is to be served and what time to awaken the first sergeant.

The cooks or cook's police must cut and split all firewood for the morning before 9 p. m. There must be no chopping, talking, or rattling of pans before reveille which will disturb the rest of the command. This applies to every morning in camp.

THE MORNING OF THE MARCH.

Cooks arise when called by the guard and start the preparation of breakfast without noise. The first sergeant is usually awakened by one of the cooks about half an hour before reveille in order that he may complete his toilet and breakfast early and be able to devote all his time to supervising the details of the morning's work. If the officers desire to be awakened before reveille they will notify the first sergeant accordingly.

At first call the men turn out, perform their toilets, strike their shelter tents (unless it has been directed to await the sounding of the general for this), and make up their packs.

At the sounding of assembly immediately after reveille each man must be in his proper place in ranks. This assembly is under arms. The first sergeant starts to call the roll or commands "Report" at the last note of assembly. Arms are stacked before the company is dismissed.

Breakfast is served to the company immediately after roll call. Immediately after breakfast each man will wash his mess kit in the hot water provided for that purpose at the kitchen and will at once pack the mess kit in his haversack.