Lieutenant Ralston: “There is always more or less confusion around the company on an occasion of this kind, and I want to get my platoon off by themselves so they can give me their undivided attention while I am issuing my orders and getting them all set for the work in hand.”
The Director: “That seems to be a very good reason. Let us assume that you have moved the platoon 100 yards away from the rest of the company. You are formed up in line. What are you going to do now?”
Lieutenant Ralston: “I would have the men load their rifles.”
The Director: “All right; you have done that. Captain Harvey, what is the next step?”
Captain Harvey: “I would take a few minutes to dope out the situation and determine what I am going to do.”
The Director: “That is time well spent. Now let us go through the process you have just mentioned. What is the first thing you are to determine?”
Captain Harvey: “What is the mission of the platoon? It is to form the advance party.”
The Director: “What is the next step, Captain Hodges?”
Captain Hodges: “To consider the enemy—where he is, what he is doing, and what he is likely to do. In this case the only information we have is that small forces of the enemy are reported in the direction of (c). We have no information of his strength or composition or what he is doing. We must be prepared to meet him at any time and govern our action accordingly.”
The Director: “What is the next step, Captain Mason?”