7. Take up solution of problem: Inspection of platoon; when to load pieces; get platoon away from company.
8. Estimate of the Situation: Mission; enemy; own troops; plans of action; decision.
9. Discussion of Field Orders. Information of enemy and own troops; plan of commander; tactical dispositions; administrative arrangements; place of commander.
10. Final solution of problem: Commands of platoon commander; orders of platoon commander; getting the platoon in march.
11. Have members of class write out orders of the platoon commander. Collect solutions and redistribute them. Have several solutions read and discussed.
Explanation
The Director: “In our solution to Situation No. 1, Captain Hall, in giving the order of the platoon commander said: ‘Sergeant Roberts, with the first squad, will form the point, etc.’ That was an eminently proper order. It did not go into details. He assumes that Sergeant Roberts is familiar with the methods of forming the point of an advance guard and conducting its operations.
“It is a very simple matter for the platoon commander to pass the order along to the sergeant in this manner. But unless the platoon commander knows how the work should be done he has no means of checking up and seeing to it that it is done properly.
“While it is not contemplated that any member of this class will ever be called upon to conduct the operations of the point of an advance guard, all should be familiar with what happens when he gives someone else an order to do so.”