The Director: “Before terminating this Terrain Exercise I want to invite the attention of the members of the class to the multitude of small details that infantry commanders have to attend to in a problem so simple as the one we have had under consideration today. Let us suppose we have an active and aggressive enemy opposing our advance, and you can see how these details would multiply. The point I want to bring up is that, unless officers and non-commissioned officers prepare themselves for this duty by study and practice, they have not a chance of being able to meet these problems intelligently in active service. You must know what to do under any given situation, and you must know how to go about doing it. The commander who hesitates, gives his orders and then changes them several times, soon loses the confidence of his men and will eventually find himself replaced by another man who has taken advantage of his opportunities to learn the game and has the ability to carry it out. The best way I know of to acquire this knowledge is by actual practice along the lines that we have gone today.”
Advance Guard Card No. 7
Director’s Key
1. Hand out slips bearing Situation No. 7. Read situation and make any necessary explanations.
2. Explain what advance guard does when the column halts. State relative advantages and disadvantages of message and order systems.
3. Estimate of the situation, mission, enemy, own troops, plans of action, decision.
4. Captain A’s orders. Five-paragraph order. Distribution of order.
5. Remarks on necessity for study and practice.