Lieutenant Hunt: “Well, sir, I am free to confess that I do not know just what I would say, but I would make a stab at something.”
The Director: “That is just the point. Our text-books are here deficient again. They assume that this is so simple that we just naturally know what to do and what to say. Have you ever seen in any text book, any where, detailed instructions as to just how to inspect a sentinel on post. They say: ‘The officer of the day will inspect.’ I should like for you to be in a concealed position and hear some ‘Officer of the day’ make his inspection of a sentinel. Try it sometime and see the results.
“During the time that Corporal Canes is with him the sentinel will not cease his vigilance. The inspection will be conducted in a low conversational tone. ‘I am Corporal Canes of visiting patrol No. 3 from Support No. 2.’ ‘What is the number of your post?’ ‘What is the number of your outguard?’ ‘Where is it located?’ ‘Do you know the location of the sentinel posts to your right and left?’ ‘In what direction is the enemy?’ ‘Where does that road (trail) lead to?’ ‘Do you know what that light is (pointing)?’ ‘Have you observed any signs of the enemy since you have been on post?’ ‘What is the countersign (recognition signal) tonight?’ ‘What would you do if you saw any signs of the enemy out in front?’ ‘How would you alarm the outguard?’ ‘I have no information of the enemy on this immediate front.’ ‘When I was at outguard No. 3 of Support No. 1 the outguard commander told me that an enemy scout had been picked up near the Outguard No. 1 of their support about an hour ago?’ ‘Notify your outguard commander when you are relieved that I was here at —— o’clock.’
“These are some of the things that would be included in the inspection by the patrol commander.
“Corporal Canes would now go back to the outguard and tell the man on duty that he is going on with the patrol. If, in his inspection of the sentinel on post, anything happened that the outguard commander should know about Corporal Canes would wake him and tell him about it. He will then join the other members of the patrol and proceed along the route selected before dark.”
(Note.—To give the Terrain Exercise added interest it may be well to send two of the members of the class ahead to represent sentinel post No. 2 and one to represent the outguard. They will take post in the normal location of those elements of the line of observation. Then have four members of the class represent the visiting patrol. Have the leader conduct them just as he would under actual service conditions. Make the approach to outguard No. 2 in the same manner as indicated herein and carry out all the details of the situation.)
Visiting Patrol Card No. 3
Director’s Key
1. Conduct class to point near location of Outguard No. 1.
2. Distribute Situation No. 3. Point out location of the outguard and Sentinel Post.