The Director: “Lieutenant Ralston, do you agree with this solution?”
Lieutenant Ralston: “No, sir. I realize the importance of the mission of the patrol. I know we should have a qualified man to lead it, but I should hesitate to send my platoon sergeant out.”
The Director: “I think you are right and when Lieutenant Wallace reflects on the matter I think he will agree with you. The platoon sergeant has a multitude of duties to perform in connection with the interior administration of the platoon. In his administrative capacity he is to the platoon what the first sergeant is to the company. In addition, he has his tactical duties to perform. He is the second in command, and should anything happen to the platoon leader he automatically assumes charge. There is no other man in the platoon who is so familiar with all the details of the dispositions of the support and the orders under which it is operating. I do not believe it would be good policy to send the platoon sergeant out on a reconnoitering mission which may well extend into the night.
“Now, having rejected the idea of sending the platoon sergeant, what man would you send in charge of the patrol, Captain Harvey?”
Captain Harvey: “I would send a section leader. The one whose section is on the line of outguards. He seems to me to be the most available man for the duty.”
The Director: “I agree with you. Ordinarily in an outpost support of this kind we take the outguards from one of the sections of the platoon and hold the other section to form the main body of the support. This leaves the commander of the outguard section surplus in a way, and makes him available for important patrol duty, such as that we have under consideration.
“The next question that comes up is the strength of the patrol. This is a reconnoitering patrol. Its mission is to gain information of the enemy. It need not be made strong to give it fighting power, for it will not engage the enemy in combat except as the last resort. It must not have any more men than are absolutely necessary to carry out its mission, for every additional man is a drag on the patrol leader and subject the patrol to just that much more danger of detection by the enemy. There will be messages to be sent back, at least one and possibly two or three. The patrol must be sufficiently strong to provide these messengers without reducing it below two men.
“Having all of these points in mind, what would be the strength of the patrol, Captain Harvey?”
Captain Harvey: “I should say there would be at least two messages to be sent back, and it may be necessary to send one of them by two messengers. I would not want the patrol leader to be left out alone. These factors would indicate a strength of 5 men. The patrol leader and 4 men.”
The Director: “Has any member of the class a different idea than this?”