CHAPTER XII ARTILLERY DISTRICT AND POST ORDNANCE OFFICERS (See corresponding chapter in SUPPLEMENT for additional matter and changes, if any.) The proper performance of the duty of ORDNANCE OFFICER, like the proper performance of any other duty, requires work and attention to business. Artillery District Ordnance Officers are charged with the accountability for, and care, preservation, efficiency, and sufficiency of, all ordnance property and supplies pertaining to the modern armament and equipment within their districts. Post Ordnance Officers are responsible and accountable for targets and target material for small arms and mobile artillery practice, for ammunition and spare parts for small arms, for all ordnance property for the general use of the post (except the modern armament and equipment of Coast Artillery posts), and for such surplus ordnance and ordnance stores as are not in the hands of troops. When ordnance property is received by responsible ordnance officers it should be personally checked and the quantities compared with the entries on the invoices, and they should receipt only for the property actually received by them, noting on the receipt its condition, whether serviceable, unserviceable, or damaged. If there are discrepancies between these receipts and the invoices they are required to be covered by reports of surveying officers, one copy of which should be furnished the invoicing officer as authority for not receipting for all the property invoiced. The property will be taken up by the receiving officer, but the invoice will not be altered, the report of survey being the voucher to account for the discrepancy. Post Ordnance Officers are required to make timely requisitions for all materials necessary for the complete equipment of the target range, as well as all supplies, including iron targets, used in target practice. There should be on hand at least 400 rounds of ball cartridges per man for those required to take part in target practice. Spare parts for small arms should be invoiced by Post Ordnance Officers to the commanding officers of organizations for the purpose of making necessary repairs. Post Ordnance Officers are authorized to drop certain parts as expended for the repair of arms in the hands of troops. These expendable articles are marked with an asterisk in pamphlets issued by the Ordnance Department. Post Ordnance Officers are required to see that all property for which they are accountable is properly stored and cared for, with the view of insuring safety and reducing deterioration to a minimum. They should assure themselves on this point by frequent personal inspections. All powders and ammunition should be kept separate from other stores in the magazine, if one is provided, which should be opened and ventilated at least once a week. In issuing ammunition, or its components, that longest on hand should be issued first. Returns, War Dept. Orders, etc. See Supplement, Chap. XII CHAPTER XIII THE POST ENGINEER OFFICER THE POST ARTILLERY ENGINEER AND THE DISTRICT ARTILLERY ENGINEER (See corresponding chapter in SUPPLEMENT for additional matter and changes, if any.) The proper performance of the duty of ENGINEER OFFICER, like the proper performance of any other duty, requires work and attention to business. The duties of the Post Engineer Officer relative to the accountability and care of property, are practically the same as those of the ordnance officer. See Chapter XII. He should keep on hand all instruments necessary for the making of minor surveys, and military map making, as well as all instruments and materials necessary for instruction in officers' schools. Surplus, obsolete or unserviceable stores should not be kept on hand, but should be disposed of in the manner prescribed for the ordnance officer-i. e., by requesting authority to ship, etc., from the Chief Engineer Officer of the Department. In addition to his other duties the Post Artillery Engineer also performs the functions of a Post Engineer Officer, as well as those of a Post Signal Officer. He is responsible for all submarine-mine property at his station that is not held by torpedo company commanders on memorandum receipt from the District Artillery Engineer. He also has supervision of all power plants, searchlights and fire-control installation at the post. The District Artillery Engineer is charged with the accountability for all Engineer and Signal property, stores and installation that have been turned over to the Coast Artillery, and all mine property, stores and installations in the Artillery District. He will inspect all such property, stores and installations at each post in his district at least once each calender month. He is required to make the prescribed test in person of all new submarine cable that comes to his district. In the discharge of his duties he is assisted by master electricians, electrician sergeants, engineers, firemen and master gunners. Returns, War Dept. Orders, Army Regulation Paragraphs, etc. See Supplement, Chap. XIII. CHAPTER XIV THE POST SIGNAL OFFICER (See corresponding chapter in SUPPLEMENT for additional matter and changes, if any.) The proper performance of the duty of SIGNAL OFFICER. like the proper performance of any other duty, requires work and attention to business. The Post Signal Officer is in charge of the Post and the Target Range Telephone Systems. Complete information regarding the installation and maintenance of these systems is contained in Signal Corps Manuals, Nos. 3 and 7. He is in charge of the Post Visual Signaling Drill. Instructions regarding this drill are contained in Signal Corps Manual, No. 6. Complete information regarding all property issued by the Signal Corps, the manner of rendering accounts for Signal Corps funds, accounting for property, rendering reports and making estimates is contained in Signal Corps Manual No. 7. This manual contains a list of all property issued by the Signal Corps. It prescribes the standard electrical equipment for target ranges. The following manuals can be obtained upon direct application to the Chief Signal Officer, U. S. Army: No. 2. Regulations for Military Telegraph Lines. Electrical Instruments and Equipments. No. 3. No. 7. General Regulations, Disbursing and Property Manual Returns, War Dept. Orders, Army Regulation Pars. See Sup plement, Chapter XIV. CHAPTER XV THE COMPANY' (See corresponding chapter in SUPPLEMENT for additional matter and changes, if any.) The proper performance of the duty of COMPANY COMMANDER, like the proper performance of any other duty, requires work and attention to business. The command of a company divides itself into two kinds of duty: Government and Administration. The Government includes the instruction, discipline, contentment, and harmony of the organization, involving, as it does, esprit de corps, rewards, privileges, and punishments. The Administration includes the providing of clothing, arms, ammunition, equipage, and subsistence; the keeping of. records, including the rendition of reports and returns; and the care and accountability of Government and company property, and the disbursement of the company fund. System and care are prerequisites of good administration. The efficient administration of a company greatly facili tates its government. THE CAPTAIN" With regard to his company the Captain stands in the same light as a father to a large family of children. It is his duty to provide for their comfort, sustenance, and pleasure; enforce strict rules of obedience, punish the refractory and reward the deserving. He should be considerate and just to his officers and men and should know every soldier personally and make him feel that he so knows him. He should by word and act make every man in the company feel that the Captain is his protector. The Captain should not be indifferent to the personal welfare of his men, and when solicited, being a man of greater experience, education, and information, he should aid and counsel them in such a way as to show he takes an interest in their joys and sorrows. When any men are sick he should do everything possible for them until they can be taken care of by the surgeon. He can add much to the comfort and pleasure of men in the hospital by visiting them from time to time and otherwise showing an interest in their condition. In fact, one of the officer's most important duties is to look 1 The term "company" is here used as in the Army Regulations-i. e., as applying to troops of cavalry, batteries of field artillery, companies of infantry and coast artillery and bands of all arms. "Some of the statements in "The Prussian Campaign-A Tactical Retrospect,' Kautz's "Customs of the Service" and Hamilton's "Art of War," are in such accord with the views and experience of the writer that they are here reproduced very nearly verbatim. |