Daarna volgt iets over „training"; meerdere opmerkingen er in
gelden ook voor ons leger. We bepalen ons tot het volgende
uitreksel
Lack of time meaning the time a unit commander can spend in
„training his organization. Take any unit you wish, check over
„its work during the last year, and see how few days and how
„few hours in each day its commander has had with it.
„Courts-martial and boards, orderly room, garrison school, non
-commissioned officers' school, vocational school, morale lectures,
„physical examinations, inoculations, border patrols, strike duty,
„marches, change of station, and guard interfere with training
„constantly; so that if a troop commander can keep his horses in
„condition and teach his men to ride and shoot he has accom-
„plished about all that can be expected of him. He may have the
„best intentions in the world, but one day his troop is „hors de
„combat" with a typhoid inoculation, the next some one higher
„up has ordered a practice march, and so it goes until the qualifi-
„cation course starts, or a change of station is ordered, and he
„must start all over again."
Ook hier treft men den raad aan, dien wij reeds uit een Fr.
tijdschrift aanhaalden
„Make the grade of sergeant more attractive by increassing pay
„allowances, and privileges. There should be more inducements for
„good men to re-enlist. We need more competent non-commisioned
„officer instructors."
In „Efficient War Soldiers" wordt betoogd, dat ieder in het leger
in staat dient te zijn de functie van den naast hoogere te vervullen.
Ongetwijfeld is daar in verband met de verliezen, die in het gevecht
worden geleden, alles voor te zeggen; maar we zouden dan ons
„kolonelsexamen" naar de „Majoors moeten verleggen, wat laatst
genoemden wel niet prettig zouden vinden.
We vermelden ten slotte „A few reflections", waarin wordt gezegd,
dat er bij de Am. off. een (te) groote voorliefde voor bureaubaan
tjes bestaat ten koste van het belang van den troep. Terecht zegt
de redactie: „we should seek to bring about a readjustment of
„conditions and to place the greater prestige upon command—the
„highest and most important duty of the profession; and we should
„not omit to cultivate in the minds of the staff and the service
„the conviction that they exist only for the troops, and that the
„needs of the latter are their first consideration.
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