of the
employment of troops in combat. Such drills are in the nature of
disciplinary exercises and should be frequent, thorough, and exact in
order to habituate men to the firm control of their leaders. Extended
order drill is executed _at ease_. The company is the largest unit
which executes extended order drill.
(_c_) _Field exercises_ are for instruction in the duties incident to
campaign. Assumed situations are employed. Each exercise should
conclude with a discussion, on the ground, of the exercise and
principles involved.
(_d_) The _combat exercise, a form of field exercise_ of the company,
battalion, and larger units, consists of the _application of tactical
principles_ to assumed situations, employing in the execution the
appropriate formations and movements of close and extended order.
Combat exercises must simulate, as far as possible, the battle
conditions assumed. In order to familiarize both officers and men with
such conditions, companies and battalions will frequently be
consolidated to provide war-strength organizations. Officers and
noncommissioned officers not required to complete the full quota of
the units participating are assigned as observers or umpires.
The firing line can rarely be controlled by the voice alone; thorough
training to insure the proper use of prescribed signals is necessary.
The exercise should be followed by a brief drill at attention in order
to restore smartness and control.
7. In field exercises the enemy is said to be _imaginary_ when his
position and force are merely assumed; _outlined_ when his position
and force are indicated by a few men; _represented_ when a body of
troop acts as such.
_General Rules for Drills and Formations._
8. When the _preparatory_ command consists of more than one part, its
elements are arranged as follows:
(1) For movements to be executed successively by the subdivisions or
elements of an organization: (_a_) Description of the movement; (_b_)
how executed, or on what element executed.
(2) For movements to be executed simultaneously by the subdivisions of
an organization: (_a_) The designation of the subdivisions; (_b_) the
movement to be executed.
9. Movements that may be executed toward either flank are explained as
toward but one flank, it being necessary to substitute the word "left"
for "right," and the reverse, to have the explanation of the
corresponding movement toward the other flank. The commands are given
for
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