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National Guard Instructor

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Capt. Myles D. Savelle, Infantry

INCE being detailed

as instructor to the National Guard the writer has been asked by various officers as to the duties of an instructor; what qualities an instructor should have and just what his work embraced. It is apparent that many officers of the Regular Establishment are not familiar with the one-army idea and especially the close relations between the Regular Army and the National Guard.

From the advice and counsel of senior officers who have had long experience before and since the World War -and from my own limited experience this article is written, and it is hoped that it may be of help to those who have or may receive such an assign

ment.

Under the provisions of the National Defense Act and its amendments there is one Army of the United States which is divided into three parts, viz., the Regular Army, the National Guard and the Organized Reserves.

No more important detail may be given an officer than that of instructor to the National Guard, and this article is an attempt to point out along general lines to those who may receive such an assignment the nature of the work and the peculiarly responsible position held in relation to the public, the Army and the Guard. An instructor directly

represents the War Department and the Regular Army and the people with whom he is associated will judge both by what the Instructor does or fails to do. In order to discuss intelligently the general duties and qualifications of an instructor let us first consider the personnel of the Guard and the nature of its work.

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL GUARD? The National Guard is a component of the Army of the United States and is made up of officers and men who voluntarily give a portion of their time from civilian pursuits to the military service of the United States. They are paid a small sum for this service and are subject to the orders of the State as well as the United States Government. Their functions are dual in that they may be called for service either by the Governor of the State or by the President of the United States. It is obvious that these men are animated by a spirit of patriotism which expresses itself in service that is often onerous and thankless. The monetary rewards are small and are not proportionate to the amount of time and effort required successfully to carry on an organization. The enlisted personnel is, as a rule, above the average in intelligence and quick to learn. The officers have in a lesser degree the same duties as those of the Regular Army and must pass an examining board before being commissioned and recognized by the United States.

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From the above it is clear that any officer receiving a detail as instructor has to deal with men who are fundamentally and potentially stronger personalities than the average. The fact that the Guard officers and men render military service in addition to the burden of daily occupation establishes this conclusion. A majority of officers and men saw service during the World War and are well imbued with the fundamentals upon which military efficiency is built. Many of these men will drop out in the course of time and will be replaced by. personnel of no experience who will have to be trained by and in the Guard.

THE INSTRUCTOR

As this article has to do with the general principles of the work of instructors it is well to take into consideration first the qualities an instructor should have.

As in anything else, the rule of first and greatest importance is that of common sense. If an officer is temperamentally such that he can not get a broad comprehensive viewpoint of his mission and the ultimate results to be accomplished he will be misplaced and will, in all probability, do more harm than good. If his mind is such that the dotting of an "i" and the crossing of a "t" loom up as great errors he should be placed on some other work. An instructor should be able to see the picture in "massed effects."

It is believed that no officer should be detailed as an instructor until he has graduated from the school of his arm. Regardless of the amount of study and application he may devote to his profession he will be lacking in one or more essentials until he has absorbed

the well-rounded courses presented by the service schools.

At

Assuming that the officer detailed to this work has common sense, the next quality necessary is that of sympathetic understanding of the problems of the units with which he is assigned to work. He must feel that he is part of the organization and that its troubles are his troubles; that its accomplishments are his accomplishments; and that he will share in the praise or blame that it receives. the same time he must remember that he has no administrative authority or powers but is rather in the position of a "big brother," ready to help and advise but not to interfere. Let me say now that this is, at times, one of the most difficult things an instructor has to learn. On the other hand, if he stands by and impersonally makes reports and criticisms in an attitude of aloofness he will be misunderstood and get nowhere. Such a condition will in time render his services useless so far as any constructive work is concerned. It will be conceded that no one minds friendly and constructive criticism that is coupled with a desire to help.

It is truly said that first impressions are lasting. An instructor having the two qualities indicated must also have the quality of friendliness. By friendliness is meant a sincere appreciation of the other man and his work. Gush is not friendliness. If the instructor regards the men with whom he is associated as his brothers in arms, serving the same-cause, and feels that they are entitled to the very best in him he will have the quality which, for lack of a better term, we have called friendliness. Officers and men will be quick to see and appreciate this quality and it will

not be long before he is of very real
service.

In the National Guard as in every other human organization there are apt to be factions. A cardinal rule for an instructor to always keep before him is that he can not in any way take sides. He must impress upon all that he is neither interested nor concerned in any thing except the good of the organization as a whole. When this is understood the instructor is very often placed in a position to do exactly the work needed and at the same time gain and keep the respect and confidence of the organization.

We have said that an instructor needs common sense, technical proficiency, friendliness and freedom from factional bias or opinions, but without one other quality these will avail him little. This quality is enthusiasm.

Just to say enthusiasm sounds like a bromide. The officer reading this will probably think of bayonet practice and the bubbling-over person who gives one a headache. That type of enthusiasm is not meant or intended. What is What is meant is the quiet and helpful quality that sees and appreciates difficulties but also sees ways and methods of overcoming them. It is the quality that refuses to be pessimistic even if things are going badly. It is the quality that keeps the instructor constantly on the alert for the improvement of the organization to which he is attached. It is the quality that makes an instructor instinctively want to assume the responsibility for the organization and to feel that it is his fault if it is not doing well. It is the quality that makes him work longer and harder than the regulations require and to think about "his" organization all the time, and to

feel that he has not accomplished all that he might.

So far we have considered the relation of the instructor to the Guard and have not considered his relations to the public. The public, as a rule, has little or no information concerning the Army and its mission as laid down by Congress. This is particularly so in the larger cities where little is seen or heard of the Guard except on days of parades or ceremonies.

The public will judge the Army by the personnel it sees. As the instructor is so will the Army be judged in that locality. His appearance, what he has to say and what he does will be the basis of this judgment. It often happens that an instructor in the course of his work will be called upon to address various bodies. Generally his addresses will have to do with his work. Every instructor should cultivate the ability to speak before an audience. We do not mean that he should be an orator, desirable as this may be, but that he should be able to present the subject on which he speaks intelligently and pleasingly.

An instructor should cultivate social relations with the public, and when opportunity presents "sell" the organization with which he is connected. It is surprising the number of people who do not know what the National Guard is and the mission it performs. It is also surprising the really genuine interest that people take when the matter is explained to them.

Personal appearance on this duty is very important. The standards of an officer are such that this matter will or should take care of itself, but an instructor must constantly bear in mind that he is the direct representative of

the Army in his locality and is responsible for the impression he creates.

Tact is really a part of enthusiasm. It is a variable quality and can be cultivated. There are no rules for guidance, but fundamental common sense will determine the thing to do and say at the right time. There are times when an instructor can accomplish a great deal by saying nothing and other times when he should speak promptly and forcibly. If the instructor is filled with the desire to be of service and at the same time is considerate of the opinions and personalities of others, tact will take care of itself.

It may be thought from the foregoing that an instructor has to be a very superior individual, combining in himself all the qualities of genius, but nothing of the sort is intended. of the qualities indicated should be the mental equipment and fixed policy of every officer who wishes to succeed in his profession. No officer ever attains to his ideal, but he may be reasonably close to it if he keeps in mind that service in whatever work he may be doing

I

is the only justification for his existence.

In closing we may summarize by saying that no officer can receive a more responsible or important detail than that of instructor to the National Guard nor can he find work in his profession which will give him any more keen personal satisfaction than the results he may accomplish with the organization to which he is assigned. The mental attitude and qualities necessary on such a detail may be broadly stated as follows:

A-An appreciation of the functions and mission of the National Guard. B-A realization of the importance and responsibility of his detail. C-Common sense.

D-Technical proficiency in his arm of the service.

E-Enthusiasm.

·F-Appearance and bearing.

G-The desire and wish to be of service.

"And the greatest of these is service."

That Guilty Feeling

Sister's friend had come to spend the afternoon and evening with the family and at the supper table her little brother, between mouthfuls, said to him, "Oh, Howard, you should have seen the nice soldier man that was here yesterday to see sister. Gee! he was swell, and he was talkin' to sister, and he had his arm

"Johnny!" said his sister, blushing deeply.

Looking surprised, Johnny said,

"Well, I was just going to say he had his arm

"Johnny," said his mother, "now that's enough from you."

Johnny began to pout and said, "Well, I was only goin' to say he had his arm

"Johnny, you leave the room!" said his father severely. Johnny began to move toward the door. As he opened it he said, "I was only goin' to say he had his army clothes on!"

Capt. John J. McEwan, Infantry'

10 thousands of ardent Army football fans the annual performance of the Army team against the Navy in the years since the War has been an annual disappointment. In 1913, after suffering three defeats the tide turned and with the odds 3 to 1 against them the Army team defeated. the most powerful aggregation that the Navy had ever put on the field by a score of 22 to 9. In the three succeeding years it became a habit with the Army team to go down to the Polo Grounds once a year and chase the Navy team off the field. Daly and Graves had built up a wonderful system of football and under it had developed many players of great ability. It seemed as if West Point held the whiphand over Annapolis, for each year's squad was getting stronger than the one before. After the 1916 season there were left at the Academy such players as Oliphant, Vidal, Knight, Jones, and many others of long training and experience. With this nucleus to work with, and with an efficient system of training our players, the future of football here was promising. However, after the suspension of football relations during the years of '17 and '18, the annual gridiron classic between the two Service

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war

Academies assumed a sad aspect from an Army point of view. The early graduation of several classes at West Point had reduced the football material here until there were remaining for the 1919 squad no veteran players. This was the situation which Maj. Charles D. Daly, who had been so brilliantly successful in coaching the victorious Army teams of 1913-14-15-16, had to face when he was returned to West Point with the task assigned him of building up from these athletic ashes a team fit to cope with a Navy aggregation of great power and experience. In 1919, the first season after the War, the Army team was beaten 6-0, and in 1920 and 1921 was also made to bite the dust to the tune of Navy 7, Army 0.

Now all this is offered, not as an alibi, but in explanation so that those who have suffered disappointment for three bitter years may understand something of the difficult proposition which Daly and his staff had to overcome in putting out the winning team of 1922. You can't beat men with

boys; neither can you defeat experienced football teams with green play

ers.

player can be made overnight by means Some people think that a footbali of a megaphone and hypodermic syringe, but it isn't true. There is no substitute for experience in football any more than there is a substitute for sleep in life. Never in animal history has there been known

All American center, Army Team, 1914, 1915, 1916. Head-line coach at West Point 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922. Elected Head Coach for Army Football Team for 1923.

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