The course covers
general subjects, and also all military branches, such as engineering,
topography, gunnery, electricity, signalling, torpedo operation, and the
like. In the case of college men appointed lieutenants for war service,
the majority had just been graduated or were seniors in their respective
institutions; as a consequence, little time was lost in the study of
general subjects, the idea being to concentrate upon military subjects.
In short, the Plattsburg idea was put into effect, with what results may
be judged by the words of high praise which have been said concerning
the marine subalterns in France.
Since war began the corps has grown from a total of 13,266 enlisted men
and 426 officers to a present strength of 38,629 enlisted men and 1,389
officers. The increase in enlisted men has been through voluntary
enlistment; in one instance a college battalion enlisted as a whole. The
personnel represents all classes of the community; college and business
men, athletes, mechanics, laborers, and in one instance a former
Congressman, who, although slightly over the usual age, attained the
rank of second lieutenant through his devotion to duty and application.
The recruit depots at Port Royal, S.C., and Mare Island, Cal., have
proved equal to the demands made upon them, and here the preliminary
training of the mass of recruits has been accomplished. No detail of the
training of a soldier has been neglected, and on the transfer of these
new men to the concentration camp at Quantico, Va.
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