Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/212

 210 THE FORT SHERIDAN ASSOCIATION

1 . Efficiency of Military Establishments. — That the efficiency of a military establishment is in a direct ratio to the physical fitness of its in- dividual units has never before been demonstrated so forcibly as it has been during the present war.

The demands made upon those engaged in this conflict are so far in excess of what w^as thought to be the limit of human endurance, judged by a before-the-w^ar standard, that it is almost impossible to conjecture even w^hat that limit really is.

2. Demand of Modern Warfare. — While modern warfare has not hesitated to impress almost every known science into its service for the purpose of overcoming man, the trained man has up to the present time demonstrated his ability to hold his ow^n against the most terrible odds successfully; and in the end it w^ill be discovered that it is the man, the carefully trained and conditioned man, w^ho alone can make victory possible.

3. Necessity for Physical Training. — With these facts before us it follows logically that the physical training development, and conditioning of those recruited for military service must be the first and most impor- tant concern of a nation at w^ar.

4. Objects Sought by This Course. — The object, therefore, that a course in physical training for recruits must aim to attain, is the develop- ment of every individual physical attributes to the fullest extent of their possibilities, so that he may enter upon the duties his profession imposes w^ith the utmost confidence in his ability to discharge them successfully under any and all circumstances.

5. What Course Must Embrace. — In order to accomplish this object the course must embrace those means that will develop:

(a) General health and organic vigor.

(b) Muscular and nervous strength, endurance and fortitude.

(c) Self-reliance and confidence.

(d) Smartness, activity, alertness, and precision.

6. As the extent of the development of all the physical attributes is determined by health and vigor, these must be considered the basis of all physical training.

7. The possession of robust health and organic vigor is not, how- ever, sufficient for the field soldier; his profession requires that he also possess more than the average amount of muscular and nervous strength, endurance and fortitude, against which he may draw in times of stress.

8. With robust health and organic vigor as a basis, and w^ith the know^ledge that he possesses an unusual amount of muscular and nervous strength, he must be taught how to preserve the former and how to use the latter to the best advantage. By learning to do this he will unwit- tingly develop self-reliance and confidence, which are, after all, physical qualities, since they give to him the courage to dare because of the con- sciousness of the ability to do.

9. Smartness, activity, alertness, and precision are all physical ex- pressions of mental activity, and as such are the powers that guide and control the physical forces to the best advantage. They also make for personal pride and self-respect and discipline, the voluntary, intelligent, co-ordinated, and equal subordination of every individual unit, through which alone the objects of the mass can be achieved.

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