Walking Point

[Mortblanc]

Roger's rules are still taught at all levels of training at the U.S Infantry school. When I was in the Army they issued a small copy of "the Rules" to every soldier.

Most people do not realize that every movement in the military is actually a "patrol" of varying scale from very small to very large, and each patrol depends on the same elements large and small. Ambush, raid or reconnaissance are your activities, with a point element, the main body, and rear guard your elements.

That is also one of the reasons our smallest administrative units are the "fire teams" inside the squads, generally 5 men. One for point, one for rear guard, one scanning right, one scanning left and the leader planing and navigating. A leader almost NEVER sends a lone man out on a mission, he always sends a team.

And as the day's history lesson I have a tidbit.

Rogers did his work in the forests of New York and Canada working for the British during the Seven Years War (we call it the French and Indian War over here). The Ranger units had several British light infantry companies attached to them and the entire force numbered several hundred. Rogers kept them on an island out in the Hudson River, separated from the main Army and the camp followers.

Rogers remained a loyal subject of the Crown and offered his services to the British during the Revolutionary War.

The British never fully trusted him, but he was labeled a Tory by the Colonials and had to leave the U.S. after the war ended. He became a British officer, serving with little distinction.

Rogers also had a nemesis, a French Canadian Captain named Joseph Marin. Truth be known, Marin bested Rogers in several serious social encounters operating on the same principles and methods.