THE CITIZEN SOLDIER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1159, 21 June 1911, Page 4

THE CITIZEN SOLDIER.

Y HIS BOOK. 'FROM SENIOR CADET TO RESERVES. A RECORD OF SERVICE. [By Echelon.] It is one of the characteristics-of Field Marshal Viscount Kitchener that in his strivings after tho highest possible conditions of military efficiency ho adopts tho simplest possible means. All his systems are raachine-liko in that tho efficiency of the whole is absolutely dependent upon the efficiency of. its parts. Kitchener has recognised that whilo details are all important, tho unnecessary multiplication of detail is bad—the war machino must be as perfect in its constituent parts as it is possible to be, but the machinery must not be too complex. This is tho fundamental principle of the military systems recommended by him for the land defences of Australia and New Zealand. The key to .tho ■excellence of the system was to bo the individual, and tho problem was:' How to exercise a consistent supervision over the individual without endangering the smooth administration of the system by a complicated ' machinery; how it would be possible for a supervising officer to at onco ascertain on the spot;'and without reference to a small army of record clerKs",'.'and a stock of files, tho details of soldier's work in the forces. "K.'s" Inspiration. Kitchener's inspiration was the citizen soldier's "personal record book." "It will bo necessary," he wrote in his historic memorandum to the Commonwealth, and New Zealand Governments on tho subject of land defences,, "to., supply a record book to each.junior/icadet on his leaving' school," ; Tn .wliicti ffillV'be.-shown ' his name, addr.cSs,.idato:.9f birth, character, drill, qualification, description; with instructions to tho cadet to present his record book to the officer at the secondary school if he intends continuing his education therein, or, if not, to tho permanent staff officer or staff non-com-missioiwd officer nearest to his place of residence, for enrolment in the senior cadets. In like manner the same record book will be further written up showing his service in the senior cadets on his attaining'the ago of eighteen or date of leaving secondary school; and again the senior cadet will present his record book to the permanent staff officer or staff non-commissioned officer nearest to his place of residence for registration for recruit training in. the Territorial Force. On the completion of his recruit 'and territorial training, his record book will be finally written up, and shall be a certificate of proof that such person has completed his period of personal service, and is passed into tho reserve. In time this should act automatically, and no'special registration bo necessary except • for new arrivals,"'. .•■■."."" - : "•• ;'•'' A Pocket Testimonial. Upon the above basis, then, the New Zealand citizen.soldior's. "personal ro r cord book," now in tho hands of tho Government Printer, has been designed by tho'Department of Military Operations and Intelligence at General Headquarters. It is, in effect, t a pocket testimonial, "designed to contain the record of the military training and service performance by the holder from the time to his registration to the time of his final di'.ttharge, and is legal proof that tho training and service recorded therein havo been performed. "It should therefore (states tho prefatory note in tho book) be carefully preserved, oven after the registered' holder has ceased to bo liable for training and service" There are two copies—one entitled the "Personal Record Book," is tho properly of the registered holder, to be retained by him; the"other entitled the "Duplicate Record Book," is the property, of t'ns Dβfenco Department. The book has a very statistical , look about it—it has no literary, attractions, so to speak—but an intelligent survey 'of its 50 pages will disclose to the averago man a definite and comprehensive purpose. The idea of keeping duplicate copies of each man's record book in tho , Department will render unnecessary a large amount of clerical work. The first few pages of the look are devoted to an explanation of its purpose and scope, a recitation of tho military training obligations as set forth in tho Defenco Act Amendment Act of 1910, and extracts from tho Act, as to offences and penalties. In short, the citizen'soldier, in his record book will have at hand a revised statement of his responsibilities with regard to training, and of what will happen to him in the event of any infraction of certain of the rules of the system. His standard of efficiency as a soldier—which is no mean indication of probable efficiency as a citizen—his state of health, nnd so on, will bs . carefully, noted at stated intervals in his record book. The first entries are made when the youth of U is registered as being eligible for military training, medically examined, and enrolled as a senior cadet; tho last when he has completed his term as a reservist. Medical Examination. One of the most striking features in the system of which the record book is a fundamental testament is the extreme care which is intended to bo exercised with regard to the medical examination of the senior cadet and' Territorial soldier from the beginning to the end. The first medical examination; made prior to enrolment .iu the senior cadets, , seems to bo sufficiently drastic to exclude all but tho physically . best of our young New Zealanders. For example, information is required respecting age, height, weight, colour of eyes, colour of hair, full inspiration, expiration, girth of abdomen, heart-action,' fralse™te, respiration, sight (right eye and left eye), hearing (right ear and left «ar), vaccination, colour vision, condition of tho teeth, and marks on body, the decision of the inspecting medical officer being"'recorded also. Tho medical officer-will classify the candidate under one of the following categories:—(a) "Fit"; (b) "Unfit for current year" (specifying tho year); (c) "Permanently unfit." In each case of unfitness (permanent or temporary), :the reasons for the decision will be clearly stated ond the entry signed by the medical officer. Those in Class (b), moreover, will be submitted during the four years of senior cadet service to a yearly"re-exam-ination,. and the results of. tho' medical officer's observations will be duly recorded .in tho book. .; ; , . ~ „' ,„ ~ . ..., Before passing-from the 1. senior .codecs! into the Territorial Force , ,-: tho. citizen soldier'is required to pass a medical test as searching as tho first imposed upon him in entering the senior cadets. Hero 'ngain, provision is mado for rc-examina-tion in the case of those certified as "Unfit for current year"—one re-exa ruination being required. . 'I 1 , . Exit; The Citizen Soldier,"; Tho various records for the Territorial period, include, as in the senior cadet period, such topics as enrolment, oath of allegiance, exemptions from training during liability for service, medical record (details of any subsequent treatment, admission to hospital etc., affecting "service in tho Territorial"Force), 'transfers', training, courses of instruction, arms, and accoutrements issued and returned,, clothing issued and returned, inspection of arms, charges for loss and damage to arms, accoutrements, and clothing, authorised badges for skill at arms, results of examinations for promotions, appointments, otc. The remaining records aro for eorvico in the reserve, training, record of war service, and, finally, on Page 50, thero is this last certificate: Certificate on Completion of Service in the New Zealand Military Forces. This is to certify that has completed the service required of him by the Defence- Act, and is hereby discharged. Length of service performed in the: Years. Months. 'Days. Senior Cadets , Territorial Force... Reserve Total Service ... Character on discharge Any special qualifications ' or distinctions