ARMY OF THE UNITED ARMY ORGANIZATION. United The land forces of the United States are classified into the Regular Army, in which enlistment is for four years with the colors and three in the unorganized Army Reserve, the Officers Reserve Corps, and the Enlisted Reserve Corps, forces called or drafted into the service of the United States, the Organized Militia of the several States, and the unorganized mili tia, consisting of all males between 18 and 45 who are fit to bear arms and are citizens of the United States, or have declared their in tention to become citizens. The President of .the United States ii the Commander-in-chief of the United States Army by right of office, and he nominates for the approval of Congress such general officers of the rank of general or lieutenant-general as he deems necessary properly to officer the higher commands. The administration is carried on by the War De partment under the direction of the Secretary of War, who is a member of the official cabi net of the President. For administrative purposes the following divisions are made: The General Staff Corps prepares all plans for national defense, for mobilization of the forces, and has a general supervision of all questions affecting the efficiency of the Army, and is under the charge of the chief of staff. The Adjutant-General s Department keeps all records and has charge of all correspondence, the issuing of orders, notices, bulletins and official literature, and is under the charge of the Adjutant-General. The Inspector-Gener al's Department exercises general supervision over all matters that have to do with the efficiency of the Arm— the conduct and dis cipline, condition equipments, supplies and expenditure of public money, and is under the charge of the Inspector-General. The Judge-Advocate's Department is the cus todian of all legal records, has a general su pervision over all courts-martial, courts of inquiry and military commissions, and is un der the charge of the Judge-Advocate-Gen eral. The Ordnance Department supplies all arms, equipments and other fighting material and maintains the arsenal and depots for the manufacture, distribution and safe-keeping of military stores, and is under the charge of the Chief of Ordnance. The Quartermaster Corps takes care of all matters of supply (other than ordnance), transportation, distribution of funds and payment of troops, and is under the charge of the Quartermaster-General.
The Engineer Corps is in charge of the con struction and maintenance of all fortifications, military posts, lines of communication and rivers and harbors, as far as is necessary for their use for military or naval purposes, and is under the charge of the Chief of En gineers. The Coast Artillery Corps is in charge of the garrisoning of all coast fortifi cations and coast and harbor defense and siege work, and is commanded by the Chief of Coast Artillery. The Signal Corps is in charge of all methods of communication by balloons, aeroplanes, wireless telegraphy, telephones and visual signaling, and is commanded by the Chief Signal Officer. The Medical Department is subdivided into (a) the Medical Corps, which is in charge of the sick and wounded and the physical and sanitary condition of the army, detachments of which are known as sanitary troops when serving with other troops; (b) the Dental Corps, which is in charge of the teeth; (c) the Medical Reserve Corps, which secures a reserve of medical officers available for military service; (d) the Hospital Corps, which renders all necessary hospital services in garrison, camp or field (including the ambulance service); (e) the Nurse Corps, from which nurses may be as signed to active duty when the emergency of the service demands. The Surgeon-General is in charge of the Medical Department and all its branches. The Bureau of Insular Af fairs is in charge of all matters of a military nature and of the supplies that affect the col onies, and is under the control of the Chief of Insular Affairs. The Bureau of Militia Affairs is in charge of the affairs of the Na tional Guard and is under the direction of the Chief of Militia Affairs.
The organization of the fighting forces of the United States in May 1917, was based on following units: A Squad consisting of 1 corporal, as squad commander, and 7 pri vates, or privates, first class: a Platoon con sisting of 1 first lieutenant, second lieutenant or sergeant, as platoon commander, and 4 squads. The organization of the United States Army at the present time (1917) is in a state of change. Besides the scheme out lined in the °Tables of Organization° on 3 May, a new organization for overseas service was outlined in the Official Bulletin for 22 September. The following table is an outline of the comparative structure of the two sys tems (the numbers stand for officers and men combined): In an infantry division there are