_The Director_: “In our solution to Situation No. 1, Captain Hall, in giving the order of the platoon commander said: ‘Sergeant Roberts, with the first squad, will form the point, etc.’ That was an eminently proper order. It did not go into details. He assumes that Sergeant Roberts is familiar with the methods of forming the point of an advance guard and conducting its operations. “It is a very simple matter for the platoon commander to pass the order along to the sergeant in this manner. But unless the platoon commander knows how the work should be done he has no means of checking up and seeing to it that it is done properly. “While it is not contemplated that any member of this class will ever be called upon to conduct the operations of the point of an advance guard, all should be familiar with what happens when he gives someone else an order to do so.” Procedure The Director passes out the papers containing Situation No. 2, reads the situation aloud and calls upon one or more members of the class to give their understanding of it. The Problem =Situation No. 2=: You, Sergeant Roberts, have been designated to command the point, consisting of the first squad. Your men have been turned over to you by the platoon commander. You have been ordered to move out and get your distance and formation. _Required_: What do you do? Procedure _The Director_: “Captain Sands, what is a point?” _Captain Sands_: “A point is an element of an advance guard that precedes the advance party.” _The Director_: “That is right, and it is no more or less than a fighting patrol that is assigned a definite line of march. Its operations are conducted on that basis. It can afford to be bold and aggressive because the advance party is close at hand to back it up. What factors govern the formation of the point, Lieutenant Wallace?” _Lieutenant Wallace_: “The point must have a formation that renders it the least vulnerable to hostile fire. This means dispersion. On the other hand, the dispersion should not be so great that the commander is not able to control its operations. I should say that a patrol formation, where the men march in pairs on opposite sides of the road, would be suitable.” _The Director_: “What should be the distances between the men?” _Lieutenant Wallace_: “Twenty to 25 yards. That distance would provide the necessary dispersion, and at the same time there would be sufficient compactness to insure control.” _The Director_: “Where will the point commander march, Lieutenant Ralston?” _Lieutenant Ralston_: “He should march at the head of the point.” _The Director_: “Do you agree with that statement, Captain Harvey?” _Captain Harvey_: “No, sir; I do not. It seems to me that the commander should be free to go wherever he is needed. He should not be tied down to any one place.”