Any good treatise on this subject will show the proper forms for a military letter.

Indorsements follow the signature in succession on the same page or on added pages.  They are very brief, follow a prescribed form and, if necessary, are paragraphed in the same way as the letter.  Letters should be made in three, four, five or six copies, according to destination.  They should always be handled through military channels; time will be lost if you try to dodge it.

MORNING REPORT.—­This is a complete record of daily events and should be kept with great care.  It is submitted daily to the proper authority, checked and returned.  Any standard work on this subject will show the proper method of making entries.  Be sure to make entry of all events affecting your company, its numbers or condition.  If there is no change, say so.

RATION RETURN.—­This form is made out in duplicate for periods of from 10 days to a month.  In case men join the company after the ration return has been submitted for a given period, one ration for each man for each day from date of joining to date of submitting next return, may be drawn on the next return.  The same plan is followed in making deductions for men in the hospital or absent from the company.  For ration allowances see a.r. 1202-1252.

SICK REPORT.—­A commissioned officer of the company and the medical officer sign on one line following the last entry for the occasion.  Neither may encroach on the territory of the other and both enter their opinions as to whether the sickness is in line of duty.  No erasures are allowed.

DUTY ROSTER.—­For any roster the key word should be “equality of all duties.”  It means the difference between contentment and dissatisfaction among your men.  Keep an exact list of men available for every duty and detail them in exact rotation; adjust to complete satisfaction any little differences that arise.  Let the men know that you want to give them a square deal and they will respond.  The longest man off duty is the first man to be called.  In the regular service the roster covers guard duty and other duties, notably kitchen, police and other fatigue work.

MONTHLY RETURN.—­The form is self explanatory.  Read the instructions on the blanks before filling them in.  By keeping in the company a record of events you can easily fill out the return properly when the time comes.

SERVICE RECORD.—­References in Army Regulations:  Paragraphs 115, 118, 124, 135, 138, 938, 1337, 1361, 1451, 1535.  Article 16.

The service record is a complete personal history of the soldier and follows him wherever he goes.  It contains:  a descriptive list, report of assignment, record of prior service, current enlistment, military record, record of allotments, clothing account and settlement, deposits, indorsements (this latter to give reasons for change of status or station of the soldier).

DISCHARGE.—­Discharges are of three kinds:  honorable, dishonorable and plain discharge.  The first is on a white sheet and entitles the soldier to re-enlist; the second is on a yellow sheet and is given following sentence of a general court-martial; the third is on a blue sheet and is given on account of physical disability—­it does not entitle the soldier to re-enlist.