TRAINING

Called to the colors with expectations of combat service, Guardsmen and Regulars alike soon found that training consumed much of their time, filling the interval between routine camp duties and limited patrolling.  For the Army, this training proved to be important in that it ensured that over 200,000 Soldiers received some training before being mobilized for service in France.  "Some" is an important modifier as units remained in service for varying amounts of time and the combination of time and unit type ultimately determined the quantity and quality of training received.  Inconsistencies not withstanding, this reduced training requirements for individual training after mobilization and allowed better focusing of training in France.