Protocol

Proper military protocol should be maintained with respect to all Quartermaster transactions.

All military units should have someone who is appointed by the commander to carry out Quartermaster duties, whether this is an officer or an NCO. This individual will be the authorized representative of that military unit who can request and receive stores from the Brigade/Battalion Quartermaster.

Quartermasters may not command troops from other branches unless specifically authorized to do so by the appropriate unit commander.

Quartermasters may command troops from other branches when assigned to their department for work details.

Quartermaster supplies are under the control of that department until properly issued.

The issue of supplies will follow appropriate military channels. Requisitions and issues should go from company to battalion and from battalion to brigade. Requisitions and issues should be directed through properly appointed Quartermasters. Proper records should be kept of Quartermaster requisitions and issues. It is recommended that the following forms be used for requisitions:

For fuel: Quartermaster Form 29
For straw or hay: Quartermaster Form 36
For food: Subsistence Form 13

In the absence of these forms, Quartermaster Form 40, Special Requisition, may be used. Requisitions legibly written on a sheet of paper may be substituted for Quartermaster Form 40.

In order to prevent misunderstandings, the documentation on supplies issued should be signed or initialed by the appropriate issuing and receiving Quartermasters.

Quartermasters should be vigilant to prevent hoarding and wastage of supplies.

The most common amenities issues to the troops are fuel, hay, and straw. (According to regulations straw is issued to the men for bedding and hay is issued as forage to the animals.)

In instances where provisions are issued to the troops, the Quartermaster must also serve as Commissary. In such instances great care must be exercised to insure that the provisions are properly preserved, equitably distributed, and that provisions are issued to all men including those on detached duty.

At the battalion level provisions should not be issued to individual men, but to the company Quartermaster. The company Quartermaster should issue such provisions as needed, only in bulk to authorized company cooks or to messes of no less than four men.

The senior Quartermaster present, normally the brigade QM, is responsible for the wagon train, if present. This responsibility includes the loading and unloading of wagons, the safe transportation of property, and supervision of waggoners or teamsters.

Quartermasters should be familiar with camp layout and be able to prepare a campsite or to assist the Adjutant or quartering party with camp set up when called upon to do so.

The men should have a minimum of one gallon of water per day. In hot weather the amount of water available should be higher. Although the Quartermaster will make every effort to provide adequate water, it is the ultimate responsibility of the unit commander to insure that his troops have adequate water.

Additional water should be available for animals and for washing dishes.

Each animal normally requires 20 gallons of water per day.

The normal forage for horses is 14lb of hay and 12lb of grain per day and for mules is 14lb of hay and 9lb of grain. (as per Army Regulations).

The issue of straw for sleeping, when available, is one bale for three men. The issue of straw for officers is one bale for two men, when needed. (The period issue was 12lb per enlisted man per month. Officers were permitted to carry bedding as part of their personal baggage.)

The issue of firewood is 3 medium (18" long x 4" diameter) logs per man for a weekend event . While allowances must be made for variations in log size and for cold weather, continuous fire pit activity when not in use for cooking will surely deplete the fuel ration before the event is over.

Under normal circumstances restrictions on the number of fire pits are desirable to provide for the more efficient consumption of firewood. There should be no more than one fire pit for 10 enlisted men.

If chemical toilets are not in close proximity, nearby sink areas should be designated by unit commanders or Quartermasters. As appropriate, sink areas should have trenches, lime, or other materials to maintain sanitary conditions.

If rations are of questionable quality, they should be submitted to the surgeon for inspection. If condemned by the surgeon, such rations should be marked IC (inspected and condemned) and disposed of in an appropriate manner.

The normal issue of rations should be based on units composed of four men.