creates respect for authority and confidence in superiors.

=915. Punishment.= In maintaining discipline, it must be remembered
the object of punishment should be two-fold: (a) To prevent the
commission of offenses, and (b) to reform the offender. Punishment
should, therefore, in degree and character depend upon the nature of
the offense. Punishment should not be debasing or illegal, and the
penalty should be proportionate to the nature of the offense. If too
great, it tends to arouse sympathy, and foster friends for the
offender, thus encouraging a repetition of the offense. A distinction,
therefore, should be made between the deliberate disregard of orders
and regulations, and offenses which are the result of ignorance or
thoughtlessness. In the latter case the punishment should be for the
purpose of instruction and should not go to the extent of inflicting
unnecessary humiliation and discouragement upon the offender.

General Principles

=916.= In the administration of discipline the following principles
should be observed.

1. Everyone, officers and soldiers, should be required and made to
perform their full duty. If the post commander, for instance, requires
the company commanders to do their full duty, they will require their
noncommissioned officers to do their full duty, and the
noncommissioned officers will in turn require the men to do the same.

2. Subordinates should be held strictly responsible for the proper
government and administration of their respective commands, and all
changes or corrections should be made through them.

3. Subordinates should have exclusive control of their respective
commands, and all orders, instructions and directions affecting their
commands should be given through them.

4. If, in case of emergency, it be not practicable to make certain
changes or corrections, or to give certain orders, instructions or
directions, through the subordinates, they should be notified at once
of what has been done.

5. After a subordinate has been placed in charge of a certain duty,
all instructions pertaining thereto should be given through him, and
all meddling and interfering should be avoided. Interference by
superiors relieves the subordinate of responsibility, and causes him
to lose interest, become indifferent, and do no more than he is
obliged to do.

6. The certainty of reward for, and appreciation of, meritorious
conduct, should equal the certainty of punishment for derelicti