The Gospel of the army is cunning, as of all other human activities. The wisdom of the snake under the meekness of the sheep is what wins out.
The first Commandment is--never let them get anything on you--
The second: Graft--get privileges others haven't got--worm yourself into confidence
The Third--seem neat and prosperous--as if you had money in the bank

The Fourteenth Chronicle: Letters and Diaries of John Dos Passos (ed. Harvard Common Press, 1973) - ISBN: 9780876450734