Possible Clues:

• Miners get retrained as fighting units
• Colonel's commands
• 'Tigers', men trained for army units
• Engineers, fellows this person's put in fighting units
• Groups of troops
• Rulers incorporating one metre units
• Let first literary efforts add some excitement
• With 5 down up the street they're all in the army
• Setter's in park with soldiers
• Miners get formed into militant groups