Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-21
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Some Suggestions as to Change of
Computation.
ADJUTANT RENNlE'S PROPOSED METHOD
Rifle Practice in the Pennsylvania
and New Jersey Guard.
SMALL NOTES OF INTEREST

Those who have been somewhat concerned
because the District National Guard did not
receive the credit to which 1t is entitled
for the admirable work 1t has done with the
rifle on the range will be much interested In
the proposition made in letter which has
been written by Adjutant Rennie OF the
third battalian to Maj Geo. H. Harries, in
spector general of rifle practice. The commu-
ncation, which was discussed and emphati-
cally Endorsed at the meeting of inspectors of
rifle practice held at brigade headquarters
last Monday evening. is as follows:
Il have been of the opinion for long
time that We of the District of Columbia
National Guard have been doing ourselves
great injustice in our method of computing
the figure of merit of our different organi-
cations in rifle practice, and, in accordance
with your request, give my views on the
subject.
According to our regulations as they are
now, the final classification for the year
shall include the name of every officer and
man who has been borne on the roll of the
organization during the year. and on the
classification thus made computation shall
be made While this method is just as fair
for one as it is for another in the District
National Guard. 1t fails to do us the credit
to which are really entitled, and does
NOT give US lne dS an
compared to the militia of the various states
to which our work with the rifle gives US a
right. There are in almost all, and more
especially in some companies, a number of
men discharged for one cause or another
between December l and July /. A general
wedding out of dead wood takes place
every April previous to the annual muster.
Now. 1t is simply physical mpossibiity
for men who belong to the guard on Decem
Der l, and are discharged between that date
and. say. June l. no matter how willing they
may be, to qualify as marksmen or any
thing else, because they have no opportunity
to shoot their scores on the range. And
yet, We required to take every one of
these men. who could not qualify II they
would. into consideration when computing
our figure of merit.
How the Standard is Reduced.
1T is easll seen how this reduces our
standard. Then, again, recruits enlisting
after September 80 have no time to re-
ceive the necessary instruction and qualify
previous to the close of the target yea,
November 80. and yet we are required TO
reduce our figure of merit by counting
them in the strength of the company. The
practice season in the army, according TO
Blunt, is only of two months duration,
and 1t Is only members of the company
with the exceptions noted who have been
present at the station of the company dur
ing that period that are classified Blunt
say: The following will not be classified
those who have been absent from
the station of the company for a period
of one month or more, not necessarily con-
tnuously, of the practice season .
recruits who have not been advanced, etc.
Now, If man does not belong to a COM
pany during the time at which 1t is posi-
BILE for him to perform a certain duty,
although he may have belonged to 1t for
several months prior to or after that time,
l hold he cannot be included under the
heading, present for duty Therefore, l
propose remedy for what l consider
the existing evil, that a period. say from
July l to October 81 be designated as a
practice season. and that only men borne
on the rolls of the company Tor other or
ganiZation, the case may be- during that
time, or. in other words. during the period
when 1t is possible for man, unless he
neglects his duty, to get in his range scores.
shall be classified, it being understood that
an opportunity be afforded those who have
not had Ii, to fire their scores in the gal
iery during the same period l would also
suggest that men absent from the sta ton
of their company for period Of say, two
months OF the target season be not claSsi-
fled. This need not prevent the classifica-
ton of scores made in the gallery between
January l ana July ], or after September
80, but by designating as practice season
the four months named you cover a period
when II is possible for every man belong
ing to a company to put In his score both
In the gallery and on the range, and there
Is no possibility fo- a man to be a third
class man except through his own neglect
in not firing the required number of scores.
In which case a dishonorable discharge
would be the proper thing, or his inability
to make the required percentage, which.
with proper instruction and attention is
l think, hardly possible.
Two Methods COntrasted
For example, we have a company as fol,