The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-11
MILITARY MATTERS;
 GUARD OF ALABAMA
By D. w. NEWER.

 the 3rd has ten companies and will have about four hundred men in camp. The 1st proposes to take about 675 me nto Chickamauga and to do so. will have to do some recruiting, but Colon el Dumont feels confident he can get enough new men to swell the number to the above figures.
 The Artillery and Cavalry will have full turn outs and will make good showings in camp.
 Rife Practice.
 The Governor has authorized Cap tain W. E. Mickfe, Jr.. the Inspector of Rifle Practice for the 1st Regiment, to form team for Sea Girt He has given much of his time and attention to his duties and has had rifle practice in every command of his organization at regular intervals during the year. and has made reports to the Adjutant General as the law requires.
 Captain Miclkie is not.only thorough ly informed, but he is very enthusias- tic on the subject and he will :nstill that feeling into the team he selects. and 1t is very safe to say that he will make a good record for Alabama at Sea Girt. He is to select the team from the different organizations, pro rated among them according to strength. if he can find the men with the required records made in camp. and who can come up to the other re- Quirements which are that they must have performed 75 per cent of duty during the year. and subject to the government regulations as to eligibili- ty.
 The main thing is that the teams from the National Guard must be from the active service and that will prevent all others getting In. The practice must be had in the meantime at the home stations and in camp. and after the team has been selected much prac- tice will be required. The team will go to Sea Girt several days in advance of the time they expect to shoot in or der to get practice and become famil- far with local surroundings. The necessary expenses are to be paid. The Inspectors of Rifle Practice 9f the different commands are stirring themselves and they will have the prac- tice in camp necessary to give their men an opportunity to make the rec ord required to get in the team. and 1t Is not expected that any one with record below 45 can get in.
 The Non-COms.
 The important thing for the life and efficiency of all military organizations is the non n-commissioned officers-they are to be depended upon to do most of
  informed and competent before they are appointed. It Is very truly said that in a coihpauy where the seniority rule prevails we occasionally meet sergeants who are wholly incapable for the requirements of their grade. They are good soldiers and are evf- dently willing in all respects to do their duties, but whose willingness "A lat taraaf their obvious ineficiency, may 1t be caused by lack of mental capacity and executive ability, or whatever 1t may be. they constitute an impediment to retaining the standard of an organiza- ton. as no reliance can be placed fin them. however worthy they otherwise may be, and 1t is In the interest of the service at large that they be re- turned to the grade of private so soon as there Is a more competent man available.
 "The writer would suggest the fol- lowing method of promoting corporals to be sergeants which may meet with the app&val of the company command CTS Take the three senior corporals and have them undergo an examina- tion. written and partly practical. in drill regulations, army regulations, and the guard manual, due regard being
  neatness displayed in the preparation of papers. The examining board to be convened by a company order and the questions to be prepared by a mem Der of the board sand to be approved by the captain; the examination in drill to be both written and practical
 'The examination need not be very extensive, say six, or any other mum Der of questions Tn each subject: ques- tions which involve long and tedious answers should be avoided The prac- ticaI test in driil to take place during the regular drill hours, the first ser geant to command the company and the respective eorporals to act as guide chiefs, of sections and of platoons, etc, while the company officers observe the drill and mark each corporal ac- cording to his ef1cieney. The papers in all subjects to be marked by each member of the board and a mean of these marks taken, In each subject, to be the per centage attained in that subject. and a mean of the marks in all the subjects to be the proficiency shown in the examination. In finally grading the papers of each corporal due weight should be given his record