Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19


are sufficient no demand on the COM
panies to furnish lists Of men who have
seen six. nine, ten. twenty or twenty
five years service will be made.
OF course there will be no twenty-five
year men to appear December Is. Col.
Ourand. 1st Infantry, and Maj Neu,
meyer, commissary, however, will be
among those present when the twenty
five-year call is made.
These badges are made similar to the
regular service campaign ribbon bars
In color they are combination of stripes
Of blue, light blue, yellow and red.
Series two of the badges. are trimmed
with red, showing that the wearer has
seen service in time of war while con-
nected with the National Guard Of the
District OF Columbia
Lieut.. Edward F. Davis. I'd Infantry.
has been appointed surveying officer on
certain quartermaster supplies, ordnance
stores and other government property.
A rapid-f1re target device has been In
troduced into gallery practice by Maj
Thomas S. King head Of the department
vice allows the bull's-eye in use in rapid
fire work to pop up unexpectedly and
remain in view twenty seconds, the time
allotted for the five shots under the regu-
lationS.
y X X
Skirmish figures will be used in the
gallery practice Silhouette figures show
ing the outline Of an enemy's soldier in
the various positions seen on the firing
line, will afford very practical work for
men who from now on will be required to
work on the indoor range. Some day
when the new armory is a reality-mov-
ing skirmish figures will be installed, and
National Guardsmen of the District of
Columbia will have the benefit of that
sort of practice as now laid down in the
service regulations.
At present the one great aim in gallery
practice, with the skirmish figures and
the new rapid-hre device of Maj King. is
to show the men how to handle the rifle.
1t is a great temptation to fire those five
shots allotted to the twenty seconds as
fast as possible. Many beginners bang
away like a gatling gum and have ten
seconds to wait. The same is true in
| firing is frequently too quick, and at
three-shot halt the three bullets stream
out of the barrel in a solid line. It is
to give. men complete control of the
how to conserve the time allowance. and
how to pull the trigger right. that the
gallery practice has been inaugurated.
X X X
The question of whether or not ord
nance department and small arms prac-
| mental teams in rifle matches has been
settled by an edict from brigade head
| quarters in which 1t Is stated that Wher-
| ever officers of these departments are
assigned to duty with regiments or sepa-
| rate organizations they may oompete in
rifle or revolver matches in the District OF
Columbia Their eligibility at competi-
| lions held outside of the District will
depend, Of course, on the rules govern
| ing the competitions
| The circular in which this question is
| settled also says:
| 1T must be borne in mind that officers
| of the department of small arms practice
and ordnance department are assigned to
commands for the purpose Of giving in
struction in proper care and preservation
Of property and in use of the rifle and re-
| volver, and must not let participation in
competitions interfere in any way with
| this important instruction work.
The question Of the eligibility Of staff
officers to membership in the regimental
or other associations Of the commands to
which they are assigned Is entirely
matter for such associations to settle"
1.-The circular touches on other matters,
| among them being the following:
Officers of the staff corps or depart
mentS INSPECTORS of small arms practice,
ordnance officers and medical officers
arate organizations are not officers of
the regiments or separate ORGANIZATIONS.
but will perform the duties Of their re-
spective corps or departments under the
direction of the regimental or separate
organization commanders, who will pre-
scribe the times and places of perform
ance of these duties.
INSTRUCTION in the various duties Of
staff officers, including methpd of per-
forming these duties, will be given by the
heads of the respective staff corps or
departments, who are responsible for
the instruction and efficiency of the OFF,
GERS and non-commissioned officers of
their corps or departments. will assemble
them for instruction as often as practi-
cable, and will see that the method of
performing these duties is uniform.
The commanding officer of a regiment
or separate organization and the head Of
a staff corps or department concerned
will by conference arrange the details OF
performance of duties of detailed staff Of
ficers. and will apply to these headquar-
tiers il unable to arrange satisfactorily
these details.
"It has come to the attention of these
headquarters that applicants for enlist
ment rejected by nne medical officer have
been brought to another medical officer
of the command for physical examination
without any information being given OF
the previous rejection. This is not the
proper practice.
In future medical officers will ques-
ton each applicant for enlistment
whether he has previously applied for en-
Il
cause.
staff officers assigned to duty with
regiments or separate organizations will
not be required to attend officers schools
of those commands, but should do SO II
possible without interfering with their
regular duties"
No small representation of the National
Guard appeared at the testimonial dinner
to Gen. George II. Harries last Wednes-
day evening, at the New Willard. It
was regarded as fitting that one Of the
principal toasts of the evening was Gen
Harries as a National Guardsman," re-
sponded to by Col William E. Harvey,
commanding the I'd Infantry, N. G. D. c.
All of Col. Harvey's speech was of inter-
est to national guardsmen, which traced
the history of the milit a from the battle
Of Concord down to the last campaign
Of the local brigade, at Frederick. Md.
ext companies. Col. Harvey drew a
laugh from every one present, for his pic
ture Of some of the diners present was
good-natured and humorous.
Solomon in all his glory was not ar
rayed like some Of Them he said You
will all remember the imposing figure of
Capt. James l. Oyster Of the National
Rifles. CARRIED in the uniform of a Brit
lsh redcoat, or good old John Miller. or
Billy Moore of the Washington Light In
fantry. with their Immaculate white Aus
trian uniform and their bearskin shakos
Those were the days when militia duty
was one grand, sweet song. Annually
they went to Atlantic City or some other
seaside resort. Their tents were hung
with lace curtains, and rich rugs adorned
the ground. The sentinels were under def