Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-12
OFFICERS NO MORE
SergeantS Who Served With
National Guards Lose Rank.
ORDERED TO REGIMENTS
Places Filled Following Their
Transfer as Instructors.
NOW CLASSED AS PRIvATES
Unavoidable Reduction, According
to the War Department Officials.
Must Await Vacancies.
ORDERED TO REGIMENTS
NOW CLASSED AS PRIvATES

Reduced to the grade OF privates. AMI
with many an enviable service record
marred by the reduction nearly one hum
dred sergeants who have been on duty
as instructors with National Guard or
CARNATIONS all over the United States
have been ordered back to regular army
duty. Some of these sergeants are con-
coded to be the best in THE army, but.
Notwithstanding their excellent service
records and their natural capabilities as
soldiers, every one of these men will go
back to barracks and posts privates.
The reduction is termed unfortunate" in
the office of the adjutant general, at the
War Department. but it is claimed the
reduction of these men could not be
helped. In no instance is il claimed that
the loss of rank and prestige is deserved.
The instructor sergeant became known
two years ago. when Congress authorized
hundred extra sergeants TO be taken
from the first five infantry regiments
and assigned to various National Guard
regiments. The men Were selected be
cause of their superiority They took "A
course in the army school at Fort Leav-
enworth. and when they finished were
objects OF pride and envy on the part OF
other enlisted men.
Joined National Guards.
The instructor sergeants then joined
the National Guard organizations. They
took hanJ in breaking in the rockies
and made real sergeants out of the Ma
tional Guard non-commissioned officers
of that rank, who had never before had
the opportunity of getting a personal
insight into what constitutes the duties
OF ''non-com." The work Of the in
structor sergeants has been and will be
of incalculable benefit to the National
Guard, officers of the citizen soldiery
say.
However. the very act OF Congress
which elevated the hundred extra
sergeants for two years closed the doors
to the return of these same sergeants to
their old companies. The law provided
that the tour of duty for these sergeants
would be two years. Several months ago
successors for the first detail were picked
cut and sent to Fort Leayenworth to go
were corporals. others privates. and some
were serseants. but all became sergeants
automatically under the law when they
were sent to Fort Leavenworth In the
interval the vacancies i'm the companies
have been filed. Many companies had
corporals to take the place of the
sergeants who were sent to Leavenworth.
No Vacancies Anywhere.
Everything worked out wei in the
companies but the hundred sergeants
with the National Guard found that when
they We're transferred back to duty with
the army there were no sergeant posi-
tions vacant anywhere. The orders
transferring them back distinctly state
they will go back as privates.
Many OF the sergeants have had long
service. Some OF them have been SER
seants for several years and this break
in their record is bitter pill for them
to swallow. The War Department en-
deavored to send the men back to regi-
ments where vacancies are most likely
to occur. II was said at the War De-
partment today that some of the men
will be able to get their chevrons again
within six weeks, but the men them
selves fear IL will take several years.