Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-28
/ HInt For JnnIor So oheer..

Daring the last six months action
other than favorable has been taken by
the Navy Department in the cases uf
ofcers OF the Navy andMarine
C0rps on their examinations for pro-
motion 10 the next higher grade OF
this number. three ensigns and one as
sistant surgeon of the Navy and one
second lieutenant Of Marine Corps
failed professionally the Navy officers
being suspended from promotion for
six months and the Marine Corps of1-
Ger for one year
They viii be re-examined al the expi-
ration Of that time Final action on
the records Of twelve ensigns was with
held by the Department for six months
on account Of unfavoFabIe matter APP
pearing on their reports on fitness. in
order that their respective commanding
officers may submit additional reports
on them, and similar action has been
taken in the cases OF the two other en-
signs by the Naval Examining Board,
with the approval Of the Department.
IN taking this action the Secretary has
been guided very largely by the marks
and comments Of commanding officers,
as shown by an officers fitness reports,
and while the mere fact that certain
unfavorable was on an officers record
has not alone been sufficient TO with
hold action in the case, action has been
withheld in serious cases Of negligence
or care1essness or unbecoming CON
duct unless the officer has shown af-
flrmatiyely in his subsequent fitness
reports that he is striving 10 atone for
past misconduct.
a new form of fitness report on Off
GERS was few years ago issued by the
Service by the Bureau Of Navigation
giving a full list Of questions for com
manding officers to answer semi-an-
.nually in regard 10 the conduct, habits
and efficiency OF each officer undertheir
command They have been enjoined
from time to time TO exercise great care
in preparing these fitness reports, since
from their intimate contact with these
officers they are best able to Judge of
their efficiency and general fitness for
the service. These reports form part
of an officers record Of examination.
which muset, prior 70 his promotion. be
submitted to the Secretary Tor his ac-
ton Great weight has been given TO
them by the Secretary in making his
recommendations TO the President II
is therefore important that all officers,
especially those in the junior grades,
fully realize that their records are the
official criterion of their general efd-
oy1,,o1- =, 41,n cor,-sao =, !. F,srrn .-.e,.-
IRE q standard OF their qualification for
promotion, and that it is incumbent
upon them to conduct themselves and
perform their duties to the satisfaction
of those in authority over them.
The above fact does not appear 10
fully to be appreciated by many young
officers in the first year or so of their
commissioned service. Frequently re-
ports of fitness on a young officer in
dicate that he did not realize the inn
portance Of them until to late I'm
provement in these reports as pro-
motion approaches is almost the invar-
liable rule, but not infrequently the inn
provement begins too late to overcome
the previous unfayorable entries, thus
involving a delay in promotion and a
probationary period for further obser-
vation 10 demonstrate their fitness for
promotion. The Department realizes
zeal. efficiency and exemplary conduct
of all officers at all times, not merely
for a short period prior to examination.
A realization of this fact on the part of
young officers viii avoid these troubles,
delay in promotion and q loss Of num-
bers when their time for promotion
arrives.