Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-15
'NON-COMS' SEE
RELIEF in new
COLONIAL ORDER
Top" Sergeants Will Not Lose
Their Grade in Transferring
to Continental United States

The arSly on Oahu has but one topic
Of conversation today-the new for
CIgn service policy for lOncOmmis-
stoned officers.
As announced in the Star-Bulletin
yesterday, the war department has de
cided to place all non-cOms above the
grade OF corporal on a foreign service
roster, and TO transfer them at the eX-
piration of a three-year tour here,
with no loss In rank. to- organizations
in continental United States.
Coming right on top OF the official
announcement that the oath Infantry
( was to be relieved in the Philippines
by the 9th Infantry next September,
the foreign service roster for non-coms
s puZzling. The relief Of the Gath In
fantry would indicate that the colonial
policy in the Philippines was to be dis
continued, while the order relating to
| the non-ecmmissioned officers contra
diets this supposition. The answer
may be that as there are two colored
infantry regiments In the service one
Of them must be in the United States
to comply With the provisions OF the
transfer order, and the Gath has been
ordered home on this account
While IL Is freely admitted that the
colonial policy works great hardship
on non-commissioned officers, who
heretofore had to either stay forever
with their regiment or enlist in some
other outfit as a private, there is con-
siderable difference OF opinion as to
q mil Tor
post, regimental. battalion and squad
ron non-commissioDed staff officers,
and for line sergeants, there seems to
be no hitch in the system, but for first
sergeants-that's the poser. ... ..a
According to the new order, first
sergeants are transferred as such, and
cannot be busted" for six months aft.
er joining their new companies. Now
the position of first sergeant is pc
culiar. He is half officer and half en-.
listed man. being the Intermediary not
only between the captain and the
company, but also between the compa.
ny and the captain. His efficiency de-
pends largely on his knowledge of
the men and the non-coms of the COM
pany, and his understanding of the
captains methods and system. He is
the company commanders personal
appointee. and 1t Is a question how
the military machinery will work when
he is wished on" some new captain
with strange organization. +
On the other hand. there are many
army men who contend that as Ger.
tain peculiar qualifications are requir-t
ed of good first sergeant. he could
make good with any outfit, and that
familiarity with the personnel Is
very small factor Of efficiency.
As applied directly to Hawaii the
new order will mean the keeping al
department headquarters of two sep
arate service rosters. one for line ser.
eeants and first sergeants, and the
other for battalion, regimental and
post non-commissioned staff officers
Applications for transfer must be-
made two months in advance. All this
means large addition to the paper
work, and opens the way for endless
complications. However, everyone is
agreed that the non-commissioned Of |
ficers are getting only justice, and
hope is expressed that the system will |
work out well.
Only draft of the new order has
been received. the date and number |
being left blank. The order itself is |
to be issued some time this month. |
Following is an extract, SO that the
exact wording Of. the order may be
understood by those whom it affects:
Il, On and after October /, 1915, |
the tours Of duty for officers and en-
listed men of the army will be two
years for those stationed in the Phil.
ippine Islands and three years for
those stationed In Hawaii and the Ca
nal Zone, except that. under the law,
officers and enlisted men serving In
the Philippine Islands and Canal Zone,
may, at their own request, be permit
ted to serve for longer period Sim.
liar permission may be extended to
those serving in Hawaii.
% Non-commissioned officers
above the grade of corporal who have
completed the tour specified will, up
on their own application. be transfer
red under the provisions OF paragraph /
la, Army Regulations. without loss
of rank or grade as established by
their warrants: with non-commissioned
officers Of the same grade belonging
to organizations of the same arm of
the service stationed within the con-
tinental limits of the United States
Regimental. battalion and squadron
staff officers and
first sergeants will be transferred as
such. Except upon his own applica-
ton or by sentence of court-martial,
a non-commissioned officer viii not be
reduced in grade while his application
for transfer under the provisions of
this order is pending nor during the
first six months of his service with