The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-18
SERVICE PERIOD
BASIS IN PAYING
NATIONAL GUARD
General Cole Gets War De
partment's Interpreta-
ton of New Act.

| ton OF New Act.
Acknowledgement George M. Cole
| has received from the militia bureau
Of the War Department at Washing
| ton an opinion as to the pay enlisted
| men of the National Guard will re-
| ceive under the national defense act
approved last June. The opinion is
quoted in general orders No. 33, issued
at the office of General Cole yester-
day 1t reads:
| Section 1. Inquiry having been
[made with regard to pay of enlisted
men under Section 10 of the Act OF
June 3, 1916, it is of the opinion
of the War Department that the pay
provided for by this section is for
| periods of service and that the re-
| quirement Of the act with reference
to attendance at drills is not the actual
basis of such payment, but only marks
their qualification for the period pay
ment.
2. Section 10 Of the Act Of June
3, 1915, provides for the payment OF
each enlisted man of the National
Guard at rate equal to rs per cent.
of the initial pay of enlisted men in
corresponding grades of the regular
army, except during periods of service
for which he may become lawfully en-
titled to the same pay as an enlisted
man Of corresponding grade in the
regular army, subject to specified
| conditions respecting attendance at
drills These conditions may be set
forth briefly as follows:
(a) In order to receive the total
= - F0y 0y,
year an enlisted man must have at
tended a minimum number Of 48 reg
ular drills during the year. For at
tendance at a lesser number during
the year, but not less than "a, he is
entitled to receive a proportionate
amount.
CD Compensation is to be compu-
ted for semi-annuaI periods, begin
ming January l and July 1 of each
year Gin proportion to the number OF
drills attended," within the limita-
tions mentioned in (a). If soldier
attends fewer than "a regular drills
during the first semi-annua1 period,
no pay becomes due for. that period,
but the number~of drills which he at
tended during such first period shall
be reckoned with the drills attended
during the second semi-annual period
in computing compensation, if any,
due him for the whole year.
| Co When any man enters into an
enlistment other than an immediate
e-enlistment he shall be entitled to
proportional compensation for that
year, if during the remainder Of the
year he shall attend a number Of
! drills whose ratio to "a is not less than
the ratio Of the part Of the year SO
served to the whole year, and when
any mans enlistment shall expire the
compensation, if any, to which he may
be entitled shall be determined in like
manner.
3. In addition to the foregoing, I'M
der Section 10, Act Of June 3, 1915,
each enlisted man must quality as a
member of the National Guard by
signing the enlistment contract and
taking and subscribing to the oath Of
enlistment as prescribed by that Sec
ton, and further, under Section 90
of the Act of June 8. 1916, the mini
mum attendance and duration Of drill
Of an organization to which the en-
listed man belongs, in order that
credit for a drill may be given, must
4. The periods of service consti-
tute the actual and primary basis OF
computing payments under Section
no. The compensation is payable,
except during periods Of service" for
which the soldier becomes entitled to
full pay. For fractional periods, at
the beginning or termination of an
enlistment period, the service period
is the basis of computation; that is,
the soldier is entitled to proportional
compensation for that year provided
he attends a number Of drills whose
ratio to "a is not less than the ratio
of the part Of the year so served to
the whole year.
The pay provided in Section 40,
Act Of June 8, 1915, for semi-annual
periods beginning July 1, 1915, will
tation stated above as follows:
(a) For enlisted men of the Ma
tional Guard in, or who have been in
the service of the United States, from
the day after they have been muster
ed out Of the service Of the United
States.
(b)s For enlisted men Of the Ma
tiona1 Guard who were not called into
the service from the date Of recogni
ton as National Guard Of the organi-
zation to which they belong.
Co The classes under (a) and (b)
in addition must be qualified and must
have complied with all the conditions
enumerated in this letter.