The Washington times., 1916-09-11
Arn1y officer Tells
OF Change Wrought
the District Guard
Third Regiment Has Metamorphosed Into Real
Army Unit as Result of Three Months Training
In Camp at Radio, Army Observer
Declares.

Tho bronsed. hardened and soldisriy
appearing militismen Of the Third Resi-
ment, District national guard. are DIFF
marched into camp with that wet and
oedrS ssl:d a9isstion which appeared
on the site Of the present mobilization
camp near Fort Myer on the rainy AZ
TRHSn TSls |. u IL. h.nos os,nlon II Of . well known
army officer who has had the District
militia under his constant obssrvation
mroughout the two months and half
OF Semp training.
This officer consented to give TO q
Times reporter some OF the changes
whioh have occurred to make the Third
Regiment the crack organisation II In at
present., and to relate these changes
from the viewpoint Of z United States
y. .sSo. whS wS tss asds ,.fnr f,S% srm
has had wide experience IN dealing
many organizations OF militia In the
We're Typical Militiamen.
ITO begin st the bes/nins." said
Captain -. before the Third Regi-
lnent went into camp in June It was
typical OF all our militia organixa-
tions. Once Q week the companies as
sembled at their armories. and under
simplest infantry movements.
The company commander was the
whole thing. True, there was the
regular number OF non.eommissioned
Sf1sr; IN the " rank Bu, they icy, were
sess the smallest idea OF the great re-
sponsibility which rests on the non
commissioned offioer In the regular
IN short. ths, creates, factor in the
sucosss of an efficient military organi-
sation-toamwork-wAs lacking. The
captain Of q company knew some men
by name And the others he remembered
only BY their faces. He saw them only
for an hour and a half once every
week II could not be otherwise.
Acquaintance Begun.
"when the men arrived In camp
after the order for mobilization came
they pitched their tents to form COM
ganys g.s str street.. % The g Sssps.'n;s IA tent: tent.
OF the enlisted men. Beginning al
revsille the commissioned officers
marched with them side by side on
their long hikes. Day by day they be.
long before every enlisted man wa
known to his company commander by
name. an all-important feature In the
relationship between mon and officers
The non-commissioned officers mean
!
being men with a designated number OF
stripes on their sleeves. who marched
In certain relative position to the
company. and were otherwise on the
same footing with the privates. they
found the reasons why such offices had
been created. The non-commissioned
officer learned his responsibilities. and
learned how 70 execute his duties Out
OF q pride for the office he held.
Co-operate for Efficiency.
1T was not long before that greatest
factor had been acquired. Men md
! officers soon learned In their daily rela'
tions that this teamwork could not bs
dispensed with. and since that time they
have co-ope-nted with one another tc
make themselves efficient cogs In tn,
machine OF successful military organ
| ization.
Every private. moreover. has Learned
that a certain responsibility rests upor
his shoulders. Take for instance, the
small hut important detail of caring fol
his equipment. II the regiment paradet
In Washington last winter through tn,
rain. their guns Of course got wet. Die
| the men care? Not n bit OF IT, WheI