The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-04
DRIVER OF ARMY
MACHINES MUST
KNOW TRUCKS
Applicants for Uncle Sans
Service Required to Pass
Severe Tests

Adequate knowledge of motor truck
construction and a sound body OF pre-
scribed height and weight are the two
main requisites you must possess IL
you would have the examining lieu
tenant in the quartermaster's depart
ment put his o. X. on your applica-
ton as mechanic or driver in Uncle
Sans motor truck feet. Here are
the general qualifications every one
must have to be accepted.
First-The applicant must be un-
married and have no one dependent
upon him for support. He must be a
citizen Of the United States, or have
made his declaration, and be able to
speak, read and write English.
Second-His weight must not ex-
coed 1T pounds or be less than 100
pounds and the weights in between
these limits must not be more than
ten pounds below the prescribed
weights for given height.
Third-He must not be less than 5
feet 5 inches tall, nor more than 6
feet inch.
Department is Strict.
The quartermaster's department is
very strict regarding these qualifica-
tons, and any variation therefrom
means rejection, according to The
Automobile. The men who drive and
cient body Of men, physically, men,
tally and morally. The quar-
termaster's enlistment reserve corps
seeks only "a high class of intelligent
specialists to render efficient service,
when called, without further training"
Only men between Is and As years are
taken, and they must enlist for four
years. During that time they must
keep themselves physically fit for mill
attend anG4mnmGnt
each year for a period Of two weeks
and present themselves for active duty
at the call of the president.
Truck masters are given the rank OF
first class sergeants, and mechanics
are made sergeants. Except in emer-
gencies the quartermaster's corps is not
required to drill with rifles.
Application is made in the prescribed
form. In addition there must be filed
two letters of reference showing the
applicant to be of good moral charac-
ter, with particular reference to sobrt-
ETY..
There are no fixed technical ques-
tons to determine the applicants fit
ness for becoming a truck driver or
The questions he will have
to answer are solely at the discretion of
the examining officer. Every appli-
cant must have had at least six months
experience in driving. From his ex-
perience and general qualifications the
examining officer determines much Of
the applicants ability. The line OF
questioning in one instance may be
wholly different from that in another.
knowledge of Trucks.
Assume that you are before the Of
hcer for examination. He very likely
will ask you to picture dismantled
engine and tell you to assemble 1t
from memory. Where you begin will
indicate to him whether or not you
know the task given you.
Many applicants get the engine as
sembled and forget that they should
have put in a camshaft or some 9TH
er~compotent part. Some leave out
the crankshaft, others connecting rods,
and other parts. You may be asked
what you would do If you were sepa-
rated from the truck. convoy and found
you had broken connecting rod. You
may be asked what type of engines are
used in the particular cars you have
driven. 1t is not expected that you will
answer every question as an engineer
would answer, but you must satisfy the
officer that you know car and truck
and can rise to the
emergency if called upon to do so.
The first thing you will be required
to do in the physical test is to sort
little SkelnS or yarn or various colors
into piles according to color. This is
to determine if you are color blind.
Next you will be asked to stand twenty
feet from a card on which are printed
letters one-quarter inch high and read
them, first with one eye closed, then
with the other eye closed. Next you
must repeat numbers whispered by
the examiner twenty feet from you.
This test is given both ears. Next you
remove your clothes and are weighed !
and measured.
..... Pay of Sergeants.
First class sergeants get $45 month
while serving in the United States,
Porto Rico or the Canal zone,
and $54 a month when serving in
Alaska, China or the Philippines. Ser
geants get $36 and $43.20 respectively |
in these two service divisions. /