The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-04-07
CIVILIAN TRAINING CAMPS.
Further Information Concerning Sum.
mer Military Schools.

Major General John J. Pershing, U.
S. Army, commanding the southern
department, which comprises the
states, of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisi
ana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona,
has issued the following outline Of
policy with reference to the civilian
training camps to be held in the south
ern department during the coming
summer:
Under the terms of the national de-
fense act, which became law June
8 last, the civilian training camps be-
came a part of our national military
establishment. The law in broad
terms provides for these camps, au-
thorizes certain expenditures to be
made in their maintenance, and en-
powers the secretary of war to pre-
scribe the general policy to govern.
Complying with this authorization,
the secretary of war has had issued
tentative regulations governing these
camps, in which the broad line of war
department policy is announced, and
in which it is provided that all the de-
tails in connection with the camps
shall rest with department command
| ers.
Object of the Camps.
The object of these camps, as an
nounced. by the war department, is
twofold. First: It is the intention
to instruct and train the citizens of
the country in the use of arms, and
to teach them the true military his
tory and policy of the United States.
Second: It is the intention to pre-
pare those desiring to become officers
of volunteers during war, to perform
in a proper manner the duties which
will fall to them.
Who May Attend the Camps.
These camps are open to all male
citizens of the United States between
the ages of 18 and 55, with the re
striction that those beyond the age of
As may attend only when no expense
is incurred hsesae government because
of their attendance. 1t is absolutely
required that all attendants be men of
good character and standing in their
respective communities; that they be
physically sound, and that they have
at least the equivalent of high school
education.
Obligation to Future Military Service
There is absolutely no obligation
imposed by the war department fol-
any military service following at
tendance at one of these camps. Up,
on reporting at the camp, the attend,
! ant enIists as student for the thirty
days of the camp, and agrees to obey
the rules and regulations for the gov,
ernment of the camp, and he also
takes an oath to bear true faith ano
/ allegiance to the United States O
4 America; and. during the period q
Il the camp, to obey the orders Of tbs
| president Of the United States, secre
tary of war, and the officer placec
over him. AS this agreement anc
oath terminates with the camp, it i'm
poses no future obligation OF any
kind.
What the Government Furnishes.
nortation to the attendant from hi:
oortation to the attendant from hi:
| home to camp and return, subsistence
and uniform while at camp, and al
such things as tents, cots, blankets
ETC., necessary for his well-belng.
Owing to limited appropriations, i
has been decided that transportation
can be furnished only to the caml
nearest the attendants home, wlthou
reference to the boundary lines OF th
military departments.
| r.. &c tion
. The war department has decide'
that there shall be course OF tfre
camps. each of thirty days duration
These will be known as the Red
White and Blue camps, respectively
instruction at the Red camps VII
, he the same for all men, and will con
! sist of a basic infantry course, to
gether with all those duties whlc
5 are the same with reference to a.
} arms Of the service.
Having completed the Red caml
2 the attendant selects the arm OF tn
= service in which he desires to cor
, time his instruction; that is, whethe
s he wishes to. prepare himself IN tn
v cavalry, field artillery, infantry, er
), eineers or signal corps, and havln
8 made such selection, he then cor
S times his work in the arm OF n
f choice, particular attention beln
given to instructing him IN the at
y ties of non-commissioned off1cers.
: His third camp, or the White CAM
t is the one in which he takes up tn
: duties of officers Of the arm OF n
h selection. In this camp he Will nav
" nractical command of troops undf
r the care and guidance of officers
the regular army, and ne VIII
n taught to take care of the troops thu
r NAV some day be under his comman
y and will be prepared to perform in
Il efficient manner the duties OF an 0
fcer.
While an attendant may go to mo-
than one camp in year, the Iun'
y available for this purpose are
! y limited that the war department CO
:, pay his expenses at but one can
a each year.
is Winter Instruction.
r Following the summer camps, the
Is will he a correspondence course
# mail which the attendant will be
/ vited to take, and which will be e
k tremely valuable to him in his mi
/ tary studies.
e Officers Reserve Corps.
o. I1non completing his course
three camps and the prescribed wlnt
instruction, the war department "
n authorize the student to appear :
IS fore board which shall examine