The Washington herald., 1917-09-15
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column In City.

Working plans are being speeded on
the projected Quartermaster Corps
training camp to which will be sent
officers selected for that branch from
camps now coming to a close. The
new camp Is to accommodate $500 Off
GERS and 1000 to 5000 enlisted men
Assistant instructors are to be drawn
from noncommissioned officers al
ready in the service, to aid in the
organization of special and technical
units such as motor wagon units, sup
ply companies, repair squads, salvage
shop guards, stevedore regiments, etc.
Svereral sites are under consideration.
The Quartermaster General, Mai. Gen.
Henry G. Sharpe, reiterates the recent
statement that only men sent from
Officers Reserve training camps
should be eligible.
The physical standard required OF re-
cruits by the United States army be-
for we entered the war was so high
that only a man in superb physical
condition could hope to pass through
the needles eye OF the surgeons eN-
animation. Some officers on recruit
ing duty in the antebellum days were
Of the opinion that the standard was
too high; and now the question Is be-
ing openly discussed IL We should not
adopt in this country, particularly IN
view of the enormous number OF men
to be examined for service in the ma
tional army snd the needs of the aux
Hilary services behind the lines, some
such system of classifying recruits
as is done abroad. The discussion thus
far limits these cIassifications to three
grades. the first being the hghtins
men. of course, and the other two De
ing set apart for men with physical
blemishes, who would be fit to serve in
the hospital or other auxiliary corps
The ambulance companies organiz-
ed at Allentown, Pa, under superVls'
ion of Mai. Ebert E. Persons, Med
ical Corps, have about completed their
training and are nearly ready to DC
sent abroad.
Every ambulance company includes
1 captain, first lieutenants, ! hrst
sergeant, IL sergeants, mechanics
. cooks, assistant cooks, 20 chaur-
feurs. 2 musicians, 4S privates, and
such other personnel as may be ap'
proved by the Secretary of War. The
training of the companies has en-
braced first aid. elementary hygiene
and the drill of sanitary troops. The
personnel has been made familiar
with the use of transporting sick and
wounded, such as litters, amoulan-
ces, and other vehicles, with the MT
ting I'D of trains and ships for pa
tients, and with other similar duties
instruction also has been given III
the organization and conduct of rest
stations, and some of the personne
of every company has been made pro-
ficient in methods of disinfection.
A question of much interest and
Importance to the officers of the
National Guard army is the method
to be followed hereafter in the pro-
motion of National Guard officers
No official decision as to the matter
has yet been announced, which has
left the way open for much specu-
lation as to the best method to be
followed. 1t has been urged that
promotions of officers should be
made in each National Guard divis-
ion separately without regard to
advancements in other divisions
this seems to be the plan most IA
vored in the Guard itself. A second
proposal is that promotions should
be made in the organizations OF
each State as IL they were still a
part only of the States military
forces; and many urge as the best
method promotions in the National
Guard as a whole under regulations
similar to those in force in the
United States army. Still another
view is that promotions should be
made as far as possible on the unit
basis-that is, If there is a vacancy
in a regimental command the officer
next below should be promoted, sub
ject to approval as to fitness by the
division commander. The best in
formation that can be, obtained is
that there has is yet been no de-
termination of the question, and
that there will be no decision an
nounced until the Secretary of War,
who it is understood has the mat
ter under consideration. has looked
thoroughly into the matter. The
system of regimental promotions is
thought to be the one favored by
the Militia Bureau.
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