Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-20
TRAINING CAMP
ESTABLISHED At CAMP LEE
Moro Than 1900 Prospective Line
and Engineer Officers TO
BE Instructed
PROXIMITY TO RIVER HELPS
Selected as Ono OF Three Stations in
Country, Because Engineers Can
BE Taught Pontoon Building on
AppomattoX-Many Candidates.
From . Star Correspondent,


CAMP LEE. VA, December io.-In
cAcc.s of 900 candidates for commits
sions in the army Of tho United states
will be in attendance at the officers
training camps. which viii be opened
here on Ja nuary and will continue for
three months. There viii be two train
Ing camps, each with it's own identity
ana i.@SinS no connection with the
Other. IL has been known for some
time that the camp for line officers
which Hill be composed OF men who
arc no" members Of the National Army
At Camp Lee, and who have been rec
commended for the training ny their
officers. and who, prior Ia their en-
trance to- the camp, Will have passed
such examination as the cxaminin:
board of tho Ei.hticth Division may
require Of them. would be here In
addition TO these men, there will be
IL candidates who are graduates of
designated schools. These schools are
the University of Virginia. Virginia
Polytechnic Institute, Virginia Military
institute, Staunton Military Academy
and ST Johns School, OF Manlius " v
The announcement that the training
camp for candidates for commissions
in the engineering department OF the
army was made known for the first
time to-day. In the past il has been
the custom to have training camps in
various sections of the United States
FOR engineers. These have always
been separate from the camps for line
officers. The th!r4 series will be con-
Quoted at but three points in the United
States. and the only camp cast OF the
Mississippi River will be al Camp Lee
Until recently the engineer camp for
this section was AT the American Uni
re:sty at Washington. The climate
and geographical advantage OF this
camp caused its selection III preference
TO the other camps in this section of
the United States. All will be combined
into the one that is 20 be held here
TWO THOUSAND TO ATTEND
ARMY ENGINEERING SCHOOL
Attending the engineers school there
will be 1000 engineers. graduates Of
designated engineering schools of the
United States. One thousand OF these
will come from the National Army. Ma
tional Guard and Regular Army. En-
listed men. who are engineers. will
come from every camp. cantonment and
other training point from this section
, of the United States. The other 1000
will be composed Of men who are now
esta blished in their profession. and who
are above the draft age. but who wish
TO enter the service OF the country in
that branch OF service for which they
are particularly adapted.
The chief geographical advantage of
Camp Lee is its proximity to the APP
. pomattoN River. Al the American Uni
versity which has been discontinued in
favor Of this place. the men had to take
a month Of their training at Belle Voir
Va, where the necessary training in
the construction OF pontoor bridges
and other work connected with the
building OF bridges could be obtained.
Here the men can visit the Appomattox
River daily. without the delay and ex-
pense OF moving quarters. The eli
matte condition of the section has been
favorably commented upon by every
visitor from Washington.
In charse-of the engineers school
will be Lieutenant-Colonel Dewitt C.
Jones. who has successfully conducted
the last two schools at the American
University. Colonel Jones will arrive
on January TO assume charge of the
advance work neces 'sry for the receipt
of the men.
The men who have applied for the
third training camp for line officers
are now undergoing a period Of OBJ
acrvation from their commanding Of
iicers. Since December !, when $500
, members of the National Army now
CONTINUED on Second Page.) =