The Coconino sun., 1918-09-06
PLAN FOR STUDENTS
 ARMY TRAINING CORPS

General Peyton c. March, chief of staff, has approved, by order of the secretary of war, a plan for the or ganization of student army training corps in the educational institutions of the country to train men as ofti- cers and technical experts in the army. The plan for the student army training corps, as altered to conform to the plans of the War De- partment for lowering the draft age, will utilize the plant, equipment, and organization of the colleges to main- tain reservoir of officers material for training, from which it will be possible to meet the enlarged needs of the various branches of the service.
 The length of time during which men will be trained in the colleges will depend upon the needs of the service. As fast as one group o1 trained men is drawn from the col leges into the service their places Will be taken by new quota obtained b! voluntary induction or through the draft. In this way the educational fa- cilities of the country will be used to maintain constant supply of men who are trained to meet the needs of, the army.
 Under the regulations provided for the student army training corps se- lected young men who are physically firm for military service who are IS years of age or over, and who have had grammar school education may be voluntarily inducted into the army and enter upon a course of special training. Those who have had a grammar school education but no more will ordinarily enter special training attachments to be trained along mechanical lines of military value. These attachments will be- come part of the student army J training corps and young men who prove in the course of their mechan- ical training that they are officer ma terial may be transferred to unit in one of the colleges to be prepared by it to enter a central officers training camp.
 Young men who have had at least high school education will be al- lowed to enter the colleges for more advanced training as officers and as technical experts of various kinds, ac- cording to their experience and abili- ties. Those men who show promise under this training will be kept in college until qualified to enter central officers training camps or to go di- rectly into the service as technical experts. Those who do not will be sent either to non-commissioned off cers' schools or to the nearest depot brigade or, in case they show special technical ability, to the attachments where men are trained for such work. | Arrangements will be made for transferring from the depot brigades to units of the student army training corps men whose ratings in the can- tonments indicate them to be officer material but not yet ready to enter central officer training camps. Every effort will be made to give every young man who enters the service under this plan opportunity for u training best suited to his natural ability and preferences in order to enable him to serve the country in the most efficient way.
 RALPH BARTON PERRY, I IACSullNS ocCISldfy SOIlIIlllltS
 on Education and Special Train
 ing.
 As the above plan indicates. the educational institutions of the coun- try are being called upon to aid the government in the preparation of men for military service as never before in the history of this or any other coun- try. Experience is showing that the men who have had from two to four years of academic and technical train ing, together with instruction in mili- tary science and tactics, make the best officers and leaders. They have proved themselves equipped and capable and are stalwartly standing in the van guard of the great army of the de- lenders of democracy. This just rec ognition of the value of trained men for the nations service in this great crisis is opening an opportunity to many a young man to secure college education, or at least special training in the vacation to which his abilities, experience, and inclination show he is best adapted. Young men can now secure from two months to four years intensive training in their chosen line of work. Our boys of 1920 are en- couraged to make the most of them selves and seize this present oppor- tunity for advancement. Many boys are eager to get into the service and anxious to enlist, all of which is very patriotic and commendable. The gov ernment, however, is asking each one of these young men whether he is 50, 75, or 100 per cent efficient. Every true citizen, every real patriot, desires to be 100 per cent efficient in these days of the nations great need. The government is so anxious about this matter that it is saying to the young men:
 Get ready and we will give you the time, provide the training and pay the greater part of the expense" Can any young American hesitate one moment as to the course he should pursue? To be we'll equipped before one starts lover the top" insures minimum waste of energy and mate rials and spells success.