Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-10
Headquarters of 81 Division
Are Located at Augusta, Me.

Headquarters of 81 Division
Are Located at Augusta, Me.
In the allotment of military re-
serves to areas throughout the United
| States. the 9th Division was as
signed the states Of Maine. New
Hampshire and Vermont. The divi-
sion headquarters for Maine is To-
Gated at the Office Of the adjutant
general in Augusta. After the World
War. one Of the big problems con-
fronting Congress was the provision
for the national defense by land and
sea. Armies and ships cost money
a tremendous amount Of it-and
taxes were dangerously high. World
conditions were SO unsettled with no
promise Of betterment in the near
future that 4 reasonable amount of
protection was imperative then and
might be for some time to come. The
amendment of June 4, 1920, made pro-
| vision to weld the land forces into a
single mechanism. the kind demanded
by modern efficiency, and which the
need for economy makes imperative.
Land Forces Unified
While heretofore there have been
three groups in the military system,
yet, when brought together, they
have been mi-independent, lacked
a unified doctrine and were slow to
acquire that cohesion and team work
50 essential to the neat, skillful per-
Torrance Of the Job at hand.
Now there IL one army composed
Of three elements. The regular forces
>are acting as an outpost. a vanguard.
national police and also as a part of
the international police in Germany
and China, the National Guard re-
inforcing the regular army as the
first line Of defense and the Organ
lied Reserves as the second line OF
defense 10 be called out only in a
great national emergency.
What 10 Reserve?
The Organized Reserve is precisely
what the name implies, the grouping
Of the reserve man power Of the ma
ton. Heretofore when called forth
that man power became 'Volunteers"
until in the last war it was called
"The National Army" The reserves
now being organized will be prepared
for the emergency.
The World War veterans now re-
turned to their homes constitute a
reservoir of material that would make
possible an immediate organization Of
trained reserves at the very minimum
Of expense to the taxpayer. There is
also available the trained men dis
charged from the army. navy, marine
corps and National Guard who do not
want any real active service. but who
can afford to give the time required
of them in the reserves.
Peace Time Organization
"A cadre organization, the frame ,
work on which to hang the complete
unit. is the system adopted for the
peace time organization. For ex-
ample. an infantry cadre will consist
Of all or part of its quota Of officers,
a first sergeant, a mess sergeant all
or a part Of its quota Of non-com- !
missioned officers, the cooks and 9TH !
er specialists, say IL to 20 in all. The
company 10 entirely localized by be-
ing assigned county or part OF
one as its own particular field Of ac-
ton.
The veterans will be drawn from
this zone to constitute the unit in
peace times and will recruit from the
same zone the raw material to fill up
to war strength when Congress au-
thorizes the use Of the unit for war
purposes. Thus local pride must be
cultivated and maintained to the
end that each geographical area,
usually a county. will be able to
boast a reserve unit as its repre-
sentative at the front. The I'M
portance of having the frame work
Of the company lined up and ready in
peace times cannot be too strongly
emphasized. The company COM
mander. the platoon and the squad
commanders are there trained and
ready so that when called the re-
cruiting will commence and the new
men assigned to a squad and platoon.
These units are then put immediate
ly to their training for business. with
no uncertainty. no lost motion and
above all, no loss Of precious time.
The National Guard will continue
20 enlist and train. az rule, the in
experienced men ana will Of course
continue in it, ranks some Of the
World War veterans. Veterans, only.
with a few exceptions, are eligible for
enlistment in the reserves. There
fore, these two forces will carry on
side by side ana be mutually helpful
70 each other.
There are still many officers Of the
World War who have not applied for
commissions In the Reserves. The
government II anxious to have them
apply for appointment at once so as
to be IN position for assignment to
the reserve units and help In their
organisation.
LOCAL NOTICE
A.Ap~>S fS~nxxA