Evening star., 1921-08-21
The Army

Gen. Pershing has been quoted as
saying that the publication OF the
recently approved regulations govern
ing the Oficers' Reserve Corps forms
one of the most forward and I'M
portant steps in the development OF
the Army of the United States. espe-
cially as they outline the relation OF
reserve officers to the units Of the or
ganized reserves which are soon to be
formed.
With more than sc, 900 reserve Of
ficers already commissioned and with
bright prospects of increasing tnls
number to 10000. it is foregone
conclusion that the distribution OF
reserve regulations whlcn are now NV
being printed will, when studied oy
those officers, leave no doubt In their
, minds that the Officers Reserve corps
organization will play an important
part in the national defense.
The distribution of these reguia-
tions will in the near future and with
out application be distributed to re-
serve officers by corps area and de-
partment commanders. The War De-
partment requests for the present that
reserve officers postpone forwarding
communications regarding assign,
u,
these regulations are published. as IT
will be found that most subjects OF
inquiry will be completely covered
therein. Articles will be published
from time to time concerning the I'M
portant features of the regulations
until the same are printed ana as
tributed.
Saving in Consultation Of Quarters.
Supplying quarters for Army off,
GERS and at the same time reducing
the draft upon the appropriation for
eommutation or quarters has recently
3een under consideration by the gen.
eral staff, with the result that
recommendation has been made and
approved by the Secretary OF War.
which to some extent relieves the sit
uation by making quarters at army
posts available to active officers. The
decision in the matter Is as follows:
"The commanding officer of post
or station at which public quarters
are available in excess of the needs
of officers, warrant officers, neld
clerks and members of the Army
Nurse Corps on duty threat Is au-
thorized and directed to assign excess
quarters to officers of the Regular
Army on active duty stationed in the
vicinity of such post or station, II
such officer make application for
such assignment; provided that any
sFIch assignment of quarters will be
made with the understanding that the
quarters will be. vacated promptly on
notice from the commanding officer
of the post or station that the quarters
are required for other assignment.
Until the movement of the Army can
be completed under the recent orders
issued for redistribution of the mill
tary force it will be impossible to de-
termine what quarters at posts and
stations are available for this pur-
pose.
In view of the large number of re-
serve officers required and the ex-
perience gained in developing officer
material during the world war, 1t Is
essential, in building up and main
tanning the necessary number, that
cognizance be taken Of the widely
different qualifications required for
officers are difficult to obtain. and
should not be used for non-combatant
duty. Conversely, the required tech'
nical experts and specialists should be
provided and utilized in their proper
spheres. With this In mind. reserve
officers are divided into two general
classes namely. Officers for service
with troops and officers for special
service. AS there is no vocation In
civil life that fully fits an individual
officers appointed for this class of
service must in general be qualified
for appointment by military training
and experience. Officers OF Infantry,
cavalry, field artillery and coast ar
tillery are in this class. officers OF
other branches Of the service are In
this class only In case OF appoint
ment for duty directly concerned with
the technical handling Of troops.
In the class Of officers for special
service are included those whose du-
ties in the Army are along the lines
Of a profession or occupation In civil
life, which to a great extent fits such
officers for their contemplated serv-
ice in the Army. After appointment
they should be prepared to devote
such time to military instruction as
will enable them to know how their
be best utilized in the military service.
In making appointments. the class
of duty for which appointment is de-
sired will be given due consideration.
There are three general methods OF
determining the qualifications Of an
tion of his record, attendance at a
course of instruction and personal ex-
animation. The first method applies
primarily to persons who have served
as officers during the world war ana
from whose records qualification Tor
appointment may be determined. The
second applies to persons attending
training camps, to R. o. T. c. students.
flying cadets, etc. The third method
applies to all persons not covered by
the first and second methods.
The national defense act confers
certain eligibility for the appointment
of persons who served as officers dur
ing the world war but as time elapSes
the records Of such officers become
less valuable as evidence of fitness,
therefore such records cannot be ac-
cepted for an indefinite time as quail
fication for appointment. Further
-,ore. after the Officers Reserve Corps
has reached its required strength va
cancies by grades above the lowest
should be filled by promotion rather
than by making new appointments.
The War Department deems 1t
expedient to place time limit
until November IL, 1928, upon the
appointment of former officers by