New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-28
Five Selected
To Reorgallize
18th Reserves
Billiard Puts Work Under
Lieut.. Coils. Shartle and
Olmsted and Majors Jay,
Riggs and Fahnestock
Leaders Hope to Officer
and Recruit Divisi o n
From States A. K. +. Vets

The names of officers who will have
charge of the reorganization of the
77th Division as body of reserves
were announced yesterday by Major
General r. l.. Billiard, commanding the
Second Corps area. They are Lieuten-
ant Colonel Samuel G. Shartle, who is
assistant chief of staff for war plans
and training in this area; Lieutenant
Colonel Edward Olmsted of the New
York National Guard, and Majors
Snowden Fahnestock, L. T. Riggs and
Delaney X. Jay, all of the Infantry
Reserve Corps of New York State.
: The district to become the recruiting
territory of the 77th as a reserve force
will include the southern part of New
York State and Long Island, it has been
decided, subject to the approval of the
Secretary of War. Officers will be Sc
lected for division headquarters, in
GUIDING chief of staff, his assistants.
others especially fitted for war plans.
framing and Intelligence work and an
ad)utant, with whatever assistants
from the regular army may be re-
qUired.
Hope to Recruit Veterans
The hope is, it was said yesterday
mat Tor the most part the regiment
will be officered by veterans of the
division in the World War, and that
the basis of its personnel will be made
up from the 5000 men living in the
state who fought as members of the
division overseas. 1t is even possible
that Brigadier General Robert Alex
ander, who commanded the division in
France, will be in command of the re-
serve division, although he is slated
now to assume charge of Camp Dix,
and there have been rumors that he
might be sent to the Philippines.
70 be eligible for membership in this
reserve division one must have served
four months in the World War, or
three years in the National Guard out
side of the war, or be a graduate of
citizens training camp. One days
IN the regular army in peace time and
equals nine days in the National Guard,
as regards eligibility.
AS reserve division the 18th will
belong to the second line of defense in
the new armed forces of the United
States, consisting of ffty-four divi-
sions, giving each corps area one regu-
lar army division, two National Guard
divisions and three reserve divisions.
Fifteen Day Training a Year
In the reserves, the only obligation
will be fifteen days of training each
year. Each man will keep his equip
ment at home and he will cost the gov
eminent less than 500 a year, as
against $4,000, the cost of soldier in
the Regular Army. Although the sys-
tenn contemplated will make it possible
to mobilize the reserves within forty
eight hours, they will really be an
emergency organization, to be called
only in grave extremity. The idea is
to provide great potential force at
low cost, like the Swiss reserves that
kept Switzerland uninvaded, although
surrounded, in the late war.
The actual reorganization of the Nth
Division will be accomplished by Of
ticers of the Regular Army early in the
summer. Keen interest in developments
is being manifested by the veterans of
tho old diviciOY1