The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-08-28
Strength of
Army IsCut
Almost Half
Enlisted Personnel Reduced
TO l25,000 Men, as Provided
in Last Appropriation
Act of Congress.

Omaha lice leased Wire.
Washington, Aug. 81. - After
months OF reduction and rcorgani1a-
ton. the enlisted personnel OF the
regular army OF the United States has
now been decreased 10 l2s000 men,
as provided for in the army appropri-
alton act
by reaching this figure. the War
department announced, the army IN a
little more than a year has been cut
almost in half az least 100000 en-
listed men or As per cent OF the post
war strength having been released.
The problem OF the department has
faced 10 make i2s.000 men do the
work that 22S.000 haye been doing
was an enormous one, almost impos-
able from the standpoint OF perfect
ing adequate defense for the country
and its possessions, but reorganlza-
ron plans finally have been worked
out and are now being effected.
Duties Of Army.
These are the missions which the
army must perform: -.
Train and develop the National
guard and the organized reserves,
the two great branches OF the eiti-
zen soldiery.
Maintain the necessary schools tor
the training OF officers and enlisted
men OF the three component parts
Irregular army, National guard and
organized reserves) OF the army OF
the United States.
Maintain the administrative over
head for the three-part army.
Provide peacetime garrisons for
our continental coast defenses.
Provide peace and war garrisons
for our overseas possessions.
Maintain a wel-trained force for
emergency purposes and to serve as
a model and demonstrating force ior
the two bodies OF citizen soldiers.
The existing strength is l55,0O0
less than the number authorized by
the national defense act and 10000
less than the authorized prewar
strength before the three-part army
was created.
Distribution OF Forces.
Distribution of the l25,00 enlisted
men, the army announces, has been
made as follows.
Infantry, 46,423, cavalry, 9,87l;
field artillery, l7,l73; coast artillery.
12,026; air service, $500; engineers.
5000; signal corps, 2,l84; quarter
corps, 5000; financial depart
rnent, 1913; ordinance department. 2,-
307; chemical war service, AS; medi-
cal department, 6,850; detached en-
listed mems list. s,7O4; unallotted,
104.
Under this allotment the authorized
strength OF the combat troops is now
l28,803 less than postwar and 1888
less than prewar authorized strength.
Twenty eight thousand two hun
dred and seventy-seven American
soldiers have been allotted overseas
possessions, the regular army being
held responsible not only for the
Of law and order and
the protection of life and property,
but also for the holding of these stra-
tegic positions in event OF an en-
ergency. The enlisted strength of
overseas garrisons has been appor-
toned as follows: .
Philippines, ASP; Hawaii, 1875;
Panama, 1856; Porto Rico, LIZA.
e6,723 Left in U. S.
As result of this allotment there
remains for use in the United States
(including the forces in Germany a
total of 96,723 enlisted men for the
performance of the many duties as
signed under the national defense
act. The territorial distribution fol-
lows
First Corps Area-Eighteenth in
fantry brigade.
Second Corps Area-First di-
vision distributed with few units
stationed in the First and Third
corps areas).
Third Corps Area-Sixteenth in
fantry brigade.
Fourth Corps Area-Eighth in
fantry brigade.
Fifth Corps Area-Tenth infantry
brigade.
Sixth Corps Area-Twelfth in
fantry brigade.
Seventh Corps Area-Fourteenth
infantry brigade.
Eighth Corps Area-Seeond di-
vision, .....-.
Ninth Corps Area-Third division.