Evening star., 1923-12-09
THE CIVILIAN ARMY
BY LIEUT.. STEPHEN F. TILLMAN.
Organized Reserves-Na,ional Guard

heroic efforts Of group of officers
who had the courage to tight the
thIng out to the last ditch. To be
toreWarned Is to be forearmed, and
this matter should not be allowed to
Ing seriously considered. 1t can be
dennitely laid aside by the proper
steps being taken in time.
Inc militia bureau is taking up
with the state military authorities
the proposition Of reducing the three
month courses now provided for
National Guard officers at the various
service schools. 1t has been known
Tor some time in the bureau that the
ehree-month course is so long that a
mum Der of National Guard officers are
aen1ed the privilege of attending be-
cause they cannot AFFORD to take that
much time away from their business
IL Is Understood. of course, that the
scope OF the course would have to
ne reduced II the duration thereof is
seauceo. providing that there Is evil
oence to show that the benefit OF
reaching larger number Of officers
VIII offset this handicap. So far only
the engineers and medical depart
ment classes are operating on a six
week basis. II replies from the
state authorities indicate the proba-
bility that the number Of officers
available for school attendance
would be largely increased by a re-
duction of the three-month period TO a
duction will be favored by the militia
bureau.
Air service officers will give a
Tance Tuesday night at the Manor
Club, near Norbeck. Md. Machines
will leave from 18th street and Columbia
road at 8 O'Clock. Reservations may
be made through the local reserve
headquarters UP to tomorrow eve
ming.
There will be meeting Of Reserve
Signal Corps officers tomorrow evening
at the local reserve headquarters.
Officers of the 320th Infantry will
meet Thursday evening for regular
study evening.
Friday afternoon at 4 o'clock
Washington boys who have attended
training camps will meet in the local
reserve headquarters for the purpose
of forming &c. NJ. T. c." club.
1t is considered necessary that the
initiative for commissioning a par
ticular Regular Army officer on the
active list of the National Guard
should rest with the state authorities
concerned: that any officer Of the Reg
ular Army on he active list on duty
with the National Guard should be
authorized to accept commission In
the guard, IL he 40 desires. on certain
conditions that include commission
In the guard OF not more than two
grades higher than the officers grade
in the Regular Army. with no COM
mission acceptable below the grade OF
major or above that OF major gen.
eral.
There must be a vacancy and ap-
propriate assignment with the Ma
t!onal Guard force as organized In
the grade in which the commission is
effective: An official record must in
dicate that he Is qualified to per-
form the specific duty to which he is
to be assigned under the National
Guard commission. Any duties de.
volving upon the officer by reason OF
acceptance of a guard commission
will be in addition to the duties he
would normally perform had he not
accepted such commission.
1t Is considered that this commits
sioning of a Regular Army officer in
eral. be looked on with favor by the
War Department, with observance OF
the fact that the allotment OF officers
for National Guard duty or the quota
branch for that duty is not thereby
exceeded: that the officer la eligible.
qualified and available for the detafi
under present policy; that upon being
relieved from duty with the National
Guard. the authority granted a Reg
ular Army officer on the active list
TO hold a commission in the Guard
should terminate.
II the National Guard organization
or activity to which a Regular Army
officer is assigned under guard
commission Is called into federal serY-
ice, the officer should remain on duty
with such organization or activity
during the emergency or until the
manifest interest of the government
compels his relief therefrom.
The total number Of officers author
ized by law for duty with the Ma
tionaI Guard will not be increased by
reason of any of them accepting
guard commissions. The normal tour
OF duty of this character ts placed at
four years. 1t Is considered that ON
GERS should be relieved prior to the
expiration Of their normal tours only
In such cases as imperative reasons
Applications with reference to COM
missioning officers OF the Regular
Army on the active list in the Ma
tional Guard. II will be announced.
should be forwarded to the War De-
partment through the chief OF the
militia bureau. who Will tndorse
thereon his recommendations, and
should then be referred to the general
staff, G-I. for preparation of recon-
to be laid before the Sec
retary of War for his action.