Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-06-17
ARMY

eu attention because OF the large
movement of officers to and from duty
in China. In view of the recent tense
situation due to the activities of
Chinese bandits, there was an incli-
nation to connect this movement of
officers with that matter. 1t was ex-
planned at the War Department, how
ever, that the travel orders were
issued under the policy adopted a
year ago to concentrate movement
of officers in changes of stations dur
ing the summer months so far as
practicable and that this had been
worked out successfully for the
forces in China.
Officers ordered to the Chinese sta
ton and to other points in the Pa
citic are under orders To leave New
York in transport which Will sail
via the Panama Canal within a month
or so. Officers returning from emma
Will also come on one ship.
The new policy was worked out in
order to minimize the disturbance of
service school courses by the coming
and going of officers and also to per-
nit Il saving in travel expenses in
relation to assignment of officers for
duty at the summer training camps.
AS now arranged, officers ordered
from one station to another are sent
by route and at such time that
tney can stop OH at the TRAINING
camps to serve as instructors before
continuing their journeys to report
at new posts. A very considerable
saving in travel costs is estimated to
have been made in this way.
Under orders just issued Re
serve section. CO." has been organ
lied in the War Department, headed
by Maj. Charles F. Thompson. gen
eral staff. now in charge of the press
relations office of the military intel
ligence division of the general staff.
He will be assisted by Maj. ]. Fl.
Cunningham, coast artillery, also on
duty with military intelligence. and
eventually reserve officer personnel
may he added to this group. Both
Maj. Thompson and Maj. Cunning
ham will continue to perform their
present duties, taking up the reserve
section work in addition.
The new section is designed as a
means of establishing contact at the
War Department for reserve officers
visiting Washington and who have
an interest in their professional
utilization with the Regular Army.
1t has been found that with the pres
ent staff organization busy with ITS
own affairs there was lacking some
agency within the department to see
that the reserve officers were given
every possible attention and that the
Army had the benefit in an organized
way OF suggestions which they ire
quently bring in and that prove or
great value in working out the ma
tional defense system. 1t was de-
cided by the general staff leaders that
military Intelligence offered the natu-
raj contact point for this work, since
il had access to all branches ana
could route" visiting reserve officers
in a way to give both the visitors
and the Army the best lidson of this
nature.
In the memorandum issued by Lieut..
Col NJ. f. Locke, executive officer OF
CO, creating the new section, 1t was
stated that it was to be "a central
agency for consideration of certain
phases of the welfare of the organ
lied reserves"
1T maintains contact with the
Officers Reserve Corps with a view
to advising other proper officers OF
the War Department relative to pub
lie opinion with respect to questions
concerning the organized reserves.
il was added. The section serves as
general information office 10 which
may be sent officers and citizens IN
terested in the organized reserves.
Creation of this new section is
striking example of the appreciation
by the Regular Army establishment
of the vital Importance to the ma
tional defense systems OF the citizen
officers of the reserve. The plan is
the outgrowth of the actual expert
ence of the regular officers with
emergency officers during the war:
and is calculated to promote good
feeling between regular and reserve
personnel elements of the one army
created since the war. which Will of
necessity be reflected in the efficiency
of the military machine as a whole
Commanding generals throughout
the Army have been notified that the
command roster which applies the
principle of assignment in rotation OF
officers to command regiments. VIII
be gradually put into execution In
stead of on July l." as previously
prescribed. 1t is directed that in fol-
lowing this instruction the number
of changes of station be minimized as
far as possible.
Oficers who have been on detached
duty for a short time are not TO be
relieved until they have served APP
proximately two years. regardless of
their position on the command roster.
Those on duty as instructors at SerN-
ice schools or in the War Depart
ment and not available for assign
ment by chiefs of branches viii be
excepted from the command roster
operation until relieved from present
duties
Officers who may have shown in
aptitude for command of troops VIII
not necessarily be assigned TO the
command of troops. but recommends
ton will be made in each case as it
arises by the chief of branch con-
cerned for the decision of the adju-
tant general the order directs.
Other exceptions to the command
roster rotation are provided for. and
in communicating these notifications
the adjutant general notified COM
manding generals that the policy as
modified, it was believed. would al
low sufficient latitude both to the
chiefs of branches in making recon-
mendations and to the adjutant gem
eral in reaching his decision.
Commanding generals of the corps
areas have been notified that they
may not enroll for training at civilian
military camps this year, under the
Army appropriation act. any man who
has passed his twenty-fourth birth
dav anniversary prior to the opening
date of the camp concerned. The or
der was made necessary through
misconstruction of the law contained
in a recent bulletin issued by the