Evening star., 1925-01-04

A resume of the District of CO.
lumbia National Guard for the ~
months just ended discloses one Of
the most successful years in the hts
tory or the local citizen soldiery, both
as to growth and expansion and for
accomplishments in the way of train
ing, and practical benefits gained to
the officer and the enlisted personnel
A new company was mustered in by
the l2lst Engineers. IT having a
minimum strength of 65 enlisted men
and ) officers; officers and headquar-
ters assistants were named for the
first and second battalions, 12Ist En-
gineers, and a regimental headquar-
ters established. There was a sub
stantial increase in the enlisted
strength of all companies OF the engi-
neer regiment, and the 29th Military
Police Company has maintained the de-
sired strength and had a successful
training year.
The greatest expansion was by the
260th Coast Artillery, under the COM
mand of Maj. Walter W. Burns. Mus
tered in the Federal service during
June with a minimum strength of
officers and so enlisted men, the
first battery. a, went to Fort Monroe,
Va, in July for its first annual field
training encampment, taking all off,
GERS and practically every enlisted
man. This was the youngest Coast
Artillery organization at Fort Monroe
at that time, but il made the best
record at the fort for the year, in
competition with Regular Army, Ma
tional Guard, C. NJ. T. c., r. Q. T c.,
and o. r. G. units. On return of the
battery to Washington recruiting was
resumed. a downtown recruiting sta
tion being established at 1924 F
street, by Mai. Burns. In a few weeks
Battery A had enlisted so many men
that II was necessary to organize
another battery. which was followed
few weeks later by a third thus
completing battalion, with Mai.
Burns in command. He has since
enlisted a medical corps, IA headQuar-
tiers detachment and a band section.
At the time the Coast Artillery was
at the height of its recruiting drive,
with a regiment as its goal, the War
Department ordered that recruiting for
all National Guard organizations be
temporarily discontinued This was u
disappointment to the officers and men
OF the Coast Artillery, who We're desirOus
of recruiting to the full strength of five
batteries Maj. Burns and his officers
and men have since devoted their atten-
those already enlisted Non-commis-
stoned officers schools have been estab-
lished in each battery, a moving picture
machine installed in the Coast Artil-
lery armory for use In drill instruction.
competent instructors assigned by the
War Department, a reserve officers
school was opened for members desir-
ing to win reserve commissions and
series of monthly social affairs spon-
y a.
The result is that the 260th Artillery
Is maintaining the maximum strength
allowed by the War Department and the
morale and enthusiasm of the organiza-
ton are high.
Maj. Gen. Stephan and Adjt. Gen.
Brett express themselves as very much
pleased with the development and i'm
provement shown in each organizat tion
of the entire District Guard, and an
even greater improvement is expected
during the coming year.
A concerted effort will be made by
Gen. Stephan, the other officers of the
guard and the various trade bodies.
civic and patriotic organizations of
Washington to obtain an appropriation
from Congress for the erection of a new
armory. If this is accomplished during
the present session there is no doubt but
that this year will witness still greater
strides forward in the local guard
Inquiries have been made by rifemen
of the 121st Engineers whether the an
nual regimental. battalion and company
rife matches that have heretofore been
held at Camp Simms, Congress Heights.
d. c., will be held this season, or
whether the matches have been discon-
tinued. There is a desire to hold the
matches as early in the Spring as the
weather will permit on the range An
nouncment is expected from headquar-
ters soon as to the probability of hold
ing the matches.
The following enlisted in Company
F, 121st Engineers, commanded by
Capt. Thomas A. Lane, during Decem-
Der: Edwin Saunders, 1406 First
street; Luciano Rodriguez, for
merly a machine gunner with the
ONLY PACK A