Evening star., 1925-06-26
0FF|CERS0F ARMY
ALL TO Be B|RDMEN
Actual Flying Required of All
Branches Under New
Aerial Policy.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Actual flying as we'll as theoreti-
cal air service training for all Off
GERS in combat Army units has been
authorized by the War Department
under new aerial policy worked
out by Brig. Gen. Hugh A Drum.
chief of the operations section of the
General Staff, and approved by acting
Secretary of War Dwight Davis.
Before the policy becomes fully
operative, however, Il special board
of officers to be convened ut the Wal
department will prepare courses of
study for theoretical and practical
instruction in aviation These
courses will be made d part Of the
curriculum at the various Army
schools, including West Point, the
snd General Staff School at Leaven-
worth, the Cavalry School at Fort
Riley. the Air Service Tactical
School. Langley Field. and others
Even officers who cannot under eX-
listing law be compelled to fly in
peace time will be encouraged be-
ginning next year, to seek aerial en-
perience. officers in this category
VIII be expected to take ut least 10
hours of practical flying duty and
they Will receive credit for il IN War
department personal records.
For cadets at West Point. the courses
IN both theoretical and practical aero
nautlcS will be expanded. Members
OF the graduating classes will go direct
from the Military Academy to an Air
Service flying field to supplement the
training received during the four
years at West Point.
Teaches Use of New Arms.
The announcement of the new
aviation policy said the effect would
be to increase the close cooperation
so essential to all branches of the
Army in battle"
BY provisions of this policy" the
statement added. Infantry, Cavalry,
Artillery, other line officers and pro
spective General Staff officers are
brought into close association with
Air Service problems, and Air Service
officers will learn how best to use
their new arm to support the other
arm"
The change in policy was said to
have been prompted by aviation de-
EelopmentS leading to conclusion
that all line officers require such
knowledge of the capabilities and limi-
tatlonS of the Air Service as to per-
init them using it under all conditions
or battle. and to the feeling that the
general efficiency of such officers will
be increased by limited amount of
actual experience in the air.
TO increase interest in aviation
among officers other than those actu-
ally assigned to the Army Air Service,
the War Department has under con-
sideration proposal by which Con-
gress would be requested to provide
legislation giving those who take the
courses flying pay status and in
creased Government insurance
war Department staff officers are
conf1dent that all officers serving in
the nine combat arm services, not in
Guiding the Air Service personnel, who
can pass the physical tests will take
advantage of the opportunity for
training. None will be allowed to f1y
who fails in the physical test. The
limitation of 10 hours of practical ex-
perience for each has been prescribed
because so many are to be trained
On this point the statement ex-
planned that Maj. Gen. Patrick, chief
of the Air Service, "believes that such
training will by practical experience
give officers a considerably better ac-
quaintance with Air Service problems.
All Adopts in Air.
While the first steps in initiating
this policy will apply to juniors and a
few field officers" the statement said.
''the operation of this policy will in
future years assure a majority of all
combat officers having had this aerial
experience.
I'm the first place, that part of the
courses of instruction at the several
service schools devoted to the Air
Service has been increased to an
everage of so hours to allow more
time for theoretical and demonstration
instruction in the tactics and tech
nique of the Air Service. At West
Point this instruction will cover 80
hours and at Leavenworth and the
Army War College it will include
even more. One officer of the Air
Service is hereafter to take the COM
pany officers course at each of the
schools for Cavalry, Infantry, Field
Artillery and Coast Artillery. One
major or senior captain of each of the
six other combat arms of the service
is to take the course at the Air Serv-
ice Tactical School. Langley Field, Va.
During their first Is years of COM
mission service all officers who have
not had aerial experience after grad
uating from West Point will be given
an opportunity to have this expert
ence in the air. Initially, this oppor-
tunity will be given to all combat Off
GERS now in the Army who have been
commissioned in the Regular Army
since November IL, 1918. and who
to that date
The War Department plan for ex-
tending aviation studies for its COM
missioned personnel is in line with the
recent policy adopted by Secretary
Wilbur for the Navy. 1t differs from
that authorized by the Navy Secre-
tary, however, in that it provides for
actual and theoretical aviation duty
Tor all officers now in the Army who
command combat units. The Navy
order elevated the aviation course at
Annapolis from secondary to primary
Importance, but did not authorize line
officers who had graduated from the
academy or officers attending the War
College at Newport to take the 10.
hour flying course which will be made
available to Army officers in similar
circumstances.
RaF0-a ~aes GN