Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19

lishment. The main difficulty emanates,
the report brings out, from the large
and critical block of the promotion
list, comprising about $500 officers,
who entered the service in the short
space of two years. The extremes of
this block, though varying but two
years in the length of service, will
vary % years in reaching the grade of
major, and as the limited number of
vacancies in higher grades can accom-
modate but a small part of them, near
ly half OF them face the prospect of
being retired in grades below colonel.
Any Encouragement of the list will not
remove this cause, and will not, there
fore, be satisfactory from the stand
point of either the Government or the
individuals.
Solution of the situation appears
virtually impossible, because of the
fact that this critical section of the
promotion list comprises 5,375 officers,
all hut 3S of whom entered. the service
during the short period of 10 months,
from April s. 1917, to November II,
1918. Any arrangement by age would
result in a material difference in posi-.
ton, due to slight difference in age,
and a. loud vail of protest would be
raised over this proposal, due to the
fact that the difference of a few files
In position means a difference Of
months or years in future promotions,
and frequently means the termination
o. careers in the various grades along
the line. Most of the allegations APP
pear to be inspired not so much by the
manner in which position was deter
mined as by the effect upon the pro-
motion that results, the underlying
cause Of most complaints being the
promotion situation that is in pros
pect.
The block of $500 officers, the main |
cause of the Army's promotion unrest, |
all entered the service within the |
short space of two years, which in TIE |
normal course of events should have |
been spread out in length of service |
and in age by about 20 years. Vacan- |
cieS in the higher grades are occur |
ring and will continue to occur so |
slowly that officers Of this group will |
be advanced very slowly into those |
grades. When those at the head. of |
the group become majors those occu- |
plying positions at the bottom of this |
group will still be first lieutenants, |
with a prospect of continuing in that |
grade another 10 years and of reach /
ing the grade OF majo 13 years later. |
Thus the head and the foot of the |
group, while differing only by two |
years on length of service, will differ |
by % years in attaining their ma
JoTltS. ne SITUATION Is IuFLner COM
plicated by the fact that when those |
at the head of the group become lieu. |
tenant colonies those at the foot will |
be junior captains. with q prospect of |
remaining eight years longer in that |
grade. When those heading the group |
become colonies those at the foot will |
still be captains.
The most favorable estimate that |
can be arrived at in the War Depart |
ment Is that at least 40 per cent of |
this group of $500 officers win be due |
for retirement for age before reaching |
the grade of colonel. Any change |
made in the promotion list for the |
benefit of any one group will merely |
transfer that dissatisfaction to an.
other group, but the belief has been
expressed that the only workable |
formula will be through q process of
elimination