Evening star., 1926-09-12
ARMY.

IN accordance with the act OF j uly
8, 1925, Secretary of War Davis Is
having made in the War Department:
comprehensive study of the Army
promotion list, over which there are
held so many conflicting views. pre-
paratory to submitting report on
this subject to Congress when it con
venes next December. That the com
nissioned personnel of the Regular
Army are taking more than passing
interest in this proposed revision OF
the Army promotion list is evidenced
by the large number Of replies which
have already been received by the de
partment in answer to War Depart
ment circular No. i3 sent out recently
by the department. inviting officers
who are dissatisfied with their posi-
fion on the promotion list ito submit
Immediately by letter. direct to the
adjutant general. statement of the
facts" which in the opinion Of the OF
ncer concerned warrants the belief
that his name is incorrectly placed or
that list
Numerous proposals for a change
In the single list for Army promotion
have been ventured. One of them has
been incorporat ted in. a measure that
contemplates the selection Of every
fifth officer for advancement by virtue
of his seniority in age. Another
tain amount Of appeal to some officers
is that which would regulate promo
ton on the alternating principle of
Advancement by seniority Of position
In the grade and by seniority of age
In grade.
Thus a major at the head Of the
list Of officers in his grade would be
advanced to lieutenant colonel. fol
lowed by the oldest officer in the
IA - nf HI
the list Of majors. followed in turn
by the major then occupying senior
place in the grade and then by the
remaining oldest officer in the grade.
and so on BY this means, 1t Is
pointed out, there would necessarily
be delay in advancement OF certain
officers, while an equal number would
have the benefit Of facilitated promo
ton. This would. II is asserted, in
sure promotion to those who are now
confronted with indefinite, II not
hopeless. retention in present grades;
while the oldest officers would In time
get entirely out Of the way Of their
younger associates without detriment
to the latter's subsequent career
since they would be the survivors on
the active list.
Still another idea advanced for the
solution Of this perplexing problem
is that consideration be given to the
application Of promotion by length OF
service. a modification Of the promo
tion system in the Army Medica
Corps, with utilization OF the pay
period The suggestion that promo
tion in the Army, Navy and Marine
Corps be placed on an identical basis
Is identified as too intricate even t.
imagine, and it is evident that, with
out such an unlikely achievement. II
will be impossible to have uniformity
in retirement methods. which will no
doubt become the subject OF consid-
cradle scrutiny at the approaching
session Of Congress. Retirement Tor
service.in grade or age-in. grade in the
Navy cannot be easily reconciled with
conditions in the Army. where elm.
ination in grade is evidently not IN
tended beyond the present limited de'
gree afforded by assignment TO class
B. To be sure, the Army single list
has suggested a similar device Tor the
Navy. to which the equalization OF
opportunity for line and staff promo
ton is regarded as an approach, out
II is probably out Of the question TO
revise the retirement system TO the
end Of uniformity, on differing pro
motion systems one OF which IN
cludes elimination and selection
fn
Regular Army is the decision OF the
war Department to classify future
graduates Of the command ana
General staff school into three cate
eorjes This classification will De
based 1t was pointed out IN the ue-
oartment this week. upon the numer-
ical strength Of the class with wnlcn
they take the course or lnstruC.loli'
The term honor graduates VIII oe
given TO approximately 10 per ceL,l ol
the class in the order OF merit from
the head of the class. while about 10
ner cent of the class. in the order OF
merit. beginning with the student
officer next below the honor graduates,
will be designated as distinguished
rraduates." The faculty board at the
command and general staff school VIII
determine the exact NUMBER OF
student officers to be included in these
two categories. the aggregate NUMBER
In both classifications not exceeding ~
nor cent Of the total class enrolment.
The other members Of the class VINO
complete the course and graduate
wi,l he designated graduates. new
Innovation which will probably appear
. In the next Army register is that there
will be entered In the register below
each oficer's name information per
tanning to his graduation from the
service schools and the designation
of the category to which ne helohgs.
NAVY.
II is very apparent that there are
q considerable number Of Navy stan
officers who have misconception OF
the provisions Of the equalization ri
rronotion law This nisundersta nd
in- II was pointed out in the Navy
nepartment this weak. is largely at
trihutable to the Interpretation of sec
tion Is Of that act. which prescr1hes
the numbers of officers who may be
rromoted TO the ranks Of captain and
comma nder.
some officers have interpreted the
above e-mentioned section 10 read that
QI per cent OF those officers whose
running mates have been commits
stoned in a higher rank could have
been promoted to the higher rank,
which is not the case. A careful read
ing OF section Is will reveal that the
number of commanders in each star
corps who NAV be promoted shall be
A number which will make the total
number OF captains In the corps con
cerned g per cent of the number o.
CAPTAINS and comma nders whose run
ming mates in the line are captains
For instance, assume there were 80
= etaff corps captains. of whom 20 had
line captains as running mates. Be
sides this. the running mates OF ~
comma nders were line captains. There
being 80 officers holding the rank OF
captain this number subtracted from
the total allowance Of 81 equals the
number Of commanders who ma he
promoted, or 81. The opinion prevails
among some staff officers f the Navy
that under the facts assumed above
there should he promoted 81 per cent
Of so command whose running
mates are captains. or 73. which. as
ahoVe je pnt fha The