Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
ARMY.

With the announcement by the war
Department that the various promo
ton board reports would be available
for inspection, great interest was
evinced in the report of the board
convened by Mai Gen. Mason NJ.
Patrick, chief of Air Corps. 1t must
be remembered that the promotion
situation in that corps. where the ma
jority of the officers are of the Junior
grades and where 1t was but natural
that dissatisfaction would exist under
such conditions. was really the pri-
mary reason for this comprehensive
study of the promotion problem. In
pointing out that the Air Corps is
urgently in need of promotion legis-
lation which would provide a corps
of active flying personnel and a proper
distribution through the various
grades of its officers which would in
sure efficient control and administra-
ton of the corps. the Air Corps board
recommended that in 1892 the proper
distribution of officers in that corps
should he As colonies. IS lieutenant
colonies. PA majors, SOS captains, 554
first lieutenants and 253 second lieu
tenants. The distribution of officers
in 1892 under the WadSWorth pro.
posal would he about Is colonies. 81
lieutenant colonies, 81 ma iors, 61g
captains and $50 first and second
lieutenants.
Probably the most outstanding fea.
ture of the Air Corps report is the
conclusion reached by the board that
the creation of separate promotion
list for the Air Corps is essential
and necessary. with all officers ar.
ranged thereon, according to their
present position on the promotion list
nj In
NOTED to first lieutenant after years
service, to captain after years serv-
ice, to major after Il years service.
10 lieutenant colonel after IS years
service and to colonel after - years
service.
a system of retirement for Air
Corps officers to the effect that upon
completion of 80 years service they
shall he retired with IS per cent of
their active duty pay and allowances
and all the time they were on duty
of active flying by competent author
ity shall be counted as double time.
was recommended, as was also the
establishment of an eligible list of 10
Air Corps colonies of outstanding
ability, from which the detail of gen.
eral officers in that corps would be
made. with the proviso that any off
Ger or the Air Corps attaining the age
of 81 whose name is not included in
this list or who is not serving in the
grade of general officer shall be re-
tired from active duty. The board
further recommended that the retire.
ment age of officers on the list shall
De oS years, and the board also went
on record that no Air Corps officer
serving in the grade of general off,
Ger by detail shall be permitted to
succeed himself
With the special significance being
attached IN certain quarters to the
inclusion of three posts in nartic,,Iar
In the itinerary of Mai. Gen. Charles
L. Summerall, chief of staff. who viii
inspect number of Army posts in
the West and Northwest during the
month of October, it would occasion
little surprise that this trip would not
result In another redistribution of
troops of the Regular Army. The
three posts in question, all of which
are modern in their construction. are
Fort Lincoln. \. Oak; Fort Robin
son. Nebr., and Fort Rosecrans. Calf.
Not so long ago, it will be recalled.
the war department authorized a
change in the home stations of troops
OF the regular establishment from
stations where permanent barracks
and officer quarters were obtainable.
and 1t is anticipated that the chief of
stan Will no doubt have this in mind
when he departs from Washington for
the West. Fort Robinson is a Cavalry
post, 1t has excellent officers quar-
ters and barracks for the enlisted per.
sonnet and before the war it was the
station of an entire regiment of Cav
airy. 1t is now used as a remount de-
pot, and 1T has a minimum number of
caretaking troops stationed there.
Without. exception, it is said, Fort
Rosecrans. Calf, is the most ideal
Coast Artillery post in the United
states, yet there are just few care
takers at this post.
With the desire of the War Depart.
ment to remove as many troops as
possible from temporary war-built
structures or tents to permanent hous-
ing facilities, wonderment is expressed
at the great generosity displayed by
the War Department in turning over
to the Veterans Bureau shortly after
the termination of hostilities of Fort
Bayard, n. Mex; the camp at Mac.
Kenzie, Wyo., and Fort William
Henry Harrison, Mont, and Prescott.
Ariz. All three of these establishments
are the last word in modern construc.
ton. These posts, it is contended,
would do much to relieve the housing
shortage, or at least would serve the
purpose, until funds were available
with which to build permanent hous-
ing facilities at posts where the de.
partment desires to keep troops sta.
toned at all times. Prescott, AriZ..
formerly named Whipple Barracks, is
built of stone construction and has
other modern conveniences. Fort Bay
ard was formerly the tubercular hos
pital for the Army, while the camp at
Mackenzie, Wyo., is constructed of
brick. has a gravity water system and
has better quarters than those obtain.
able at Fort Myer, Va. Whether or
not the chief of staff will have this
mind when he makes his Western in
spections is not known, but it is evil
dent that the War Department wishes
to get more men out of temporary
places. and in order to accomplish this
1t is but natural that the more modern
posts would be selected for occupancy
if redistribution is effected.
Maj. d. X. Mitchell. @. NJ. c., who
for the past four years has been on
duty as executive officer, Office of the
quartermaster general, has departed
Tor tour or duty IN Panama. Lieut..
Col. r. II. Jordan. Q. NJ. c., has been
assigned as executive officer Mai. r.
F. Walsh, @. NJ. c., has reported for
duty and will be assigned to duty in
the transportation service, office of
the quartermaster general, relieving
Col. Jordan.
.<avy.
Rear Admiral Newton A. McCully
arrived at New York last week from
Rio de Janeiro, where, as head of the
American naval mission to Brazil. he
was received by Rear Admiral Noble
F. Irwin. Admiral McCully reported for