Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-02
army TO RETIRE
UNFIT OFFICERS
Men Physically Below Par
Are Ordered to General
Hospitals.

A program to bring the officer per-
sonnet Of the Army up to perfect
physical condition within the next
four years through the early retire
ment Of many ranking officers who
have been found to be unfit for i'm
mediate field service Is being put
into operation under the direction of
Maj. Gen. Charles p. Summerail, the
new chief OF staff. --.-.
Carrying this plan into effect
promptly. all medical examiners were
notified just prior to the annual physi-
cal examination for Army officers last
January that the regulations govern
ing such surveys were to be applied
strictly. AS a result an exceptional
number of officers have been ordered
to general hospitals preparatory to
their retirement for physical disabili-
ties.
Scores Are Involved.
Scores of officers. including more
than a dozen colonels, have been sent
to Walter Reed Hospital from this
corps area after having been found
physically unfit for active field service.
Similar conditions exist, it Is said, at
Army general hospitals in the other
districts. Should a further examina-
ton confirm the findings of the earlier
survey all will be retired at an early
date, it is said.
A veteran field officer himself. Gen.
Summerall is determined to- keep on
active duty only those officers who
are capable of assuming trying field
commands on a minutes notice. He
is said by close advisers to feel that
such a policy will prove most economi-
cal in the end and that only 100
per cent mobile Army is capable of
guaranteeing the safety of the Nation
Should an emergency arise.
Officers Support Plan.
In this program Gen. Summerall 10
known to have the support of vir-
tually the entire officer personnel Of
the Army. 1t is not only common
knowledge in the service, 1t is de.
clared. authoritatively, that hundreds
of officers who have been declared
physically unable to assume a field
command have been retained on &C.
tive status, but many of these officers
might lose maximum retirement pay
should the numerical strength Of the
Army be reduced suddenly.
Because Congress has frowned on
heavy retirement lists during the last
few years, officers who would ordi.
narily have been surveyed out of the
service and given inactive status on
Is per cent of their pay have been
retained and assigned to desk COM
mands," it Is declared. Such duty n
neither desired by the officers, In
formed persons say, nor Is 1t good for
the morale of the general service.
The present Congress. however, has
| shown marked sympathy with an
| Improvement in the fighting quality
of the standing Army's officer per-
sonnet as a result of Gen. Summerali
laying conditions frankly before IT..
| The stand against the retirement of
physically unfit officers has been ma
terially altered at the Capitol and
plans are now being made to apply
the medical regulations as they were
drafted.
Gen. SummeraH is known to feel
that the Army would be only a little
better off in, the face of a national
emergency now than 1t. was when the
Spanish American War broke out. Be
cause the regulations governing the
physical fitness of officers had been
neglected hundreds of men who wefe
incapable OF standing the rigors of
| field service were rushed into the
lines *and broke down under the ter
| rife strain.
Summerall Is Adamant.
| Gen. Summerall is determined tn
change this condition before he retires
as the chief of staff four years hence.
He proposes, unless his program is
| interfered with from outside sources,
to have an Army Differed by moth
| ing but men who could leave their
desks on a minutes notice and per-
| form the most arduous kind OF duty
in the field. Such a plan would also
give the younger men in the service
more rapid promotion and would gen.
orally improve the morale Of the entire
| service. it is declared.
A secondary reason for Tightening
up the physical examinations this
year was the tendency of Congress
to prune the size of the Nations stand
ing Army.
f.. Small Army Threat.
Although no legislation in this direc-
ton was adopted at this session, 1t Is
feared that advocates Of small Army
might be more successful next year.
Such a step would be costly to many
officers who have excellent records
for service behind them.
There are many officers, it is said
who have the right to be retired on
76 per cent Of their pay for physical
disability at this time. They have
given long and commendable service,
advisers declare, but have not been
in the service sufficiently long to draw
full pensions. Should they be In
cluded in g. quota destined for retire.
ment as part OF the reduction program
they would draw only such pensions
as their Government insurance emit.