Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-17
TO SPEED
PROMOTIONS MADE
Army Board Suggests Reten-
ton OF Single List With
More Retirements.

Retention of single list promotion In
the Army, but with new machinery to
accelerate promotions, is recommend
ed by the special board of general
officers appointed some months ago to
plan ways and means of overcoming
the postwar hump" in the commits
stoned corps In general, the plan
contemplates more rapid retirement
of older officers; 4 per cent average
annual attrition in the entire list to
make way for advancement, and adj
ditional inducements to voluntary re
tirement.
The board was headed by Maj. Gen.
Mason NJ. Patrick. Its proposals nave
been forwarded to Congress with
White House approval, although the
new plan would increase the cost 81
the commissioned corps S3,00o,OoO IN
its first year. TO offset that. however.
the board said subsequent costs would
fall below those to carry out present
laws.
Privates Are Excluded.
President Coolidge disapproVed one
nroDOsal the suggestion of the Doafa
that certain classes of offlcefs TO DC
separated be permitted to elect either
retirement pay or a cash payment
substitute. The President also dlsap'
proved proposals to speed UP promo
tons so far as pay IS corceli'eu
among the several classes of prlVateS'
holding that had no connection with
the officer promotion pfonleh''
Aside from the promotion accelera,
tion machinery devised. the board
recommended future selection OF the
chiefs of combat branches of the W ar
Denartment and the inspector genera
from the list of jor generals OF the
line. This would do away with the
nresent custom of retiring pfahch
chiefs. whatever their individual pace
on the promotion list, as major gen,
erals The board also recommended
suitable temporary Increase OF RANK
fo, the chief of staff and other otilcefs
holding posts of great responSlpl''ty'
To expedite promotion gehefahy
and absorb the postwar hump OF
+ 600 officers now stagnatlnE ADVANCE
ment in the service, the board pro
posed changes in law to permit preSi-
dental retirement of officers at the
age of 60 instead of 81 as at present.
or after 40 wears of active service IN
s,rad retirement after 35 years serV-
ice for those who seek it, repeating
apnlication; application of profes.
sional examination rule to confirm all
nromotions below the grade of brlga-
dior general. which would tend 10
move out of the service any VINO
failed to pass; permitting up TO per
cent of the entire promotion llSt TO IT,
tire annually with suitable remunera'
ton. removal of all legal restrictions
on employment retired otflcefS may
accent: consolidate of the limited
and unlimited retired lists to aHord
greater outlet of older officers.
New Board Proposed.
To carry out the program, the board
proposed creation of general person
mel board Of five major generals 10
tal.a over all work of classification
and similar personnel matters ana
recommend action i'm individual cases.
This would require four additional
ma Tor generals in the Army the
branch chief sitting as board mem
her when any officer OF his arm was
under consideration.
AS a further means TO Sllmuiate
promotion in higher grades, the DoaFd
suggested that an annual turhoNeI
of one.seyenth of the number of col
onelS on tne llSt ne ploNl"
through annual retirement of enough
colonies who have been passed over
in creation of new general officers.
Another provision would require pro-
motions of jors after IT years In
that grade, captains after 10 years
and first lieutenants after 3 years, eX-
listing laws as to age limitations IN
each grade remaining unchanged and
a redistribution of the number oil
changes in each grade.