Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
D. G.. Naval Reserve

ployed, or who have been employed
within three years, on public vessels of
the United States, or such other sea-
going vessels documented under the
laws of the United States, as may be
approved by the Secretary of the Navy.
He points out that the act creating
the Naval Reserve provided that officers
and enlisted men Of this class Of the
Reserve would be paid one months pay
OF their rank or rating per annum as
retainer pay, provided funds equal to
the amount required for this purpose
were first made available by Congress
for this specific purpose. He adds, how
ever, that no appropriation for retainer
pay for this branch has ever been
made. In the absence Of any appro-
priation for this purpose, the procure
ment of officers for this class of the
Reserve, he says, is proceeding purely
on a voluntary basis. On June 80 last
2,543 officers had been commissioned
The Secretary of the Navy has placed
1854 vessels on the approved list. All
licensed officers of these vessels are
eligible for appointment In the Naval
Reserve.
One hundred and nineteen vessels
have qualified under the Naval Reserve
act provisions to fly the Merchant Ma
rine Naval Reserve flag. The right to
fly this flag is one very much coveted
by the owners, he says. Some owners
and operators are inclined, he continues,
to insist that their personnel belong to
the Merchant Marine Naval Reserve.
During the past year. he reports, a
number of officers of the Merchant
Marine Naval Reserve took training duty
in the feet. In every instance, he adds,
these officers made a fine impression
and received excellent fitness reports.
A library has been placed on each
merchant marine vessel having on board
four or more officers of the Merchant
Marine Naval Reserve, and this consists
of standard Navy text books, manuals
and other publications. It now contains
total Of II publications.
Under the present system Of training
Naval Reserve, Admiral G. F. Hughes,
reporting as chief of Naval Operations,
is of the opinion that it is founded
upon principles which will result in pro-
viding a Reserve of great value to the
Navy.
He says that the appropriations pro-
vided by Congress have been sufficient
to maintain the same number of fleet
divisions with the same quotas Of en-
listed men for each division as in the
previous year. He said that the ma
jority of the feet divisions made
cruises on deStroyerS Of the feet in
15-day periods with improved results.
Two guns crews for each division so
cruising fired target practice under the
same requirements and restrictions as
last year. The results Of these prac-
tees, he says, were very creditable.
These gunnery exercises not only af-
ford very valuable training, but are
interesting to the. personnel and assist
materially in stimulating the morale of
the various examinations.
He says that the fleet divisions of the
ninth naval district, having nobiliza-
ton stations on vessels other than de-
stroyers, made their training cruises on
the Great Lakes on vessels regularly as
signed for their training.
The organization of the Squadrons
and divisions Of the Aviation Reserve,
he reports, remains the same as in the
previous year, and their training has
proceeded along the same general lines.
Aviation facilities have been provided
for the use of Reserve aviation squad
rons and separate divisions at the es-
tablished Reserve aviation bases. Or
CARNATIONS contiguous to naval air
station have been assigned facilities at
such stations.
In connection with the admirars re-
port that the target practice system for
the Reserve has not been changed, it
was pointed out by Reserve officers that
some of the organizations have been
trying to have the method Of target
practice changed so that it will conform
more nearly to that in use in the Regu-
lar Navy, involving the use of the large
target RATS. 1t was asserted that If the
Reserve were allowed to use the Regu-
lar system it would furnish a better
comparison between the craftsmanship
of the Regulars and the Reserve men.
Under the present Reserve system,
it was said, the gunners fire at a small
target, and any shot put within speci-
fed area around the target is con-
sldered the hit, while with the Regular
system a shot has to hit the target
to be counted. 1t was said that the
Reservists would be more enthusiastic
If they could be allowed one of the
large targets and could see the results
Of their efforts when the targets were
brought aboard the firing ship.