Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10

| partment, State Detachment, has been
promoted to the grade Of corporal.
Greater care In the selection of
personnel Of the National Guard for
| attendance at the service schools OF
the Regular Army is needed, according
to the Militia Bureau of the War De-
partment in commenting upon the
number of failures that have occurred
in the past. During the school year OF
| l928-29, a report of the bureau just
issued says, 311 officers and 129 en-
| listed men Of the National Guard were
sent to the various Army service
schools to pursue regular and special
courses. OF the number sent to the
| schools, 81 officers and IL enlisted
men failed to satisfactorily complete
the courses. These failures were de-
clared mostly due to the fact that
students did not possess the necessary
basic training and military education
to qualify for graduation.
The bureau pointed out that Sc
lection that results in a failure not
only reacts unfavorably on the good
reputation enjoyed by National Guard
personnel at Army service schools, but
more interested and better qualified
applicant is barred from deriving the
advantages attained by attendance at
school. 1t is believed, the report says
| further, that the number of failures
| can be considerably reduced II State
authorities exercise greater care IN the
selection of candidates. Certain re-
uuirements as to basic training and
military education should be estab-
lished in each State. The advice Is
given that, except under unusual cir
Gumstances, no lieutenant OF less than
| two years commissioned service should
| ha coIectad for a course at anV service
school,
Attention Is called by the bureau to
| the following extract from memo
randum of the adjutant general OF
| Colorado to captains and lieutenants,
which is declared to embody the
spirit of safeguarding the selection OF
service school students which the
Militia Bureau particularly commences:
mo officer will be recommended Tor
detail to a service school In the class
Of 1880 who has not successfully COM
pleted basic correspondence course OF
| his branch Of the service. OmcerS at
| tending these schools who are thus
prepared themselves all report that 1t
was a great advantage to them, and
those who did not prepare themselves
by completing correspondence course
write this Office recommending that 1t
be done by all officers planning on
The bureau reports that the record
of enlisted men at service schools dur
| ing the past year is considerably bet
ter than that of 1928. The percentage
of those failing to complete the courses
was 16 in the school year 1929, as
compared with per cent of last year.
1t is desired. the report says, to en-
phasize that the case of each failure
is considered an important matter, SO
tai SIT
gradually compiled as to States domi-
nant in failures. A remarkably large
number Of improperly prepared appli-
cations for attendance at service
schools are reported to be received at
the Militia Bureau annually. This, the
officials report, delays action and often
inconvenience the applicant. 1t indi-
Gates also, the bureau continues, that
personnel making applications as well
as forwarding authorities are not IA
miliar with Militia Bureau circulars
on this subject All higher authorities
are urged to return for correction or
completion all communications on this
subject which do not meet require
ments, and, 1t is added much good
training in administration will thereby
result.
There were 284 officers authorized to
attend service schools during the year
lust closed. These were divided as
follows: Army War College, 8; Com
mand and General Staff School, 10;
Infantry School. field officers course
16, company officers course go; Tank
School, S; Cavalry School, field ON
Field Artillery School, field officers
course 7, battery officers course 40;
Coast Artillery School, field officers
course 3, battery officers course ID;
Engineer School, company officers
course 10; Medical School, Medical
Field Service School, IL: School Of Avi-
alton Medicine, 8; Signal School, COM
pany officers course, 5; Chemical We'll
| fare School, 9; Quartermaster Corps
| School, National Guard and Reserve
officers course, IL; Air Corps Technical
| School, 4.
The War Department has called to
the attention of militia officers that q
| training school for selected enlisted
men to prepare them for examination
for commissioned officers is being sue
cessfully conducted by the State OF
Massachusetts,. From four to six ca
diets from each regiment Of similar
unit in the State are given an oppor-
| tunity to attend the school each year.
The applicants mental and physical
qualifications are carefully examined
| before he is admitted to the school.
He must possess a sound basic educa-
ton which, with due application, VIII
warrant his completion of the course
in the time allotted. Physical require
ments are the same as those Tor a
| commission as an officer.
The course extends over period OF
two wears. and school sessions are held
for a period Of two days each month
on Saturdays ana Sundays from Sep
| TENDER to June, inclusive. In the in
term between. school sessions the stu
dent is required to do a certain amount
of correspondence work. The school
aims to impress upon the cadet the
value Of discipline, self-reliance, initia-
tive. the ability to impart information
to others, and good physical condition.
The course is basic in character, and
is predicated on the assumption that
every officer of whatever branch should