Evening star., 1930-03-30

Department, SAID. Inc eAC6llenb IdllIlk
is most gratifying to the commanding
to congratulate this organization for its
excellent work"
In dispatching the letter to Maj
Walter w. Burns commanding the
26Oth Coast Artillery. Gen Stephan
added this 1T is with pleasure that the
commanding general notes the classifl-
cation of Battery A, 260th Coast Ar
tillery, as excellent as result OF tar
get practice conducted at the last en-
campment. The commanding general
congratulates the commissioned and
enlisted personnel of the battery on the
excellent results attained and is conf
dent that efforts will be continued TO
secure this rating each year hereafter.
Mai. Gen. Anton Stephan has been
detailed as a member of the board OF
officers appointed to meet at Fort George
G. Meade. Md, on May IA TO conduct
examinations He is to take the place
made vacant by the relief of Brig Gen.
Herbert o. Williams.
Revamping of the tables of organi-
Eation of engineer regiments attached
to Infantry divisions so as to fortify the
Medical Department with increased
commissioned personnel was suggested
in a letter sent to the National Guard
Association committee by Lieut.. Col. F.
H. Smith, adjutant general OF the local
militia.
The local engineer regiment has only
two medical officers attached to it. If
one of the positions is vacant Or one OF
the two officers is unable to go to camp
for one reason or another it throws the
burden on the other of taking care OF
the sick of the entire regiment. 1t is
practically impossible, in such instances,
when the regiment is operating Stngly
for the medical officer to get any relief,
and his duties keep him busy day and
night.
In addition to the two medical Off
GERS in the regiment there is a medical
officer of the State staff who is available
for duty If the staff goes with the regi-
ment, but this is not at all certain. A
year or two ago at Camp Ritchie, Mr.,
Mai George J. Allen, then serving as
head of the Engineer Medical Depart
ment detachment, was the only medical
officer in the camp, and in addition to
the regiment had the military police,
the State staff and the staff Of the
29th National Guard Division This
necessitated the officer remaining in
camp. on call. day and night.
It is to preclude such a condition as
this that the local Guard is asking for
study with view to replacing a veteri-
marian now allowed in the tables with q
medical officer The recommendation
Is contained in a letter to Col. D. w.
De Prez at Shelbyville. Ind.
In accordance with memorandum
from the president of the National
Guard Association" the letter of Col.
Smith says, 1.-The National Guard of the
District of Columbia requests that your
committee give study to a change in
tables of organization pertaining to the
engineer regiment in an infantry di-
vision. Present National Guard tables
authorize the appointment of one vet
erinian per regiment. However, these
regiments are not permanently equip
ped with horses, so that, except during
the camp period, the veterinian's Serv-
ices are not required. With only two
medical officers, the regiment is handi-
capped and it is recommended that
the change made in the table authorize
the appointment of one additional
medical medical officer in lieu of one
veterinarian. This will not increase the
cost to the government and will be of
material advantage to the National
Guard During the past 10 years this
position has been left vacant in the
12lst Engineers.
Three units of the local Guard mus
tered enough men at drill last week
to obtain a classification Of superior
in attendance, and two of the organiza-
tons had 100 per cent of their men in
the ranks. They were the Medical
Department Detachment, 260th Coast
Artillery, and the Quartermaster Corps
Detachment, The other organization
in this class was the 29th Division Mill
tary Police Company, with percentage
Of e5.23. The other organizations, in
their respective classifications with per-
centages, follow:
carbohydrates Detachment
and Combat Train, 260th Coast Ar
tillery; 1855; Headquarters Detach-
ment, 29th Division, 1888; Band, l2lst
Engineers, 8737.
Very satiSfactory-Head adquarters and
Service Company, 12lst Engineers, 1851 !;
Company F, 121st Engineers, 72.41;
Headquarters Detachment, 29th Divi-
sion, Special Troops. 7l.43; Company
c, 12lst Engineers, 1000.
atisfactory-Battery c. 260th Coast
Artillery, 1894: Battery B, 260th Coast
Artillery, 1896; Company B. 12lst En-
gineers, $3.50: Battery A, 260th Coast
Artillery, 62.06; Company A, 372d In
fantry, 81 64 Company A, l2ist En-
gineers. 60.34
iSfactory-Company E, 12lst En-
gineers, 5652; Company D, l2lst En-
gineers. 51.6l.
Very unsatisfactory-Me De-
partment Detachment, 12lSt Engineers,
4736.
Appointment as chief of Coast Artil-
Iery of Col. John w Gulick is taken as
q compliment to the National Guard
according TO statement of the Militia
Bureau sent to Guard organizations.
He served four years as executive Off
Ger of the Militia Bureau, and the ap-
pointment says the statement, is a
we'll merited recognition of his etl-
cheney and of the importance accorded
the National Guard in the scheme Of
national defense. The National Guard
throughout the country may well con-
slider this appointment a compliment
10 it and will be pleased to know that
Gen Gulick is continued in position
where his interest in the Guard and
knowledge of its problems will still
benefit it.
During the past four years there
has been marked improvement Of the
National Guard in every particular,
and the most amicable relations have
been fostered and maintained between
It and the War Department. To Gen.
Gulick. as executive officer for both
Maj. Gems. Hammond and EVerSon, the
former and present chiefs of the Militia
Bureau, belongs no small part of the
credit for the present favorable situa-
ton
While their new armory in the Ma
tional Hotel Building will not provide
a drill hall, nevertheless, with the COM
ing Of the Summer weather the troops
Will have large outside space in which
to carry on. During the week, Col
Smith wrote to Lieut.. Col. u. S. Grant,
3D. director of the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks of the
National Capital asking for permission
for the Guard to drill on the space