Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22
DC. Naval Reserve

In an effort to have his organization
make the finest showing at the coming
annual inspection before a board Of
Regular Naval officers, Lieut.. Samuel
w. Stinemetz, commander of the Isl
Battalion, United States Naval Reserves
of the District Of Columbia, has made
an appeal to the officers and men tc
have several voluntary assemblies fol
training purposes.
In past years the appropriation foI
Naval Reserve training has been sCfd-
cient to permit the organization to nave
| two drills q week, but the economy
move has made it necessary to cut
these equivalent instruction training
periods. The local organization also Is
| having its annual inspection this yeal
much earlier than usual, and the cut
ting out Of the second weekly drill is
being felt in tibet preparation for The
annual inspection.
It was pointed out that many OF the
men have the organizations interest al
heart and are willing to ouc il ,he
extra time without receiving the usNa
drill pay allowed and that they car
put the time to good purpose IN smooth
| ing of the rough places before tn(
arrival mere of the Inspection Board.
Lieut. Stinenetz said that this extra
voluntary drill a week for the nex'
several weeks will aid the organization
materially in reaching a high narl
during the inspection.
While the training OF personnel l:
being pushed forward with much vigor
the work Of preparing the armory fol
| the drilling Of the men Is going for.
ward rapidly. A bridge similar 10 thai
on destroyer has been constructed
with all of the instruments usually
found there, including fire c. nitro
system. the center point from which
the firing of the battery is controlled
A general alarm signal has been in
stalled in the building, to be Used FOL
the purpose of calling the crew 70 tho
emergenc- stations, and various eIrer-
gency stations established and the men
assigned to them.
Lieut.. Stinemetz said that he or.
ganization generally Is entering ntc
the spirit of preparations and that sht
attendance Is excellent. OL5 of ~
men on the rolls, l54 reported for drill
last Monday night. OF the aosenteet
| five are on active training uty on the
battleship wyoming and the )tAer abb
sentees are accounted for mostly BY
sickness.
Whether the Navy Department will
allow the Inspection Board to give
lower rating to personnel turnover DUR
| ing the inspections this year remains to
be seen. If 1t does, it was indicated
| that the local organization will have a
better opportunity than ever before to
! capture one of the trophies awarded
each year to the battalion and division
having the highest figure OF merit as
result of inspections. There have been
several instances in the past, it was
| said, where divisions of the local organ
| ization have lost first place merely be-
cause of the high rating given to per-
sonnet turnover. They were higher In
standing in general efficiency in the
performance of strictly naval duties.
The local organization officers, being
of the opinion that this rating was toe
high, presented the matter to the re-
cent annual convention of the United
States Naval Reserve Oh1cers' Associa-
ton here, and the organization adopted
a resolution favoring a reduction. II
was stated that delegate officers from
| other sections of the country were en-
Enthusiastically in favor Of the change.
It was the contention of the local Of
ficers that the department should take
cognizance Of the importance OF having
the men SO we'll trained that they coulc
take their stations board ship promptly
| UPON The 8FTlYa1 Oh Ill cIlcIScIlCJp d1lO
that this training should count upper.
most, instead of penalizing the bat.
talions for something which Is entirely
beyond their control. 1t was asserted
that the members of the Naval Reserve
have private occupations, and many
times they were compelled to move
from the jurisdiction, and thus separate
themselves from their organizations, but
that the organizations are penalized fol
a large number of changes which they
can in no way control.
In explaining the various branches Of
the Naval Reserve the Bureau Of Navi-
CATION In q bulletin says that the
physical and professional standards OF
the Fleet and Volunteer Reserve, General
Service, are Identical Of1eers of the
Fleet Reserve may be transferred from
the Fleet to the Volunteer Reserve when
they can no longer take an active part in
the fleet activities. or by reason of re-
moval to a locality where there is nc
fleet division, or at their own request
without loss Of rank or precedence A
volunteer officer, General Service, may
be transferred to the Fleet Reserve with
the same rank when required to fill a
vacancy in q feet division upon the rec
concentration of the commandment OF
his naval district.
| Special service officers Of the VOlun-
teer Naval Reserve are appointed fol
specific duties in the war organization
Of the Navy. mostly on shore. They may
be ordered to sea duty in time of war
II required. Officers are appointed In
the various special service classes to fl
certain billets and rank is assigned &C
cording to the professional attainments
age and experience of the individual
Candidates for these classes must be
recommended by the commandant OF
the naval district or one of the bureaus
Of the department to fill a vacancy in
tie uucfa. They must be physically
qualified for the duties which they are
expected to perform
The Merchant Marine Naval Reserve
is composed of licensed officers of the
American merchant marine. In order
to become eligible for appointment in
this class the candidate must be serv-
ing on board a vessel approved by the
department and of at least $500 gross
tons. They must be citizens of the
United States and hold licenses under
the Department Of Commerce and be
recommended by the master, owners or
operators of the vessel on which they
are serving. Rank Is assigned upon
original appointment, according to the
position on board ship taking into con-