Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08
y. c.. Naval Reserve

The naval economy ak was suspended
over the LIST Battalion, United States
Naval Reserves of the District of Co
lumbia, last week, ready to fall on
April next, when the so-called
Headquarters Fleet Division will be
abolished, leaving three line fleet di-
visions. Notice of the impending cut
was received in circular letter from
the Navy Department. The reduction
in Reserve personnel, of course, will
be felt by other Naval Reserve bat
talions throughout the country which
have headquarters fleet divisions.
The proposed cut will provide for o
reduction of one officer and seven en-
listed men In the local battalion.
While the Headquarters Division, COM
manded by the executive officer of the
battalion. has 10 men, recent order
of the department increased each Of
the divisions by one man, giving an
allotment of Sc men to each.
While the reduction ordered by the
Navy Department, it was said, is
per cent cut in personnel, possibly it
will save more than that percentage
In money. It was pointed out that the
members of the headquarters divisions
are in what are known in the Navy
as the upper pay grades-that Is, men
with the highest enlisted ratings and
Of longest service. On the other hand,
it may cut only the 4 per cent. AS
the organization has until April 1 to
make the cut, it was said that vacan-
cies which occur in the other fleet d.
visions will not be filled and then the
men in the upper grades will be sent
to the other divisions.
Lieut.. Harold E. Richardson, COM
mander of the battalion, said that he
had not had time to digest the in
structions from the Navy Department,
and, until he did he could not say
just how the changes would be eff
fected. The elimination of the one
officer probably also will be taken care
of by not filling any vacancy which
might occur by April /, but If none of
the officers voluntarily leaves or seeks
transfer to the Volunteer Naval Re-
serve it will be necessary to make q
selection.
The present executive officer OF the
battalion is commander Of the Head
quarters Division, but with the elimi-
nation of that command some other
provision will have. to be made for
carrying out the duties of this most
important post. It was indicated as
probable that the battalion commander
will find it necessary to saddle the du-
ties Of executive officer on one of the
division commanders, in addition to
his duty Of running one of the line
outfits.
The reduction in the number of d.
visions will not make any difference in
the number OF cruises provided by the
local Reserve, as only each Of the line
divisions has been assigned q vessel
for voyages during the Summer train
ing season. The members OF the
headquarters divisions have been d.
vided up among the other divisions for
cruise purposes.
I'm the exercise Of imposed economy"
says the letter from the Navy Depart
ment, "the Secretary OF Navy directs
that the headquarters divisions of
Naval Reserve battalions and squad
rons be abolished on April /, 1882.
Appropriate changes will be made in
reference paragraphs of the Naval Re-
serve regulations in due course.
Beginning Immediately, no further
enlistments or transfers to headquar-
tiers divisions will be made. AS fast
as vacancies occur in the authorized
class FL quotas of fleet divisions at
tached to battalions and aviation d.
visions attached to squadrons these
vacancies shall be filled first of all by
the transfer Of class FL men attached
to headquarters divisions. Similarly,
vacancies In the officer quotas of fleet
and aviation divisions will be filled by
the transfer of officers from head
quarters divisions