Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19


approach of Summer, officers and men
of the LIST Battalion, United States
Naval Reserves of the District of CO.
1unbia, begin to feel seriously the
handicap of not having an armory or
training station on the local water
front. The present armory, an old
commercial building, on Eleventh street
southeast, in addition to being entirely
unsuited and much too small fer train
ing purposes, is located several blocks
from the bank of the Anacostia River
While the members of this Reserve
do not have any training ship, neither
do they have any kind of surface
water training equipment, and prac-
tically all of their drilling must be
done in an armory, under practically
the same conditions as doughboy of
the National Guard obtains his train
ing.
Many other Reserve organizations
throughout the country have their
armories on the water fronts of their
respective communities and, even when
they lack training vessel they have
numerous small boats and pulling boats
for the training of the men.
Many of these armories, it was said,
are paid for by the States in which
the organizations are located This is
done through provision by the State
appropriates money In reality there
are not two separate organizations, but
the officers and men are serving in
both, under the provisions of a special
act OF Congress permitting the United
States ReserviSts to enlist also In the
naval militia organizations of their re-
spectiVe States
The Naval Reserve here has only a
single status. Prior to the World War
q ~ Nf he NIa%
Of the District of Columbia, and when
in that organization it used the armory
at Water and o streets southwest, built
for naval militia purposes. This armory,
now used by the National Guard Coast
Artillery, is located on the waters
edge of Washington Channel, and has
large dock attached. Here the old
naval militia kept its training ship and
numerous small boats, which were used
during the Spring and Summer months
for training purposes. 1t was but a
few steps from the armory to the train
ing boats.
Subsequent to the World War the
Naval Militia was allowed the use of
this armory for several years and spent
thousands of dollars in fitting the
building and the dock up for service.
The National Guard then needed 1t for
its newly formed Coast Artillery unit
and the Reserves had to look elsewhere
and the small building at the Washing
ton Navy Yard was assigned them.
Former officers Of the local Reserves,
who have recently gone to other parts
OF the country, started a movement to
obtain a specially built armory for the
local Reserve battalion, and even had
tentative plans drawn, but since their
departure little has been done toward
pressing the need.
The present armory Is situated too
far from the river front for the Re-
they would not be watched as would De
possible If they had building on the
watsr's edge.
Lieut.. Comdr. r. S. Field, aide to the
commandant Of the Washington Navy
Yard, who left Wednesday for his new
assignment, formally inspected the bat
talon Monday night. Comdr. Field for
merly was inspector instructor OF the
organization and commanded its train
ing ship, the destroyer Abel P. Upshur,
which was relieved of duty here and
turned over to the Coast Guard as
part OF the rum patrol feet.
After inspecting the organization
Comdr. Field made brief address to the
officers and men, III which he told them
OF the pleasure he experienced while su-
that. in his opinion, they hal shown
considerable improvement during the
past two years The men gave three
cheers for the departing naval officer.
Following the formalities of the in
Spection, q reception was rendered by
the battalion officers to Comdr. Field
and Lieut.. B. j. Dayton, the present
1nspector-instructor, who also is TO leave
for duty with the new training feet IN
of rendered
supper at the Hamilton Hotel to both
Regular officers.
The report Of the recent annual in
spection of the local ReseryiSts was re-
ceived at the armory, and while the
officers reported that they had not yet
had time to fully digest it, 1t appeared
on its face that the markings were
higher, thus showing an Improvement
in the training efficiency Of the organi-
zation.
Jurging Piper, SIT East Capitol
street, was enlisted as a fireman, third
Fleet Division.
Fleet Naval Reserve commissioned
personnel, according to the Navy De-
partment, Is obtained from the follow
ing sources:
BY transfer Dy Quaiuleu oIHCcIe rum
the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Ofncers
who have qualified for their ranks may
be transferred from the Volunteer Re-
serve TO the Fleet Reserve or from the
Fleet to the Volunteer Reserve without
loss of rank or precedence.
BY appointment Of enlisted men quail
flied by examination.
BY appointment of graduates Of the
n. r. o. T. c. and graduates OF the
Naval Academy, and former commits
stoned officers Of the Navy may be APP
pointed in the Fleet Reserve, II vacancy
exists In the feet organization, or In
the Volunteer Naval Reserve in rank Of
ensign, or such higher rank - they