The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-08-09
HARD DRILL IS
ORDER OF DAY
AT FORT KNOX
Muscles of GuardSmen Are
Sore After First Session
of Training.
FRONT LINE OF DEFENSE
Units Now in Camp Will Be
Nations BuIWark in
Event of War.
BY LOWELL NUSSBAUM
Times stan Writer

BY LOWELL NUSSBAUM
Times STAN Writer
Fl. KNOX, Ky. Aug. "a sym
phony OF marching feet, rumbling
trucks. stirring martial music. crisp
commands. and cracking gunfire
was heard here today. as troops of
the Thirty-eighth division we're be-
coming accustomed TO the sudden
transition from civilian 10 military
life.
The soreness of muscles. unaccus-
toned 10 hikes over rough ground
and the weight Of rifles and other
military accoutrement. was pass
ing, and sunburn rapidly was
changing TO deep tan.
From the moment reveille is
sounded at $50 a. m. until late in
the day. when relaxation and
pleasure is the order. hustle and
hustle pervades the camp.
Troops Aroused Early
Before the echoes of the reveille
bugle have ceased TO reverberate, the
regimental bands. scattered over the
encampment. strike up Justify with
stirring, slumber destroying tunes.
and the sleep.-eyed guardSmen be-
gin pouring out of barracks and
tents.
Breakfast is over long before the
rising sun has had chance to take
the dew from the grassy drill
grounds. and the days program of
mock wartime maneuvers is started
The annual two weeks encamp-
ment is not mere outing for the
1000 guardsmen and their officers.
There is a more serious side to the
picture
These khaki-clad youths from
factories. farms. shops, Offices. and
the ranks of the unemployed repre-
sent the nations first line of de-
Tense.
First Line of Defense
In event of a war outbreak, not
the regular army. as in the past.
but these same carefree youths in
the national guard would be
shipped TO the front Immediately TO
stem the enemy tide until citi-
zens' army could be raised. equipped.
and trained for war service. many
months later
Since the World war, the govern
ment has been paying more atten-
ton TO the national guard. expenses
OF which 1t shares with the several
states. Character of the guard per-
sonnet has been improved greatly.
and year-round drill and instruc-
ton are given in armories.
The guard has been built into an
effective. well-trained and quickly
modified fighting machine, with
nationwide personnel of 100000
which, in case of war. rapidly could
be expanded into force Of 100000
Only Skeleton Force
Economy measures and various
other forces have resulted in the
regular army being reduced 10
skeleton group. numbering not much
more than 100000 men and officers
These troops are scattered
throughout the United States in
scores of garriSons. and a consider
able group assigned as far away as
Hawaii and the Philippines.
The United States is divided into
nine corps areas by the war depart
ment. each corps area. theoretically,
having one regular army division.
two national guard. and three or
,.acapt-n divisions
Peace time strength OF both army
and national guard divisions is only
about 5000 men TO division. The
reserve divisions have trained Off
GERS only. and the troops Tor these
divisions would have to be recruited
and trained before these reserve di-
visions would be ready to fight.
Divided Into Four Armies
Aside from the corps areas. the
nation is divided into four armies,
10 be made up. in time of war, from
enlistmentS and the draft.
A declaration of war would result
in the necessity Of taking from the
regular army many Of its best off,
GERS and men 10 form the corps
officers and troops for The various
armies put in the field while the
remaining personnel OF the regular
army would be busy in the training
camps.
Thus the national guard troops
have heavy responsibility 10 con-
slider. and this knowledge plays a
large part in the earneStness and
enthusiasm with which they take
part in the annual training maneu-
vers.