Milford chronicle., 1933-04-21
Gnardsmen Paid Only
Small Sum Of Money

As a number of the 500 members
of the Delaware National Guard are
among the unemployed and must, in
many cases, seek relief, and due to
current erroneous reports regarding
the rate of pay, received by members
of the organization, officers of the
I9Sth Coast Artillery, A. A., Della
ware National Guard, recently is
sued a statement regarding the in
come of enlisted men and officers,
received from their service with the
National Guard.
There have been some cases, II
was stated, In which members of
the organization have had their pa
triotic efforts with the National
Guard rewarded by increased diff
culties in securing relief, when re-
lief was sought.
Ii should be clearly understood,
the officers said, that the income
received by members of the regi-
ment, for National Guard activities
and participation, Is entirely made
quate in practically all cases TO
maintain a single man, let alone a
man with a family. Most of the men
are not paid more than from one to
two dollars a week. Further, none
of the small sums that these men
receive for their work comes from
the State. All pay for National
Guard work, with the single excep-
ton of the adutant general, comes
from the Federal Government.
The Federal Government requires
that the members of the organiza-
ton spend one and one-half hours
on the work, at the armories, but
that work would not result in an
organization. The Colonel and
Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment
spend an average of from 20 to 80
hours a week on National Guard
work, although only paid for an hour
and one-half a week. The average
officer devotes much more time to
the National Guard than just the
one and one-half hours required.
That hour and One-half must be de-
voted to actual drill work and not
administration. Additional time is
needed for administration work, and
also additional time for attending
troop schools. The work of the av-
erage officer is far beyond any re-
compense that he received. for II in
money, IL was stated. In addition,
enlisted men and especially non
commissioned officers are frequently
required by their duties TO devote
much more than the allotted time
to their military work, for which
they receive no additional compen-
sation.
Officers must study, prepare for
classes, attend classes and do many
extra duties which result in most of
them receiving pay at the actual
rate of Is to 20 cents an hour. Many
persons, il is stated, believe that
since the officers and men get paid
for nights drill. they sholdd report
every night in the week. However,
Federal regulations specifically state
that no National Guard men shall
he paid for more than four drills a
month, or 4S drills a year. Actually
no more than 46 drills can be attend
ed in any one year. as the men are
in camp for two weeks.
The most q private makes, during
an entire year, if he attends all the
drills that he can, and goes to camp
for two weeks for the annual field
training during the summer. is $67.
A private Is paid 81 a night for at
tending armory drills, engaging in
the various activities and attending
the schools, for at least one and one
half hours a night, on drill nights,
which are held just once a week. and
no more.
ut should be perfectly clear" 1t
was stated, that such an amount Is