Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-23
PROMOTION PLAN
CHANGE EXPECTED
New Army Scheme Will Aid
Officers From Colonies
Down,

given to the Army promotion pro-
posal, there is every expectation a
change will be made in the present
scheme of promotion within the mil
itary establishment. For more than
O decade the advancement of Army
officers, especially those who come in
during the World War, has been in
q state of stagnation The new pro-
motion plan will aid every officer
from colonel down and will not ad-
versely affect a single one. Under it,
20 per cent of the promotion list
officers would be in field grades and
go per cent in company grades. Pres
ent law percentages provide 26.5 per
cent in field grades and 1875 per cent
In company grades.
The number of colonies is fixed at
8 per cent of the aggregate number
of promotion-list officers as compared
with AS per cent now authorized.
This will increase the number of
colonies from 470 to 628-a gain of
158 officers in that grade. The num-
Der of lieutenant colonies, under the
new scheme, would be fixed at 9 per
cent, as compared with SIS per cent
now authorized. This would increase
the number of lieutenant colonies
from SIT to GAL, gain of 1854 officers
in that grade.
The new plan fixes the number of
majors at IS per cent, as compared
with 16.5 per cent now authorized.
This would increase the number of
majors from l,725 to 2,6l5, an in
crease of 800 officers in that grade.
The number of captains now author
lied is 80 per cent The proposal will
Immediately increase the number Of
captains from $3.50 to $500. a gain
of las officers in that grade. The
number of first lieutenantS now au-
thorized is 25.5 per cent. The pro-
posed promotion system will imme-
diately decrease the number of first
lieutenants from 2,667 to 1886, loss
Of 781 officers in that grade. The
number of second heutenants now
authorized is Is per cent. The pro-
posal will Immediately decrease the
number of second lieutenantS from
1871 to 791, loss of $50 officers in
that grade.
The effect of this proposed promo
ton system will be the immediate
promotion Of 4,91S out of a total of
1o,460 promotion-list officers.
The most extended inspection of
Army chaplain activities ever under
taken by chief of chaplains was
begun asst week by Col. Alva j.
Brasta>.. present chief of the Corps
of Army Chaplains. During his
12.o0o-mile tour of inspection Col
Breasted will hold chaplain group con-
ferences, deliver Understanding
talks and special addresses, and will
make a field survey of the religious
needs of the various posts and sta
lions. He will also visit a number of
C. c. c. camps.
Navy.
Chief interest in naval affairs last
week was the list of 225 heutenants
and 433 junior lieutenants who were
recommended for promotion in the
line of the Navy by the Selection
Board. headed by Rear Admiral James
o. Richardson. These selectees will
begin to move up after those selected
by the board that made its report in
August, 1884. 1t is estimated that
about the first 16 of the lieutenants
just selected for lieutenant commander
will be promoted on July 1, leaving
the remainder for advancement from
time to time later as vacancies occur.
OF the 1884 list, Lieut. Delmar S.
Fahrney was the last to become due
for promotion, leaving the remaining
SO on the list to become due June 80
and July /, and leaving also about 16
vacancies on July l to be filled by
that number at the head of the new
list.
At this time it appears that none
OF the junior lieutenants just selected
will become due for promotion before
June, 1886 The last of the 1884 list
of junior lieutenant selectees to be-
come due for promotion was Glenn
M. Cox, and the remaining 81 junior
lieutenants-William ]. O'Brien to
Fremont B. Eggers, inclusive-will go
up on June 80 and July l. This will
leave 1873 on the list to be promoted
later, with the probability that all of
them will not have made their num-
bers before June, 1886. so that those
at the head of the new list may begin
to advance.
The foregoing estimates are on the
basis of known vacancies. They may
be changed slightly by unforeseen va
cancieS that may occur before June
So-July l. In the event the pending
naval line personnel measure, now
blocked in the Senate, is enacted,
promotions may be accelerated to
some extent