Evening star., 1935-12-01

VIII DC dSSeHpieo as uIllt
~ In the armory Tuesday night,
together with the 29th National Guard
Division units here, TO participate in
ceremonies in connection with the
presentation of medals and trophies
to officers and men who have won
them for various reasons during the
year.
While the ceremonies will be held
with as much formality as possible, it
was pointed out that 1t cannot be such
a formation as would be held if the
guardsmen had an armory with an
appropriate drill hall. What was once
q dining room In the old hotel build
ing which now serves as an armory
will serve as an assembly hall, but the
men will be packed in, without a
semblance of military formation.
Medals and bars for length Of service
In the local militia will be presented.
Also there will be presented to Sergt.
Parsons of Company E, 121st Engi-
neers, the trophy donated by the So
ciety Of American Military Engineers
to be awarded to the officer or man
who makes the highest score in the
Presidents Match competition at the
national rifle matches at Camp Perry,
Ohio. The presentation will be made
by Col. Wooten, president of the order.
There also will be presented at this
time the class A medals won by the
members of the National Guard team
at the Camp Perry matches. The
team was quite successful at the ma
tional matches and it is expected that
they will be lauded for their work by
Col. Oehmann at the ceremonies in
connection with the presentations.
Much of the teams success is attrib-
uted to the training given them by
Capt. Just C. Jensen. ordnance de-
partment of the Guard.
The 260th Coast Artillery, under
Mai. Walter w. Burns. will be assem-
bled on Thursday night in their ar
mory at Water and o streets south
west, where the members who have
earned them will be presented with
the service medals for the length of
time they have been in the Guard.
Judging by the number of applica-
tions which are being received at
headquarters of the Guard, there will
be a long eligibility list this year from
which to make selections to fill vacan-
cies in the grade of second lieutenant
in the various units of the local mill
tia. The interest in getting on this
list is said to be keener this year han
at any other time in the history OF
the Guard, and it has been attributed
to the fact that the educational train
ing of the personnel is on a higher
plane.
The examinations will be started
next week. These preliminary exami-
nations are for the purpose Of de-
termining the educational attainments
of the men, and they do not include
any military examinations. Examina-
tions to determine the military at
tainments of the men on the eligible
list are only held when a vacancy
occurs and there is likelihood of the
man getting an appointment.
It was indicated that before the
time arrives for the examinations that
a number of additional applications
will be received.
The eligibility list which will be
established as result of the coming
tests will be good for one year. Those
failing to receive commissions during
the year will be required to take an
other eligibility examination in order
to be placed on the list for next year.
Repairs have been made to the room
set aside as a gymnasium for the
physical training of the local militia
men and the equipment is being in
stalled so that the boxers who will
represent the Guard may start their
training.
The preparations for the training
and the arrangements of events is
under the direction of Capt. c. Earl
Smithson, adjutant of the 121st En-
gineers, chairman of the Athletic
Council, who is assisted by Sergt
Adam G. Mouton.
The target reports on the results
of rifle practice at the rifle range at
Camp Simms, Congress Heights, D. c.,
which have just been received at head
quarters, show that total of 282 men
qualified as marksmen. sharpshooters
and expert riflemen. OF the total that
fired only 46 failed to make qualifying
scores.
In the automatic rifle firing, a
total of 63 qualified. while 8 who
completed the course failed to make
qualifying scores.
Owing to the lack of ammunition
allowance there was no target practice
with the automatic pistol last season.
Considerable study Is being given by
Col. Oehmann, commanding the local
outfit, to the development of sterilizers
that can be used in the field to guard
against the spread of disease from
cooking and eating utensils.
Maj. Walter w. Burns, command
ing the Coast Artillery, and his aides
have developed a mobile steriliZer.
1t consists of a large oil drum in
which is set a smaller drum. The
large drum serves as the flrebox while
the smaller one holds the water. 1t
was said that with this water can be
kept at sufficiently high tempera-
ture in the field to guarantee steriliza-
ton. It was indicated that 1t is
quite an improvement over the old
system, where an open fire was built
under a large can, which only served
to keep the water warm.
A similar system to this, it was said,
was used during the last encampment
and the medical reports show that
there was less sickness from colds and
stomach disorders than ever before.
1t is expected that by the time the
troops enter the field next Summer
they will have developed a sterilizer
which will provide complete protec-
ton from diseases which usually
attack troops from this source. If
it is decided to go ahead with the
divisional maneuvers this year, as ten
tatively planned by Maj. Gen. Milton
DacEord nopopoandipr the 11nit