Evening star., 1935-02-24
Militia Warned to Reduce
Recruits in Encampments
Chief Of National Guard Bureau Says Last
Years Field Reports Show
Increases.
lncre a Sc s.

~ ESPITE efforts of the Wal
Department for several years
to have only men with some
~ military training at the an
nual field encampments, re-
ports to the National Guard Bureau
indicate that the militia organizations
throughout the country have not fol-
lowed the recommendation.
A letter sent to National Guard
heads by Maj. Gen. George E. Leach
says that a study of the field inspec-
ton reports for field training, 1884
indicates a slight increase over the
preceding two years in the number of
enlisted men with less than two
months service participating in field
training. The average number OF en-
listed men with less than two months
service, present in camp. was 1928,
which represents 6.97 per cent OF the
total enlisted attendance.
Attendance and percentage of re-
cruits in the two preceding years and
in 1884 were as follows In 1882 there
we're 5,556 enlisted men present at
camp, of which 8,427 were men with
less than two months service, or 4.96
per cent; in 1888 there were 163.029
enlisted men in camp, Of which 8,347
had less than two months service. or
STA per cent: while in 1884 there were
l6l. 1897 enlisted men in training, with
1928 with less than two months
service, or 6.97 per cent.
Gen. Leach says that an excess OF l0
Der cent of enlisted men with less
than two months service is considered
too high for effective training. This
number, he says. can be further re-
duced by careful planning, as shown
by the following States which had less
than per cent:
New York, 0; Massachusetts,, 8;
Hawaii, a; Kentucky, a; Rhode
Island. 5; North Carolina, II; New
Hampshire. 1.8; Indiana, 3.5; Kansas
SO; Tennessee, 81; Arizona, 80;
Texas, 40; Pennsylvania, Al; Arkan-
sas, 46; Connecticut, 4.8, and Iowa
40.
The following States exceeded 1C
per cent:
New Mexico, 1875; Michigan, l8;
Florida, IT; Utah, IT; North Dakota
1863; Montana, Isl; louisiana, Isl;
Delaware, Is; Wyoming, 1879; Wash
ington, 1877: Oregon. 1875: South
Carolina, 1911; Wisconsin, 13; Ne
braska, 1876; Illinois, lis: Alabama
ia: Missouri. 1l3; Oklahoma, lO.3
and Ohio, 1913.
PERCENTAGES of the other States art
as follows: District of Columbia, 81
Idaho, 5l: Mississippi. 5.4; West Vir'
pinia, SIS; South Dakota. 6: Puerto
Rico. 6; Colorado. 6.3; Maine, GA
Georgia. IL: Maryland. IL; Vermont
rs; California, 7.6; New Jersey, 80
Minnesota, 81; Virginia, 9.3, and Ne
vada, 10.
Gen. Leach, in the letter, adds thai
the most successful recruiting plan i
believed to be that where recruits art
obtained over period Of nine months
with no men being discharged or en-
listed during the two months ssl
prior to field training or during fielc
training. The splendid results achieved
by the majority of States have ma
terially added to the effectiveness Of
the National Guard and are apprecl-
ated by the chief of the National
Guard Bureau He concludes by say
ing that the effective corporation
Of adjutants general of these States
having an excessive number of re-
cruits in camp is requested
The enlistment of recruits within
a two-month period of the time fixed
for the annual encampments. it was
pointed out, seriously impedes the
field training of the older men. II
takes about two months to teach the
recruit the rudiments of military life
and if this is not done prior to the
time fixed for the encampment, ther
they have to be segregated and non'
commissioned officers taken away from
the regular routine and training Il
drill the recruits.
Instructions were issued severa
weeks ago to the local units that they
are expected to have their ranks re-