Evening star., 1935-11-03
Naval Reserve ArmOrv
Project Before President
Officers Hope for Favorable Action on Funds
for New Training Building
Here
cheney so that they would be inme.
diately ready for service when called.

cheney so that they would be inme.
diately ready for service when called.
Lieut.. ]. e. sullivan. commander
of the local Reserve Battalion, Is plan.
ming another change in the method
OF drilling here. He plans to have all
Of the specialist ratings assemble on
one drill night for class room instruc-
ton in their particular duties.
Under the present system each divi-
sion, which has all grades in it, are
assembled one night a week. They
get general divisional training, sbut
little time is left for them to study
and practice their specialties, it was
indicated
However. for a time, according to
Lieut.. Sullivan, he proposes to have
one night set aside for each class. 80
that the men of all the divisions In
a particular speciality can be given in
struction. This meeting would be In
lieu of the regular drill work with
their particular divisions. For in
stance, the flremen would be called
in on one night. another evening
would be provided for the machin-
lists mates, another for the signal
men, etc. 1t also would furnish an
opportunity to ascertain the effective
ness of the present system of training
in the various divisions, and the class
room instruction is expected to bring
about more unified system OF train
ing. which is expected to materially
improve the efficiency of the bat
talon as whole.
After brief period of this, the
men would be returned to their diH-
sional training system. so that the
divisional spirit could be kept intact,
and the landing force instruction
could be maintained on its present
high scale.
Many promotions for enlisted men
in the local battalion are pending.
Scores of young enlisted men have
already appeared before the board
for their service tests, and the board
has made its recommendations.
The recommendations are being
studied by the battalion commander.
Lieut.. Sullivan, and as soon as he
passes on them, the successful candi-
dates for promotion will be announced.
The scores made by the Commune
cations Reserve in the air tests for
the month of September we're reported
by Lieut.. j. H. Nicholson, commando
ing the division, as four-tenths Of q
point behind first place. Failure to
make first place he attributes to the
lack Of contacts from three stations.
The commander, in a communica-
tion to the personnel, says that with
the goal in sight within four -tenths
of a point it is not understandable
how one or two men will not take
interest enough to get the organization
in first place.
All members of the Communica-
tions Reserve division have been in
vited to the home of their commander,
Lieut.. Nicholson, at 304 North Edge
wood street, Lyon Park, Va, at
o'clock this afternoon for general
good-fellow get-together and discuss
sion.
The local fleet reservistS we're hosts
to several hundred visitors at their
special drill and inspection held in
conjunction with Navy day celebra.
tions at the Navy Yard last Monday.
A capacity crowd, which packed the
small building now assigned the Re-
serves for training purposes, witnessed
the arrival of Rear Admiral Joseph
r. Defrees, United States Navy, com.
mandant of the Washington Navy
Yard, who was 'piped over the side"
in true Navy custom. After inspection
of the battalion by the admiral the
three divisions went through manual
of arms drills and infantry drills.
This was followed by knotting and
splicing exhibitions, gun drills on the
5-inch loading machine, semaphore
and blinker drills by the quartermas-
ter branches and exhibits by the en-
gineering force.
The armory then was turned into
a flag decorated dance hall and the
enlisted men of the battalion danced
to the music of Navy orchestra. AS
a special attraction at the dance
Chief Boatswain's Mate Joseph Slat-
terry, chairman of the Entertainment
Committee, together with Chief Gum
ner's Mate Moody, arranged for sew
eral amateur entertainers. Four little
girls, daughters of Reserve men, gave
a series of novelty dances and songs
which were followed by guitar and
banjo music by other amateurs.
Orders issued last week by Lieut..
Sullivan named Lieut.. (Junior Grade)
w. S. Brown as executive officer Of
the lst Fleet Division in the place Of
Lieut.. (Junior Grade) r. Kirst, who
has been placed on the volunteer rolls
at his own request.
Lieut.. Brown, who was formerly eX.
ecutive officer of the I'd Division,
was an honor graduate of the United
States Naval Academy in the class Of
Harvard Business School and now is
holding an executive position with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
here.
With the Navy day program out Of
the way, the officers and men now will
make their drill schedules with view
to preparing for the annual inspection.
which will be held early in the Spring.
1t is expected that with several
changes proposed by Lieut.. Sullivan
in the manner of instruction that the
local organization will finish with
higher marks than it has ever had
at any time in its history.
AIhTYnAJAT A1TnM