Evening star., 1936-05-10
ME Naval Reserve Inspection
Board, composed Of officers
from the Regular establish

officers and men to take their stations
with the active feet in time of ma
tional emergency. In the course OF its
inspections it has found various mat
tiers which, In the opinion Of the
members, should be given special at
tention during the annual cruises, and
1t has made recommendations that
when the units go to sea on these
training voyages special attention be
given to certain details.
While the board does not say that
all of, the units are deficient in these
matters, the inference to be drawn is
that many units have been faulty in
the matters suggested for special at
tention. For instance, in recommend
ing that they be especially instructed
in magazine inspections and tests. the
board points out that the majority Of
gunners mates, including chief gum
ners mates, who were given oral ex-
aminations during the inspections
stated that magazine temperature
readings were taken with wet and dry
bulb thermometers.
During the training cruises, the off,
GERS and men will be under the regu-
lar officers and men. and the latter
are expected to give special attention,
in their lectures and instructions, to
the matter suggested by the board.
Under the heading deck officers, the
board recommends that special atten-
ton be given to instruction in the
duties of navigator and deck watch
ISLANDERS and to fire control. detailing
such matters as range keeping,
method Of applying spots, the method
Of computing sight bar settings on
the guns, for the purpose Of eliminat-
ing the long delay now prevalent be-
tween the actual time the range is
obtained and the settings placed on
the gun sights.
The officers also are to be given
special instructions in the use and
distribution of officers at general
drills, and in damage control such as
might occur in collisions and during
battle.
The deck petty officers are to be
given instruction in anchor gear
anchor cable make up and markings
and boat handling. The gunners
mates are to be instructed In ammu-
milton storage The signal force is
recommended for instruction in COM
munication procedure and the use OF
the blinker, and quartermasters in Wis
ual signalling. The unrated members
of the deck force are to be instructed
| in deck seamanship nomenclature
and running, anchor and flag lights.
In making a study OF the Naval
Reserve of the United States with
a view to revising the law governing
this adjunct of the Regular establish
ment, the suggestion has been made
to Congress by the United StatesNaval
Reserve Officers Association that
more drilling units be established,
and that each State should have a
/ Reserve unit. They also suggest that
| officers holding commissions with the
| rank of lieutenant commander and
above should not hold their commits
sions at the pleasure of the Secretary
of the Navy. but should be confirmed
by the Senate, and be separated from
the service as Regular officers are.
/ 1t was pointed out that one Of the
most difficult problems facing the
Reserve is the procurement of ma
| terjal for commissioned personnel for
the new units. It was explained that
it takes the average college graduate
approximately two years of study
while in regular civilian employment
to qualify by examination for COM
mission as an officer with a drilling
unit. To fill this need for additional
officers it appears desirable to estab-
lish Naval Reserve Oficers' Training
Corps units in additional colleges and
universities, and particular technical
| colleges, and that the courses given
be definitely strengthened and broad
ened. It was said that definite
| effort is necessary to fill the quotas
of both engineering and supply Of
| ficers.
It appears from statements of q
committee of the association that the
Navy Department has not taken the
Reserve officers into their confidence
in making a study Of the changes
believed necessary in the act, and
the Reserve officers have asked that
| Congress make a thorough study OF
the association The committee OF
the Oficers' Association which is
handling the program for changes
consists of Comdr L. R. Rutter, chair
man.
This committee made q definite
recommendation that officers of the
Reserve force be given a definite
tenure of Office to be directly and
legally connected with the admins.
tration of the Reserve; establishment
of policy affecting the procurement
training administration, command
and determination of training facili-
ties, direct budgetary approach and
integrity Of appropriations.
| The reserve officers believe that
someone from the reserve should be
called upon to justify estimates fol
the reserve, and once these are es-
tabliShed, the law should provide that
they could not be transferred by the
Navy to other purposes.
1t was pointed out by the commit
tee that the experience of the Naval
reserve operating under the present
act would indicate the extreme diff
f1culty of obtaining any Of these OBJ
jectives under the present administra-
tive organization. 1t was the opinion
Of the committee that a drastic
change must be made which will per-
NIT officers charged with reserve poll
cies to directly press such interests
with the highest authority in the Navy
Department without fear or favor. II
was added that to operate otherwise
permits subordinates to vitiate the
force Of the arguments and prevent
the highest authorities from being in
formed directly and accurately by
those most familiar with reserve mat
ters. The officers believe that to ef-
fectively bring this about there must
be either reserve bureau established
such as Is provided in the War De-
partment for the administration OF
II