Evening star., 1936-11-01
Bv F. Jaw Carmody.

BY +. Jay CGrmOdy.
T YNDER peaceful blue skies from
which the sun sprays gold on
the Alabama countryside the
~ more subtle aspects of the art
Of war are being taught today in the
most distinctive aviation school in the
United States.
One might, indeed. speak even more
definitely and say that the school Is
the most unusual institution OF mile
tary education on the face OF the
spherical clod over which man has
fought since his species first climbed
from its oozy surface.
The institution in question Is the
Tactical School of the Army Air
Corps. It is regarded in Washington,
where the idea for it was first con-
ceived, as one of the most astute
creations in the brief. spectacular ca
reer of military aviation. To 1t the
Nation may look for a signal contri-
button to the integration of the vart-
Gus military arms which will make its
borders impregnable to enemy armies.
In effect, the Tactical School is a
war college of the air. Although not
called such, military parlance being
what it is, the Tactical School is a
graduate institutional least the lay
mans conception of it. 1t is that to
the extent that its function is to take
already trained and mature officers,
men chosen by severe selective proc
esses, and prepare them for major
tasks in their country's first line OF
defense.
At the school they do not use the
phrase first line of defense" as de-
scriptive of the field for which gradu-
ates are being prepared. There are
traditions, you know. Yet the civilian
permitted to watch the operations OF
the school, live briefly with its stu
dents and faculty and study its curric-
ulum must come away from Montgom-
cry with the impression that he has
had a closeup of the intelligence
which is creating and will direct the
first barrier to enemy invasion.
The ultimate wisdom in the use OF
air force is the teaching objective OF
the air school at Maxwell Field. Stated
another way, it prepares carefully
chosen officers for the staff and COM
mand duties, which require the high
est degree of military intelligence. If
the greatest Nation on earth is not to
be invaded some day by another power
ranked lower in the estimate of Ameri-
cans.
A LTHOUGH an air school, neither
"A the student body nor the faculty
Is completely drawn from that branch
of the military establishment. Every
arm of the service-Infantry, Artillery,
Cavalry, Chemical Warfare-sends its
teaching and student representatives
to Maxwell. The Navy contributes
similarly, and SO does the Marine
Corps. Thus does Uncle Sam broaden
the education of his military officers.
Thus does he consolidate the various
branches of the service.
The time was, indeed, when the Tao
tical School was international in its
scope Foreign military establishments
sent students to it at the invitation OF
Washington.
This practice, however, led to COM
plications which forced its abandon
ment. In military schools, 1t seems.
1t Is the custom to call a spade q
spade and to call q potential enemy
by its actual name. The presence OF
military representatives of potential
enemies in the classes served as q
limitation upon this custom. It proved
disconcerting to every one, including
the foreign representatives in the
school who, themselves, were brought
up in the tradition of calling world
powers by their right names. not
aliases. So, in this characteristic at
least, the school reverted to type
among military institutions.
The civilian visiting the school Is
Impressed first with the attitude OF
Its staff and its students. Here is the
layman's conception Of the graduate
school at its best. Its curriculum Is
highly specialized, but the fighting
man never is submerged in the schol-
ar. That slogan Uncle Sam Builds
Men" on the old recruiting posters
apparently still applies when he has
completed work on their torsos and
turned his major attention to their
minds.
Obviously, it is the Army's way to
look upon its members as unities OF
the physical and mental. Although
training of the mind Is the primary
function at Maxwell, there is no abate-
ment Of the stress laid upon physical
perfection. The result, and the lay