Evening star., 1936-03-22

Of the National Guard OF the District
of Columbia have been admonished
by the commander, Col. John w.
Oehmann, to Immediately initiate
action to cause absentees from drills
last month to attend formations in
the future. The order was issued
after the compilation Of figures for
January, which indicates that some
of the commands had large absentee
list, as compared to the actual number
of men on their rolls.
However, the report shows that the
divisional commands were as a unit
without absentees during the drill
month. The Medical Department De-
tachment of the 260th Coast Artillery,
the State Detachment and the band,
l2lst Engineers, also had full attend
ance records during the month.
The report shows the allotted
strength of the various companies,
their actual strength and the num-
Der of absentees for the month, and
the figures will be given in this order
by units: State Detachment, allotted
%, on rolls, 20; absentees none.
121st Observation-Disclosures and
Service Company, allotted So; on rolls,
48: absent, Z. Band, allotted %; on
rolls, IS; absent, none. Company A.,
allotted so; on rolls, 81; absent, 13.
Company B, allotted 60; on rolls, So;
absent, IL. Company C, allotted so;
on rolls, IS; absent, IA. Company D,
allotted 60: on rolls. 60; absent, S.
Company E, allotted 60; on rolls, So;
absent, S. Company F, allotted 60;
on rolls, 56: absent, S. Medical De-
partment, allotted 20; on rolls, 18;
absent, 3.
260th Coast Artillery-Headquarters
Detachment and Combat Train, 1st
Battalion, allotted 25; on rolls, "a;
absent, 6. Medical Department De-
tachment, allotted Is; on rolls. Is;
absent, none. Battery A, allotted go;
on rolls, So; absent, 8. Battery B,
allotted 60; on rolls, 60; absent, IL.
Battery C, allotted so; on rolls, So;
absent, 8. Battery E, allotted 81; on
rolls, "a; absent, 10.
Special Troops-Headquarters De-
tachment, Special Troops, allotted 9;
on rolls, 8; absent, none. Headquar-
ters Detachment, 29th Division, al
lotted SO; on rolls, SO; absent, none.
29th Division Military Police Com
pany, allotted So; on rolls, ST; absent,
none.
Company A, 372d Infantry, allotted
So; on rolls, So; absent, 2.
1t was pointed out the figures un-
doubtedly will show much improve
ment during the current month, as
the annual inspections are being held
and special efforts are made by each
commander to get his men out to raise
the record of attendance at the time
the Regular Army officers are conduct
ing the tests.
It also was asserted that with the
annual inspection about completed.
officers and men will start their prep
arations for the field training this
year. which will take the form of
gigantic divisional maneuvers, the first
that the local troops have ever par
ticipated in. There is considerable
work to be done in the way of prepar-
ing property for the field service, as
well as programs for participating in
the maneuvers, which will take the
troops over the lowest part of Penn
sylvania, basing on Indiantown Gap,
the location of the State training camp
of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
They will, in a large measure. carry
out this year the plans which we're
prepared on a broad scale last Sum-
mer, but which we're cast aside when
the State of Pennsylvania refused ad-
mission of the troops to the State on
account of the infantile paralysis cpl
demic which was prevailing in Vir-
ginia.
As the movement is expected to be
made largely by motor train, as
test of this means of transportation
for large bodies of troops, a large vol
ume of motor equipment must be as
sembled. Much Of the equipment will
have to be borrowed and it will have
to do double duty, taking some of the
troops from their home stations to the
base and then returning for other
troops. This condition was brought
about because of the legislative pro-
hibition against the expenditure OF
any funds on the repair, operation
and maintenance of any motor equip
ment built prior to 1920. Much OF
the equipment in the possession OF
the Guard at the time the law was
passed was Of the old World War
construction. Because of the pro-
hibition this has been junked. al
though the Guard outfits are getting
some new motor equipment, but not
enough to take care of movement
of all their troops at one time.
Tentative plans for the divisional
maneuver are being formulated by
the various members of the divisional
staff under the direction of Maj. Gen.
Milton A. Reckord, commanding the
2eth National Guard Division and the
National Guard of Maryland. The in
dividual units also are making their
plans to conform to the divisional
scheme. The troops after being taken
to the camp site at Indiantown Gap
will be trained and hardened during
the first week and then will start the
maneuvers, which will take them into
the field for operations such as they
would be expected to perform in time
of a real emergency.
Upon the Engineer troops here, the
divisional Engineers, will fall much OF
the heavy work of building bridges
and roads where needed and simu-