Evening star., 1936-08-30
GUARDSMENSTUDY
WAR GAME RESULT
Lessons of First Divisional
Mobilization Pondered
by D. c. Troops.

<AASA POI eASiPdtAAiS LII Vic iuot dAVA"
sional mobilization in the history Of
the 29th National Guard Division,
which is composed OF the National
Guard Of this city and the States Of
Maryland and Virginia, the District
Of Columbia troops settled down last
week to their armory drill routine to
ponder the lessons learned during the
two weeks they spent at Indiantown
Gap, Pa.
1t is known that the npmcers were
SO enthusiastic over the mobilization.
that already there u discussion of
attempting to have such q mobiliza-
ton Of the division at some point in
the divisions area each year. It Is
believed that the officers and men
received such effective instruction
during the two weeks they were in
the Pennsylvania camp that it will
result in material improvement in their
efficiency II they are allowed to con-
tinue the tests each year, rather than
have the individual units 60 to sep
arate camps as has been the prac-
tice in the past. It was asserted that
when the units 60 to separate camps
they received only the training in
cident to small plan maneuvers,
whereas by the divisional mobiliza-
ton they are permitted to test their
plans theorized in the armory dur
ing the year and actually see them
worked out in the field as they would
in time Of . national emergency.
Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord Of
Maryland, commanding the 29th d.
vision, 1t Is known, hopes 1t will be
possible to make such arrangements,
and that he will make efforts dur
ing the year to convince the ma
tional military authorities that it would
be wise thing to do. It was pointed
out that the cost of assembling the
whole division in one point would
be but very little more than that
Of sending the various units to
the individual camps, and particu-
larly is this true, 1t was said, since
the movements are made largely in
motor trucks, which are assigned to
the organizations. It was said that
the troops in the States have to be
sent long distances to the State
camps. and these camp sites could
be used In some instances for the di-
visional mobilizations. The Maryland
troops. when acting alone, 60 to their
State camp at Cascade, Md, which is
the borderline between Pennsylvania
and Maryland. Troops from the East
ern Shore and Southern Maryland
have to go long distances anyway to
reach the camp sites.
On the other hand, the Virginia
troops have to go to the eastern sea-
board Of the State, their State camp
being at Virginia Beach. and plans
are under way to enlarge this site
SO that it will be possible to mobilize
division. However, it was said that
neither Of these camp sites provide
ranges for artillery fire such as is
found In the mountainous area of
Pennsylvania from which the division
has just returned.
One OF the first things which prob
ably will be undertaken in connecrlon
with the coming armory training
period for the Fall and Winter will
be a study of the results of the di-
visional measures which required four
days Of the last week in camp,
Cr1tiques will be held from time to
time with . view to making plans
to correct any faults which the Of
flcers and men believe that they made
during the fighting" through the
pennsylvania mountains and with a
view to having better plans ready in
the event 1t is possible to convince
the War Department that an annual
mobilization Of the division Is the
best way Of continuing the training
OF the troops Of this area.
Before the troops departed for camp
Gen. Reckord said that he was con-
tdent of large measure of success
In the movement, but he also expected
that some mistakes would be made,
1t was the first time that he had had
an opportunity to find out how the
18th National Guard Division ma
chine worked and also to find out
how to make it work better.
But when the District troops re-
turned to their home stations after
living in the best camp in the field,
they came back to their unsatisfactory
armory conditions, and this will be
one of the principal things to be
worked for during the year, in addition
to the armory training. With the
field training out Of the way, and
the annual inspections not coming
until Spring, the officers will have
an opportunity, in between the period
OF routine training, to attempt to work
out some way of convincing Congress
that the troops of the National Cap
ital should have better armory IA
cilities, something in the way of a
model for those in the States to
follow. It was asserted that the Fed
eral Government expects the States
to provide the very best in armories
for the protection Of the valuable
equipment which is loaned to these
troops. but that the Federal Govern
ment does not set an example by
providing suitable armory facilities
here, although the local troops are
the only Federalized troops in the
militia set-up.
The armory in which the main body
OF troops and the general headquar-
ters Is located is more than hundred
years old, having served for more than
a century as hotel. It was assigned
to the Guard for armory purposes
when 1t was taken over by the District
government as a part of the site for
the municipal center. However, q
proposal has been advanced now to sell
this portion of the site to obtain
funds with which to begin construc-
tion Of the city buildings which it Is
planned to put on the site. In that
event the militia would be required to
move to other quarters. Buildings
large enough to house regiment of
engineers and the divisional head
quarters troops are scarce in the city
at this time, and it is believed that
there would be much difficulty in find
ing q building If the local citizen SOL
dierS were ordered IN vacate the pres.