Evening star., 1936-09-27

~ VISIONS in the LIST Battalion,
United States Naval Reserve
in the District Of Columbia,
last week began . COMPETE
ton which will determine which Of
the three feet divisions comprising the
Washington battalion win furnish .
color guard and carry the battalion
colors for the coming year, beginning
in January. The first public appear
ance Of the winning division will be
the inaugural parade Of the President
Of the United States In 1897.
The competition. Just started ut the
battalion drill last week, will end ut
q formal, special inspection Of the
battalion to be held In December Of
this year, at which time the winning
division will be formally presented
with the battalion colors. It Is ex-
pected that q group Of high ranking
officers from the Navy Department
will serve as inspecting officers at
this inspection.
Ofdcers of the battalion said that
the factors to be considered in award
ing the colors to the winning division
will simulate those required by the
Naval Reserve inspection board, with
particular emphasis on average drill
attendance up to the night Of the in
spection in December. proficiency Of
the divisions in carrying out drills at
the inspection proper. smartness and
appearance Of the officers and men in
infantry and manuel Of arms drills.
The I'd Fleet Division, under the
command Of Lieut. John Cleland, has
had the distinction Of carrying the
colors for the past two years. Al
though the competition has Just be-
gun, there is already . strong rivalry
between the three divisions for the
honor Of carrying the colors next
year. and battalion officers report that
the I'd Division is anxious to main
tain its position as color bearer.
The Examining Board Of the bat
talon has reconvened to consider the
advancements in ratings for the en-
listed personnel Of the organization.
The board has not been In session
since the battalion left for its annual
training cruise late in July.
Due to the fact that q number OF
men were waiting only for cruise re-
quirements before going before the
board, it is expected that the board
will have a busy season during the
Fall. Lieut.. John Fewell Is serving
as president OF the Board of Exami-
ners this year.
Because Of the number Of personnel
changes which have been made In the
various divisions Of the battalion since
the cruise, . number Of feet vacancies
have developed in the battalion which
are being filled as rapidly as possible
from the ranks Of the Recruit School
and the volunteers. The Recruit School
meets each Tuesday night at 9 O'Clock
to consider the applications of inter-
ested young men between the ages Of
II and 20 years for enlistment.
Ensign w. c. Myer has reported for
duty with the battalion and has been
ordered to. the battalion stan. He will
be assigned as assistant in the Recruit
School.
Battalion Comdr. Lieut.. James E.
Sullivan last week ordered the sus-
pension Of weekend cruises by the
neet divisions for the remainder of this
year. No more feet cruises will be held
until the Spring, although the launch
will be left in the water for several
more weeks for cruises, which will be
made by oficers Of the battalion stan
with crews selected from the Recruit
School who have not yet made any
trips on the Potomac River.
The weekend cruises aboard the
launch are one Of the popular phases
OF the Naval Reserve training and the
little boat has been crowded each week
end during the Summer. Although i:
is too small to carry any training
equipment. the crews are given a good
deal OF training in the handling OF
small boats and the navigation Of in
land waters. Battalion officers have
been hopeful during the recent months
that the Navy Department would
assign to the battalion one of the
Coast Guard cutters now being re-
placed. 1t was pointed out by the
officers that a boat OF this size would
allow the battalion to carry more men
each week, allow space for training
equipment, and due to the greater
speed, q give Q better opportunity for
more navigational training. The pres
ent launch has to be taken out Of the
water as soon as the cold weather sets
in, since 1t cannot stand the pressure
OF the ice. A large cutter would have
heating equipment and could be used
all during the year.
Under the present arrangements at
the battalion. all surface-water train
ing has to be abandoned during the
Winter months and instruction has to
be confined to theory in the armory
class room work. However, the OH
GERS point out that much more can be
done by practical instruction aboard
ship and this should be kept up
throughout the year. The assignment
Of q larger vessel here would permit
the officers and men Of the battalion
to make trips all during the Winter,
except, Of course, when the Potomac
was icebound, but even then on drill
nights the men could be taken aboard
the ship for instruction to keep fresh
the knowledge they obtain while max
ing their annual cruises. Onlcers
point out that the lack Of q satisfactory
training vessel here Is q serious handi-
cap to the training Of the battalion
and to some extent affects the morale.
The importance Of building up q
strong Naval Reserve, 1t Is expected,
will be stressed during the coming ses-
sion Of Congress, If the United States
is to be prepared for q national emer-
gency. It is likely that the matter
will come up for consideration in con-
nection with q proposal to revise the
Naval Reserve act Of 1925, under
which this branch Of the Navy now