Evening star., 1936-10-04
EXCESS MILITARY
LEAVE ATTACKED
Abuse of Privilege Called to
Attention of National
Guard Units.

called to the attention of the Dis
trict Of Columbia National Guard Of
ficials as well as heads of other mi
litia organizations throughout the
country by the chief Of the Military
Bureau of the War Department.
Under the law employees Of the
Federal Government who are men,
bers Of the National Guard must be
given leave without loss of status and
in addition to their annual leave to
attend regularly ordered assemblies
and field training However, it ap-
pears that some officers and men OF
the guard have been taking advan-
tage of this and have been receiving
military leave for attending more
than one encampment, with the re-
suit that the officials of the executive
departments have found it necessary
to ask # this must be done, because
Of the fact that long periods of alb
sence of such employees upsets their
civilian organizations in many cases.
Some of the men undoubtedly prefer
their militia service to working at
their civilian jobs and use the mill
tary leave to get away when the op-
portunity appears. In some cases 1t
Is matter of pecuniary advantage.
A man having position In the Gov
eminent which pays him compare
lively small pay when compared to
his military pay If he happens to be
an officer of some rank.
The National Guard Bureau in
formed the guard organizations that
numerous complaints have been re-
ceived at the War Department during
the past two years from officials of
the executive departments and agen-
cies Of the Federal Government that
civil employees who are members Of
the National Guard of the various
States are making requests for ex-
tended periods Of military leave for
the purpose of attending field train
ing encampments. In some instances
it is stated that requests are received
for a second extended period of mill
tary leave within the year, and the
bureau has been asked whether under
law and regulations such second re-
quests must be granted. The bureau
said that in each instance 1t has
been necessary for it to reply to the
inquiry stating that under the exist
ing law and regulations permanent
civil employees of the Government who
are members of the National Guard
are entitled to leave of absence from
their respective duties without loss of
pay, time or efficiency rating on all
days during which they shall he en-
gagged in field or coast defense train
ing duly authorized under the pro-
visions Of the statutes.
The letter to the unit commander
pointed out that an examination of
the records of the bureau on the sub
ject disclosed the fact that in numer-
Gus instances members of National
Guard organizations who are Federal
employees have many requests for, and
have been granted, two or more ex-
tended periods of military leave during
one calendar year for the purpose of
attending authorized field encamp-
ments with their own and other Or
ganizations. The additional field train
ing is generally requested for officers
and enlisted personnel engaged in ad-
ministration of supply of training
camps The result Is that, in some in
stances, such employees receive so or
more days Of leave with pay from
their civil duties during the year, ir-
respective of whether such leave at
the time is inconvenient to the Fed
eral civil authorities or whether it
works an unwarranted expense to the
Government by reason Of the necessity
of supplying substitutes for the absent
employees during such periods.
The bureau announced that in view
OF these numerous complaints and the
desire of the National Guard Bureau
to cooperate with the executive de-
partments and agencies Of the Federal
Government in meeting the require
ments of the law with the least pos
sible inconvenience and expense to the
public service, 1t is requested that
hereafter the National Guard authori-
ties of the several States, territories
and the District of Columbia limit
field training of those members of the
National Guard organizations who are
employees Of the Federal Government
to one period, preferably not exceeding
is days each calendar year
The bureau added that only in very
exceptional cases hereafter will the
National Guard Bureau issue training
authorities for such personnel to at
tend more than one 15-day period of
Held training.
Praise for both the National Guard
and the civilian team from the Dis
trict Of Columbia was contained in a
letter received at brigade headquarters
last week from Col. Jay L. Benedict,
18th United States Infantry, executive
officer Of the national matches recent
ly held at Camp Perry, Ohio.
I'm this years national matches
which have just closed" the letter
said. "the District of Columbia has
been well represented by both a Ma
tional Guard and a civilian team. I
wish to congratulate you upon your
National Guard team making class A
with a score of ATS in the national
rifle team match and also being the
high National Guard team in the Rou-
manian team match.
1T Is a pleasure to infrom you that |
the interest, conduct, cooperation and !
craftsmanship of these teams while |
at Camp Perry have been most graft
flying. They have contributed ma
terially to the success Of the matches. |
II trust that future matches will |
ind the District of Columbia as ably |
represented"
The 29th Division Signal Company
led the list Of divisional units in
the matter of attendance last month,
according to figures made public here
last week. This unit had o per-
centage of 1856 for the month.
The other division units and their
standings for the month follow: Head
quarters Detachment, Special Troops,
Q3 IF. Medical nenQ rtmant Tetach-