Evening star., 1936-02-16
Guardsmen Await Action
On Trade Board Request
Business Body Urges That Commanding
General Vacancy Be Filled Here
Immediately.

Oficers and men Of the National
Guard of the District of Columbia
are watching closely for the reac-
ton Of the War Department to the
request of the Board of Directors OF
the Washington Board Of Trade Tor
the prompt appointment of a COM
manding general of the local militia.
The trade body took formal cog
nizance Of the fact that for nearly
two years the local militia has been
without a general officer to direct its
affairs, although the law directs the
President to make such an appoint
ment. No action has been taken on
the matter since the death of Maj.
Gen. Anton Stephan, on April 10,
1884.
1t is expected that veteran or
ganizationS and other trade bodies
will follow the lead of the Board
of Trade and make an appeal for the
appointment as a matter Of local
pride. 1t was made clear that the
trade body wants the position filled,
regardless of who gets the appoint
ment, as it did not make any par
ticular recommendation. 1t took the
position that the National Capital,
whosecitiZenry has responded in
large numbers in every national emer-
gency requiring the calling of man
hood to the colors, should have its
citizen soldiers directed by a briga-
dier general as the law requires.
Since the death of Gen. Stephan.
the affairs of the Guard have been
directed by the senior officer, Col.
John w. Oehmann, who is COM
manding officer of the 121st Regi-
ment of Engineers. the largest unit
in the local Guard. He also is the
division engineer of the 29th National
Guard Division. Because of all these
| assignments it has put heavy load
on this officer, and it was pointed
out that the duties of directing the
affairs of all the units are such as to
require the undivided attention of one
officer, with armory problems and ap-
preparations to be looked after, to
say nothing of planning for the in
opCSLlOlo dlAu VIC dliAAud1 ACi0 CI-
campment.
Gen. Stephan held the rank of
major general by virtue of the fact
that he was also the commanding
officer of the 29th National Guard
Division, which includes the citizen
soldiers of this city and of the States
of Maryland and Virginia and a
portion of Pennsylvania. The vacancy
was filled a few days after Gen.
Stephan's death by the appointment
of Maj. Gen. Milton A Reckord, COM
manding the National Guard of Mary
land. With the division command
shifted to Maryland, the new officer
here, if and when appointed, would
be brigadier general. as the law
provides for that rank for the COM
mander of the local troops.
In a communication to members
Of the command. Col. John W. Och
mann, after praising the personnel
| for their performance of duty during
the last year, has outlined oppor-
/ tunitieS for the current year.
Progress will be made in 1896,
he said. individuals and organiza
tions, officers and enlisted men will
carry forward the ideals on which
the National Guard is founded and
will improve their knowledge of the
| military. individuals are the basis
of any military organization. Re-
! sponsibility and laying down of poll
cies and preparation of programs are
a part of the responsibilities of in
( creased rank or grade. Every indi-
vidual. officer or enlisted man,
whether responsible for squad or a
division, must have plan which he
proposes to follow and must secure
adherence to that plan by those
subordinate to him. Training hours
! in the National Guard are limited
| 1t behooves all of us to be present
and energetically participate in all
training if our military knowledge
and the proficiency of our organiZa-
ton is to improve. Each individual
must accept the responsibility of his
Office and perfect his plans for the
l year LII Oil 4I4SlCdSlAIS dCS1CCs OA
ganization and the placing of duties
and responsibilities on subordinates
can be improved. All men respond
to intelligent leadership. This means
leadership in all matters. including
organization, training, attendance ano
property.
THE proposed field training camp
for 1886 will be a division camp, in
so far as it relates to District Of
Columbia units Of the goth Division
This will be an innovation for oul
troops and a departure from past
practice. Work as part of the di-
vision team will be new and in
teresting Basically. it will be identical
with work in which the organization
has been schooled during the past
years.
The problems to be met will be
real. They will be tests of the train
ing we have received previously. Proper
organization, combined with knowl-
edge of the subject and enthusiastic
and energetic action, will surmount
all obstacles and bring credit to our
organization. Success on our part
will indicate to division units from
other States that the District of Co.
lumbia units are prepared to function
and serve in their places in the
field.
IT bespeak a continuation of your
efforts toward improvement and per-
| fection and look for much progress
during the current year."
In reviewing the progress during
last year, Col. Oehmann said:
THE commanding officer is appre-
ciative of the efforts of all members
of the District of Columbia National
Guard to improve the proficiency oi
their organizations and themselve:
during the year 1885. Those efforts
have lead to improvement in training
attendance, maintenance of property
and all other subjects relating to oul