Evening star., 1937-09-26
RESERVE TO TAKE
TESTS ON MARCH |.
Annual Inspection to Be
Held This Year Earlier
Than Usual.


Navy Department would be conducted
for the current season on March !,
next With this information at hand,
the Reserve officers will plunge i'm
mediately into an intensive program
OF armory training, which, they hope,
will bring the battalion and at least
one of the divisions TO the top Of
the two groups when the final marks
for all organizations are recapitulated
for the entire inspection year.
While this is five months, accord
ing TO the calendar, before the in
spection date rolls around, as matter
Of fact, it is only few hours as
Reservists take their training Every
officer and man is being called upon
to attend drills regularly and to pay
strict attention TO each feature Of
the drill and class room work, so
that they will know every detail
when the inspectors make their ap-
pearance at the armory in the Wash
ington Navy Yard.
Local Reservists believe that they
have a good start on getting higher
marks this year by the fact that
each Of the divisions cruised approxi-
mately 100 per cent Of its personnel.
This fact, together with the arnory
attendance. gets a good rating from
the inspection officers. With this
mark aiding them, the Reserve Of
ficers, it was said, in addition TO
stressing the Importance of regular
toya do - I,;IIr
feet every detail of their training,
so that the inspectors will be able
to find little if any faults this year.
Every bit Of the time between now
and inspection will be required for
the armory training, it was said.
Information has been received that
it is probable that destroyer will
be assigned here for =. number Of
weeks, aboard which the local Re-
servists can take their regular drills.
However, officers expressed the hope
that the vessels visit would be de-
ferred until after the annual inspec-
ton, as, it was pointed out, they
could make very little, if any, use
of it, prior to that date.
1t was asserted that as all of the
inspection details are carried out in
the armory and not aboard ship, it
is necessary to use the armory facil-
tiles in making preparations for the
tests. Any time spent on the de-
stroyer on drill nights, in the opinion
of officers, would be so much lost
time.
Officers expressed the hope that it
will be possible to have one of the
training ships of the Atlantic Squad
ron assigned here in the Spring. They
point out that they would get much
more out of it than if the ship were
sent here during the Winter months.
During the Spring, it was pointed
out, in addition to using the vessel
on the regular drill nights, it could
be used on week ends for taking out
large number of men for training.
| This is important to them at that
time of the year, say the officers, be-
| cause it is only short time before
| the annual cruises. While aboard
the ship the gun crews could make
| good use of the guns and fire control
equipment in preparing themselves
for the annual sea cruises and for
the annual target tests.
officials of the local battalion for
many months have been trying to
| get a larger ship assigned here for
training purposes, pointing out that
| the launch now here is inadequate
for the purpose as it does not accom-
modate large enough number of
men each week end and the facili-
ties aboard for general all around
training is very limited.
| Addressing one of the largest re-
cruit classes ever assembled in the
history of the local battalion, Lieut..
James E. Sullivan, battalion COM
mander, told the new men of some
Of the aims and purposes of the
Naval Reserve. and sought to impress
upon them the necessity of entering
whole heartedly in the work of the
battalion to prepare them for prompt
service at sea in time of a national
emergency.
1t was pointed out that the cur
rent recruit class contains approx
mately fifty-five young men who have
announced their intention of taking
the examinations next Spring for ap-
pointment to the United States Naval
Academy from the Naval Reserve.
The law provides only for appoint
ment of 25 from the enlisted groups
Of the Reserve each year to the Acade-
my, but efforts we're made last year to
have the number increased to so. The
fact that such a large number ep-
piled this year may spur the efforts to
have the number Of appointments In
creased, especially in view OF the fact
that with the increase in the NAVY
there will be shortage of officers. and
further, that If an increase is allowed
1t will be four years before 1t will be
felt in the service.
Lieut.. Sullivan pointed out to the
recruits in the course of his talk that
when the young men enlisted in the
Reserve they took the same oath that
they would have taken if they had en-
listed in the Regular Establishment.
because the Naval Reserve is a COM
ponent part of the Navy. He sought
to impress them with the fact that they
are just as much a part of the naval
establishment while performing their
regular drills at the armory as they
would be if serving aboard a ship.
Plans already are being formulated
for the celebration of Navy day by the
officers and men of the local Reserve
battalion. While the full program has
not been completed it was indicated
that on the evening of Navy day the
Reservists will keep open house, when
special ceremonies and drills will be
conducted.
Proposals of the United States Naval
Reserve officers Association that they
be permitted to adopt the insignia OF
the cap devices of commissioned off,
GERS of the Regular Navy and the Ma
rine Corps as emblems of the associ-
alton have met barrier in the office
of tho ilIdpp qdyocatp oenerol of ths