Evening star., 1937-08-22
w YHEN the next contingent Of
M Naval Reservists OF the 1st
" " Battalion leaves on its

JJdllO1 SdVtS OH 1JS
annual training cruise
aboard two destroyers. there will be
number Of the enlisted personnel
besporting new crows" on their arms
The "croWs" are arm badges showing
the ratings Of the petty officers. Not
only will there be many new ones
worn by seamen who have gotten into
their first petty officer grade, but a
number OF the old petty officers will
have new ones showing promotion.
The Board OF Examination, COM
posed OF commissioned officers, is
especially busy, because of the task
OF getting these men advanced in
time for the annual cruise, when the
advanced ratings mean SO much to
them in the way of increased au-
thority, responsibility, pay and privi-
leges. Each man has to be examined
separately, because of the highly spe-
ciali7ed development in the naval
establishment
The battalion commander said il
is the policy to fill all vacancies as
rapidly as they occur, so that pro-
motions can be kept moving
Lieut.. j. B. Cleland. executive
officer, has been assigned the addi-
tlonai duty of communications officer
This is developing into one of the
most important posts, because of the
necessity Of maintaining a highly
trained signal force in each division
1t will be his duty to perfect the de-
tails for training this important force,
and organize the instruction classes
Because OF the Importance of this
task, and the constant necessity of
keeping up with the changes, it has
been found necessary for the men
IN the quartermaster and signal
groups to attend drills in addition
to the regular battalion assembly
when they engage in sending and re-
ceiVlng messages with the blinker,
semaphore and flag hoists. Not only
Is 1t necessary to accurately send
and receive messages in these various
1orms, but there are specific forms
OF procedure laid down by the NAVY
Department for handling each class
OF messages, and these have to be
strictly followed, it was asserted.
The Naval Communication Reserve
Division is having its full time with
the motor training launch assigned
TO the local battalion. During the
period that the feet divisions are on
cruise or making preparations for
cruises as they all do not 90 at
the same time, the launch has been
turned over to this division so that
the men of this group can obtain some
practical information on ship opera
ton, which is not strictly in their
line. The men in this group have
TO do with maintaining and operating
the Nays lines of communication in
time OF war. consisting of both land
wires and radio.
One division returned to the navy
yard yesterday aboard the DESTROYER
Badger. completing IA days of cruis-
ing and target practice The other
two divisions will go on a different
destroyer, but the two will follow the
same course of training over the same
itinerary. The last two plan to cruise
in the Atlantic off the coast of New
England, and probably will make
Boston, Mass, the liberty port.
hn
States from st. Thomas the Badger
paused day for target practice. Re
suits OF the firing will not be made
public until after all of the divisions
throughout the country have COM
pleted their cruising. Then only the
relative standing will be made public.
as the direct results of firings is held
confidential by the Navy Department
Naval reservlsts were little envious
last week when they observed the
President had sent to Congress a spe-
cial estimate for the appropriation of
100000 for the acquisition of a site
here for an armory for the National
Guard. The local reservists have been
striving for a period of year, also to
have suitable structure erected here
for their use. They do not need money
for a site as that now is available at
the Washington Navy Yard, and it
would not take an appropriation much
larger than that requested for a Ma
tlonal Guard building site. to erect a
suitable structure for the training of
the reservists.
Furthermore, it was pointed out that
the building such as is sought by the
reserVlsts, was not intended to be
exclusively for them, but was to be
shared by the Marine Corps Reserves.
Officers who have developed tenta-
tive plans for the proposed building
assert that the Government would OBJ
tain material benefit from the eXpendi-