Evening star., 1937-03-14
MORE RIGID TESTS
URGED IN RESERVE
Examinations Comparable
to Regular Navy Recon-
mended for Officers.

Stifiening Of the examinations OF
Naval Reserve officers for promotion |
in the commissioned grades Is in |
dicated by the Navy Department as
result Of consultations between rep |
resentatives of the Examining Board |
and the Bureau Of Navigation OF the
Navy Department. 1t was indicated |
in the recommendations made as a
result OF the conference as adopted,
that the tests to be taken by the Re-
serve officers will be comparable to
those OF the regular establishment,
SO far as practicable.
AS the Reserve officers, in the event |
of call to active service in time OF
emergency, must perform their duties
with the same diligence Of regular
officers, it is believed it is the purpose
of the department to assure itself Re-
serve officers can be depended upon
to do this by making the same tests
as regular officers.
1t was recommended by the con-
ferees that questions for line candi-
dates for promotion to commander
and captain be confined to the SUBJ
jects of general instructions, training
and inspection, organization and ad-
ministration and recruiting and ad-
miniStration, or in the cases for engi-
neering duty only, tests on recruiting
and administration be omitted and
tests on marine engineering and elec-
tricity be substituted.
For grades below that of COM
mander, it was recommended the
scope of examinations for officers of
the regular establishment be followed.
They also recommended in the case
of engineering officers who are candi-
dates for promotion to commander
and captain they be asked essentially
the same type of questions in marine
engineering and electricity for both
grades. When the proposed changes
are approved they will be included in
the manual Of examinations.
Because of the addition to the Re
serve of large numbers of college grad
uates, it is not expected that the
changes, if made. will hamper the ef-
forts OF the Navy to keep its Reserve
personnel up to the full complement
now permitted by the appropriations.
AS matter of fact, there are now
in the Reserve many officers who were
trained at Annapolis and were gradu-
ated Some of them left the service
because Of more opportunities in civil
life, while some were forced out be-
cause of the reduction of the Navy
during the beginning Of the depression
period However. these officers, or at
least many of them. retained their
connection with the Navy by accept
ing commissions in the reserve estab-
lishment. and the Navy considers them
as valuable assets in the growth and
efficiency in this branch Of the service.
Because of this proposed stiffening
of the examinations reserve officers
will have to spend considerable private
time in keeping up with the progress
in the naval establishment in all its
branches, as the drill period requires
all of their time for the training of en-
listed personnel. There is little time
for them to study during this period.
Word was received at the local
armory last week the annual inspec-
ton will be held the night of April 26.
The Navy inspection board will be
headed by Capt. R w. Mathewson,
U. S. N. 1t was said this will be the
last inspection to be conducted by him,
as he is due for a transfer to other
duties.
The board will first make a close in
spection OF the personal appearance Of
the men, including their uniforms and
equipment. This will be followed by
drills given by the division officers at
the direction of members Of the board
This will include infantry drill and the
manual of arms, following which one
| division will be given battle problem
when all men must be at their battle
stations as they would be expected to
be in time of war. The commanding
officer will be furnished a problem and
he will be expected to issue the neces-
Sary instructions for maneuvering the
ship to prepare for the impending con-
| flict. Then there will be the various
emergency drills. including fire, COLI
sion and abandon ship
Then the board will get down to the
individual members Of the crew to
ascertain definitely just how each
| man understands his duties Petty
officers will be singled out for indi-
Vidual examinations in their various
duties. Other men, in the lower
grades, will be selected at random
( to show what they know, particularly
in engineering, marline spike and
deck seamanship and first aid.
/ Records Of the divisions will be
closely examined and information
| taken from them to form the basis
! for marks in attendance at drills and
| participation in the annual cruises
| each Summer
However, officers Of the local con-
tingent expect they will go higher
in the list among the units throughout
the country, because Of the intensive
training which has been provided dur
ing the year. Last year the battalion
went to seventeenth place, having
| jumped from twenty-sixth place for
the previous year. The officers con-
slider that this is a great stride, but
they have been working during the
year to better 1t.
Several weeks before the Inspec-
ton Board is scheduled to be here
/ special inspection will be conducted
Then, it is probable, the local in
spector- or-instructor, Regular officer,
will be asked to conduct an inspection
along regular naval lines, so that
he can point out any gaps which must
be closed.
Ensign F. w. Lemly has completed
his examinations for promotion to
lieutenant. Junior grade. He is at
tached to the 1st Fleet Division as
engineering officer. He is secretary
treasurer of the local chapter of the
United States Naval Reserve Officers
Association.
Lieut.. Comdr. Charles B. McVay, jr.,
u S. NJ instructor of the local bat.