Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21

VSAIAA VAC 4lCAN Va dAAAkA6 Will Ava VAC
current season completed, members Of
the 12lst Regiment Of Engineers. Dis
trict National Guard, are engaged in
part of the first stage Of their armory
training schedule; that is, the cleaning
and stowage Of equipment used in the
camp. This Is one Of the biggest post
camp jobs for the units, as the equip
ment gets hard usage while in the
field and the program Of training Is 40
heavy that the men do not get much
opportunity to maintain it, so that 1t Is
left for some OF the drill periods sub
sequent to the return from the field.
The mission of the regiment this
year, as outlined In the training pro-
gram, Is to train 1t to take the field
on short notice at allotted strength, to
carry out their mission under the pro-
tective mobilization plan and to carry
out such other missions as are assigned
by the District of Columbia or Fed
eral authorities. With this end in view,
it was said, there is to be emphasized
thorough basic training Of the individ-
ual soldier, including his ability to
march, use his weapons and care for
himself in the field; training Of spe-
cialists and key men and development
OF initiative, self-confidence and lead
ership in junior officers and non-com-
missioned officers and the preparation
OF the regiment for neld service.
The armory training period will be
divided into four stages, the first ex-
tending from the end Of camp until
November 30, next, during which the
work includes the cleaning and storage
Of equipment; scheduled training and
recruit school.
The next period Is from December
! to April 80, 1899, when there will be
training in conformity with schedules
prepared by the unit commanders, re-
cruit school. specialist schools, rifle
craftsmanship; .22-caliber target prac-
tice on the indoor range.
The third stage Is from May / to
June IS, during which the principal
work will be .30-caliber Workmanship
on the Camp Simms range at Congress
Heights. D. c.
The fourth stage is from June 16 to
August 8, 1899, when there will be rifle
craftsmanship. combat training and
preparations for camp.
The regimental objectives were laid
down as follows: To adequately care
for, store and protect Government
property; to give the regiment thor
ough and well-balanced disciplinary,
combat, technical and command train
ing; to place special emphasis upon
command and stan training; to in
crease the proficiency Of the regiment
in the use of weapons, stressing
particularly the preparatory exercises
in craftsmanship: to successfully COM
plete the prescribed courses in target
practice, together with adequate train
ing in combat firing; to conduct all
instruction in such q manner as to
insure smooth transition from armory
to field training and to maintain q
high attendance at all assemblies
throughout the regiment.
Establishment of q series Of spe-
cialists training schools has been
directed for the period from December
to April 80. The schools are as
follows: Mapping and sketching; ex-
plosives and demoltions; chemical
warfare; camanauge. carpentry, black
smithing. buglers and automatic rife.
In addition to these regimental
schools. each company commander has
been instructed to establish within
his command, schools on map re-
production in the field and TYPOGRAPHY,
drafting and sign painting.
On each drill night the members Of
each command will be divided into
four classes for instruction. First,
there will be the recruit group, which
will 60 to special school for pre-
lminary training in the work of the
soldier; another group will be COM
posed of f1rst-year men. This class
will be in line for the preliminaries of
rifle craftsmanship and basic train
ing. The third class will be COM
posed Of graduates Of class 2, in line
for intensive technical training as
described above, and class 4, those
men, principally selected non-com-
missioned officers, on whom the actual
work In technical training in great
part will fall.
In order to get the most Of the in
door range, ALLEGATIONS to the varioN
units have been made as follows:
First BattAlion-December 6, jan