Evening star., 1938-07-24
One Board to Conduct
AU Officer Tests in Guard
Col. John ". Oehn,ann Heads Ne,U
Group to Examine Men for All
Branches of Seruice.

Reduction of the number Of ex-
amining boards for tests for enlisted
men seeking promotion by commission
and officers for promotion has been
effected in orders issued by the COM
manding general Of the Sd Army Corps
Area, under whose jurisdiction the
District of Columbia militia units
come. A single board has been ap-
pointed here, which will have juris-
diction over all of the tests except
those for the Medical Department.
The new board will consist Of Col
John w. Oehmann, commanding the
l21st Regiment of Engineers. as pres
ident; Maj. Joseph J. Greenlaw, Med
ical Department Detachment. 29th Di-
vision. and Capt. Edward H. Walter,
Corps Of Engineers, u. S. A., assigned
here as tnspector-instructor
Under the former practice 1t was
necessary to have 3 separate standing
board Of examination for each branch
OF the service which is represented
here. During the periods when tests
were being conducted for enlisted men
who were trying to make the commits
stoned grades it resulted in taking
the service Of q number of officers
from their commands at a time when
they were vitally needed to carry out
the armory training programs. During
expansion OF Guard units and changes
it was necessary for these ofIicers to
give much Of their time to the work
OF the boards, which have to 20 over
the long technical tests which are
set out by the Army for men to get
promotion In the National Guard.
Sometimes this covered q period Of
weeks, because Of the fact that the
tests could only be held on drill
nights, and these are limited by the
National Guard Bureau.
First 1t. Edward A. Mcmahon has
been promoted to captain and re-
detailed to command the Headquarters
and Service Company Of the 121st
Regiment of Engineers In his previous
rank 1t. Mcmahon has been COM
manding the service unit for many
months, while his predecessor, Capt.
Walter 8. Welch has been serving with
the State staff detachment. Recently
Capt. Welsh has been detailed to
Judge advocate general of the Guard,
and this left the vacancy in the En-
gneer Corps captaincy which permit
ted the promotion OF 1t. Mcmahon.
who has been with the company under
Capt. Welsh for many years.
Four officers OF the 26Oth Coast
Artillery Regiment have been extended
Federal recognition by the War De-
partment. They are First Its Charles
P. Reichel and Park F. Anderson and
Second Its. Howell A. Nash and Paul
M. Meyer.
New clothing for the enlisted per-
sonnel of the District National Guard
to the maximum limit Of S8,S55 for
the current fiscal year has been
authorized by the War Department.
This is said to be q departure from
the usual method of making allowances
for clothing, but, it was added. all
acquisitions must be obligated prior
to May /. 1889, or any surplus will
be used for other purposes by the War
Department bureau.
Heretofore, before funds have been
allocated to the States and the Dis
trict Of Columbia for clothing, 1t haa
been usual to set aside large amounts
for special items OF clothing, such ~
funds for the purchase of new style
raincoats for all Of the Guard and
for the new cotton khaki, As we'll as
the roll collar overcoats when they
became the latest things that soldiers
were wearing.
With the units almost down to rock
bottom, it Is expected that the Dis
trict's allotment will be allocated by
the expiration of the time allowed.
The Educational Examining Board
OF the Guard, which conducts the pre-
liminary examinations to determine
the educational qualifications Of en-
listed men for promotion for commits
sion, has conduct tests. and has an
nounced that the following have pass
ed and are to be placed on the eligible
list to fill vacancies As they occur:
Stan Sergt. Richard D. Davis and
Pvt. First Glass; Henry G. Steele. Both
are members of the 260th Regiment
Of Coast Artillery, the former being
a member of the Headquarters De-
tachment and the latter . member
Of Battery C.
Capt. A. B. C. Graves has submit
ted to headquarters design for an In
door cracking" device to be used by
the aircraft gunners of the 260th
Coast Artillery for training during
the armory periods In perfecting Their
work of tracking airplanes in flight
50 that the gunners can get mark
on them. The proposed new system
will provide In miniature in the armory
duplicate Of the system actually
in use in the field when these units
have real planes to work with, a.
during their field training period
during the summer months.
Enlisted men OF the Guard hAvl
been warned that In the event any
Of them are called away from training
camps" prior to the regular pay roll
muster, which usually is held during
the middle Of the encampment. they
should seek q special muster. Other
wise, they will not be paid even for thu
short time they spent in the training
camp.
This was learned last week when
disallowances were made on claims
of certain enlisted men of the 12lst
Engineers for duty pay while attending
the camp Of the 12lst Regiment Of
Downs. The next meeting will be held