Evening star., 1938-05-22
NAVAL RESERVE
MEDAL DELAYED
Good Conduct Award Must
Await Funds in 1910
LEGISLATION.

Legislation.
While the design for a medal for is-
suance to personnel Of the United
States Naval Reserve for good conduct.
drill attendance and general eff
cheney has been approved by the chief
OF the Bureau of Navigation OF the
Navy Department and the Fine Arts
Commission, they cannot be issued un-
less the Budget Bureau and Congress
give their approval in the estimates for
1910, it was disclosed in q report re-
ceived at the local Reserve headquar-
tiers. At the same time, it was dis
closed that owing to different legal
situation governing the matter. the
medal intended for members OF the
Marine Corps Reserve for the same
purpose Is already being manufactured
and will be issued soon.
While the detailed eligibility re-
quirements for awards have not been
prepared by the department the Naval
Reserve Policy Board recommended
the following standards for considera-
ton: Long, continuous service. high
percentage of drill attendance, or
equivalent periods Of instruction.;
high mark in conduct: high mark in
proficiency in rating; attendance of q
high percentage of training cruises or
annual field training periods; a high
attendance at annual inspections:
completion Of training courses avail
able for their ratings in the case OF
officers, no unsatisfactory fitness re-
ports. 1t also included a recommend
alton that the requirements should be
retroactive, which would permit a
number of veteran officers and men to
apply for the medals
The board also recommended that
q suitable insignia be awarded every
four years after the issuance OF the
medal to be worn on the ribbon, pro-
viding the basic requirements are full
filled.
In view of the fact that many YES
sells, such as eagle boats and gun
boats, assigned to the Naval Reserve
for training purposes, are rapidly be-
coming obsolete and may soon face
condemnation as unseaworthy. the
Navy Department is faced with a
problem Of providing surface vessels
for the Reserve for its training work
in between the annual cruise periods.
Because of this lack OF vessels. for
permanent assignment to the Naval
Reserve units for weekend cruises
and drills and in view of the age of
some of these vessels now assigned.
the bureau has recommended that
money could be saved by withdrawing
these vessels and the assignment of
training destroyers to make periodical
visits to the various units. However.
it is not unmindful of the value OF
having ship assigned to each Naval
Reserve unit. and to that end has
recommended that serious consider
alton be given to the development Of
a suitable type Of patrol vessel for
wartime use in the naval districts.
The design of such vessel, it was
pointed out, should lend itself to
rapid production in large quantities.
It was added that only limited num-
Der need be constructed in peace
times as required to develop the type
and to provide district training YES
sells for the Naval Reserve. Since
District defense craft, it was asserted.
will be manned in wartime by the
Naval Reserve. a sufficient number
should be built during peacetime to
meet the local training requirements
of the Reserve.
Not much encourage cement was re-
ceived from the department in the
matter of providing adequate armcries,
Many of the units, including the local
battalion. is getting its training under
the most unsatisfactory conditions
possible. The quarters here are old
and unsatisfactory. and under the
present conditions are so crowded that
it is difficult to carry out the broad
drill plan in q satisfactory manner.
In providing new armorieS. it
strongly recommended that the policy
Of the department be one of owner
ship by the Federal Government, to
be maintained and controlled by the
Navy Department. 1t said that the
armories should be OF a simple ap-
proved design. suitable for use also
as mobilization centers. The space
and equipment should be adequate
with . view to the training of all
classes of naval and Marine Corps
reserves for their mobilization mission.
The Bureau of Navigation COM
mented on the recommendation that
the effectiveness of certain fleet divi-
sions is unquestionably materially re-
duced because of lack Of proper arm
ory training facilities. The provision
Of suitable armories for divisions now
inadequately provided for is considered
to be q matter of first importance in
the training program Of the fleet Naval
Reserve as whole.
However, the chief Of naval opera
tions and the Secretary of the Navy
disapproved of this recommendation,
without any comment.
The bureau also approved the recon-
mendation of the conference that the
McAdoo bill providing for the provi-
sion Of armories be approved, but this
too was approved by the operations
chief and the naval secretary. How
ever, it is believed that the two higher
officials rejected this plan of govern
mental ownership because of the prob
able very high maintenance cost which
30 many armories throughout the
country would involve. They gener-
ally look to the States through the
naval militia units to provide the
space, and to maintain it. This is given
support in another recommendation OF
the board which was approved, and
this was to the effect that every effort
be made to obtain and retain space in
post Offices and other Federal build
ings for the communications units.
Commandants of navy yards and
districts having Reserve units under
their Jurisdiction have been requested
to provide opportunities for Reserv-