Evening star., 1938-02-20
Naval group Feels Confident
of Moving to Top of
List.

pleted a study of the proposed new
training program and schedule which
has been mapped out by the Navy De-
partment and sent to the units for
study and comment, as outlined in this
column last week. The syllabus speci-
fies the subjects on which the or
ganization is to be trained, the Sc
quence in which it is to be taken up
by the various organizations and the
proportionate amount of time which
is to be expended by each organization
on it,
The officers here said that after a
thorough study of the departments
program, it has been found that the
local outfit WI be confronted with no
difnculty in adapting the program
which has been in force there for
several years to the one proposed by
the Navy Department. The new one
Is held to be highly satisfactory to
the local officers who have studied it.
The consensus of opinion Is that the
syllabus represents an outstanding
contribution to the training of the
Naval Reserve, and doubtless will
produce considerable improvement
throughout the Naval Reserve or
ganization.
Pharmacists Mate First Glass;
Lloyd Ingraham has been recon-
mended by 1t. James E. Sullivan, bat
talon commander, to take the ex-
animation for promotion to chief
pharmacists mate, acting appoint
ment. A board of medical officers
has already been ordered convened
at the armory here for the purpose
Of conducting the tests
Mr.. Ingraham has been with the
battalion ever since his discharge
from the Regular establishment in
1888, and he recently enlisted in the
local battalion for another period of
four years. He Is considered one Of
the outstanding petty officers of the
battalion.
When the inspection officers start
putting the battalion through its tests
to ascertain how well the officers and
men know their stations for the emer-
II,
battle quarters and abandon ship, they
will find that the reservists have
adopted and installed an alarm sys-
TEN which is as near that on ship
board as could be possible.
Electric gongs have been installed
throughout the armory for the general
alarms, and siren has been erected
which will make the naval officers
feel that they are aboard ship instead
OF In an armory which is several
hundred yards even from the river.
Naval communication division re-
servists are being urged to do . little
recruiting II they expect the Or
ganization to maintain its usual high
standing among other units of the
country. The division commander an
nounced to them last week that the
latest report from the chief Of Naval
Operations Of the Navy shows the
District of Columbia unit in fifth
place. the lowest in two years. He
pointed out that every other training
factor is satisfactory, and the addi-
only thing which will bring it up.
Certificates bearing the seal Of the
Navy Department were presented last
week to members Of the local COM
munication reserve who have their
own stations which participate in the
regular Tuesday night communications
drills.
Local communications reservists
have sent a letter to It. Comdr.
Hughes congratulating him on coming
out with his life from the recent
Panay disaster in China. Comdr
Hughes formerly was on duty here as
the Atlantic Coast communications
oficer and made frequent inspections
Of the local division, it was pointed
out.
The Bureau of Navigation of the
Navy Department has just issued in
structions for the procurement, Or
ganization and training of 1893 sig
nalmen in Glass VS.. It was pointed
out that practically all Of this per-
sonnel would be utilized in case Of
mobilization in connection with serv-
ice on board merchant vessels.
While the bureau said that it Is cog
INFANT Of the fact that it has taken IL
years to develop the communication
reserve to its present state of Or
ganization and efficiency in radio COM
muntcation it is not expected that
the organization and training of va
signalmen can be accomplished all at
once but that 1t will necessarily have
to extend over period Of years.
It is believed, however, that the
present Communication Reserve Or
ganization has the necessary facilities
for recruiting and instruction of sig
nal men in connection with its COM
munications units, 80 that much of
the early difficulty of procuring ra-
dio men and organizing them does
not now exist in the case OF the signal
men,
The bureau has expressed the hope
that every district will make q sin
cere effort to procure this personnel
and support its training in commune
cation procedure, including general
instruction in the primary knowledge
necessary for becoming . successful
man-o'-warsman, communication in.
structions, blinker and identification
Of signal flags. Later on, 1t was ex-
planned, when . reasonable number
Of men have been enlisted and at
tached to communication units, q
more definite program Of instruction
will be issued At the present time
the bureau is particularly interested
In recruiting and Is hopeful that
many Navy men discharged In sig
nal men ratings can be located and
enlisted In this class Of the Reserve.
The Navy Department has made 1t
known that it wants all applications
for appointments In the Naval Re-
serve sent promptly there for action,
A