Evening star., 1939-01-22

AHeCk OF reTSOnneI maze
As Preliminary to
Annual Tests
After passing through a test In
spection by 1t. Comdr. Alfred T.
Clay, U. S. N, inspector instructor,
the lst Battalion, District Naval Re-
serve, was found to be we'll pre-
pared for the annual review and ex-
animation to be conducted February
7 by board of regular officers of the
Navy Department. Practically every
detail of the inspection formula was
gone over both by Comdr. Clay and
1t. James E. Sullivan, commander of
the battalion. the latter at this time
planning it as his last inspection,
as he has announced that he con-
templates relinquishing the COM
mand of the local unit, which has
gone to great heights under his
command
There are still two more drill
nights before the inspection. They
will be devoted to final checkup
on small details. While the inspect
ing officers do not have time to give
a complete test to each petty officer,
they do single out certain ones for
written examinations. On the re-
suits of these tests the battalion re-
ceives its marks for these men.
! With three large, regular divi-
sions and one provisional division
consisting of more than a hundred
candidates for appointment to the
United States Naval Academy from
the Reserve, 1t is probable that it
will not be possible to muster the
entire organization on the cramped
drill hall floor. In addition to the
members of the Reserve who will be
present, 1t is expected there will be
officers from the Navy Department
and the Navy Yard, and a number
Of friends and relatives of the per-
sonnel who are expected to witness
the formal ceremonies.
| Although written examinations
given petty officers of the battalion
staff were not counted in computing
the total results for the 1878 in
spections, it is probable that 1t will
be done this year, it has been indi-
Gated. Chief yeomen and yeomen
| first class are to be examined in
their ability to take shorthand.
1t has been decided that depen-
dents of Naval Reserve and Marine
Corps Reserve personnel on active
duty may be lawfully hospitalized
in certain designated naval hos
pitals under the same restrictions
and conditions in all respects as
now apply to the authorized hos
pitalization of dependents of nava.
personnel on active list.
Naval reservists already are be-
ginning to think about the annua
cruise which every member of the
organization units is required bI
law to take annually. While tbs
entire battalion last year went or
battleship cruise, it is the hope q
many of them that during the com
ing year the Navy Department vii
see fit to have them return to reg
ular destroyer cruises, as that !?
the service which they are expected
to get first should they be calle
to active duty. Both officers an
men point out that they receiv-
much training in steaming infor-
nation which is not possible wher
they go on a single ship. 1t is ex.
pected that the department, in !
short time, will make an announce.
ment of the plans for the summe,
cruises, as the officers and men have
to make plans early for leave fror
their civilian jobs.
There is probability that a
squadron of the Atlantic destroyer
training feet will be assigned tc
come to Washington to pick up tbs
local reservists. In preparation foI
this there is a possibility also that
one of the destroyers will be ordered
here in the spring to remain foI
several weeks, to be used by the
local reservists for drills. In the
past such ship has been assigned
here during the winter months
But, for two reasons the local re-
servists were not able to make the
best use of her. One was that the
weather was usually so bad that
it could not be used for night drills
another was that the organization
was so busily engaged in preparing
for the annual inspections. These
preparations had to be made in the
armory, for the reason that when
the board conducts tests 1t is with
the equipment in the armory, sc
that drilling aboard a destroyer
while fitting the men admirably for
their cruise training. it did not help
them to prepare in the best way for
the inspections.
There is also a hope that the
Navy Department will select a
foreign port for the mid-cruise
liberty period for the reservists,
Many of them would like to steam
for Bermuda. Usually from Friday
to Monday during the week end in
the middle of the cruise the reser-
visits are taken to some port where
all hands may have liberty for
sightseeing. Generally, the reser-
visits would rather pass up New
England trip as most of them have
been to ports there. Furthermore,
is was pointed out that it is better
to go south or to some other area
of the North Atlantic as the pre-
vailing fogs in the New England
area usually hold back the steaming
to some extent.
The Navy Department has pointef
out that the aviation cadet pro-
gram was initiated to fill a shortage
in naval aviator compliments and to
build up a Naval Reserve to meet
mobilization requirements for naval