Evening star., 1939-07-16

l6hIlllB lIlC paper WUIA al pkc-
pairing for big campaign of troops
in time Of peace is becoming as much
a problem as actually getting into
the conflict, National Guard officers
are almost ready to concede. From
the high command comes orders for
the field duty, with detailed ex-
plantations of how this and that must
be done in the big war game, but
most of the instructions deal with
the problems of the field dealing
largely with how the funds spent are
to be charged. Every new order con-
nected with the plans for the big
war game which is sent out to the
militia units which are scheduled to
participate usually is the signal for
a storm of inquiries back to the
headquarters, asking for interpreta-
ton of particular sentences and
paragraphs. But, instead Of answer
ing the individual inquiries, they
are usually answered with another
series Of orders, which has served
to pipe up the general instruction
to about 3-inch-thick file, and
the war" still three weeks of. The
file has been expanding at about
one-half an inch a week. All of
this has to be digested by the Off
GERS and a large part of the non-
commissioned officer personnel which
will handle the battle problems once
they are in the field, so that they
will know just when to shoot at the
enemy" if and when he is discov-
cred. either running from the attack
OF his opponents or from the ava
lanche of paper work.
In the case of the 29th National
Guard Division, which comprises the
militia units of this city, MARYLAND
and Virginia, it required seven pages
OF orders to provide for the estab-
lishment of postal service to in
sure prompt and accurate delivery
of the mail to citizen soldiers while
they are in the field and moving
from place to place as the war"
advances. There will be 10000 men
in this area alone and whose only
contact with the outside world from
the wilderness of the area in which
they are operating will be through
the postal service. The main dis
tribution point for the 29th Division
mail will be Manassas, Va. regard
less of what area the troops will be
in at any time during the ma
neuvers. To properly address any
member of the local units the COM
munications should be marked with
the letter of the company or battery
to which the individual is attached.
the number of the regiment and
branch of the service. such as "26Oth
Coast Artillery" and then Army
Post Office No 90, Manassas, Va.
With this detail all mail commune
cations. 1t was said. will be delivered
promptly 1t also will materially
simplify the task of the Army postal
officers.
The rifle team which will repre-
sent the local Guard at the ap-
preaching matches at Camp Perry,
Ohio. is practicing on it's own and
other nearby ranges at every op-
portunity. Last Sunday it went to
the Marine Corps base range at
Quantico to practice on the 1000
yard range. It will ge in much
shooting practice during the next
three weeks, as the members of the
team will participate in the ma
neuvers in Virginia. Almost on
completion of the field training duty
they will have to proceed to Camp
Perry.
In addition to preparing the team
for the national match competition
Maj. Jensen also has supervision of
the target practice of the local
Guardsmen and is in charge of the
range at Congress Heights. D. c.,
which is used by groups other than
the militiamen.
When the 26Oth Regiment of
Coast Artillery. commanded by Col
Walter w. Burns. goes into the ma
neuvers in Virginia it will have two
OF the latest model searchlights to
be used in its training in locating