Evening star., 1939-10-15
Local Militia Officers
To Attend Guard Convention
Brig. Gen. Cox Heods Group
To Go to Baltimore This Month

portunity given the young men to
become acquainted with what an en-
listment in the Guard means that
the quota will be obtained within
the limitation date fixed. However,
1t is believed that if the necessary
number are not obtained during the
period fixed, that the campaign will
be continued until every man au-
thorized In the recent increase is OBJ
tanned.
1t is interesting to note the allo-
cation Of the men to the various
units, as they indicate that the
War Department is placing consid-
cradle stress on building up the
anti-aircraft units. OF the $50 en-
listed men authorized in the new
increase, 465 Of them are to go to
the anti-aircraft unit, the 260th
Regiment of Coast Artillery, COM
manded by Col. Walter w. Burns,
and this increase will make it the
largest in the guard, although it is
one of the newer units, not having
been organized until some time after
the World War, long after other
units had been formed.
The Engineer Regiment will get
10 men per company, and the as
signments to the Coast Artillery
units have been announced as fol-
lows: Headquarters Detachment,
First Battalion, eight men; Battery
A, searchlight battery, 107 men;
Batteries B, c and D, three-inch
gun batteries, SO men each; Head
quarters Battery, Second Battalion,
II men; Battery E, machine gun
unit, As men; Batteries F, G and H,
also machine gun batteries, 54 men
each; Medical Department Detach-
ment, II men.
In connection with the local cam
paign, local brigade headquarters
has received letter from Brig.
Gen. Charles H. Grahl, adjutant
general of Iowa, president Of the
Adjutants General Association of
the United States, calling attention
to the fact that this increase of A.
600 enlisted men for the National
Guard of the country, and which
includes the fourth increment of
5000 men which had already been
planned, would bring the total
strength of the militia of the coun-
try to 235 900 men.
He told the local guard officials
that this would be a real test of
what the National Guard can ac-
complish in an emergency, and
would give an opportunity to the
militia to demonstrate to the Presi-
dent of the United States what can
be done. He said that the assign
ment could be carried out if each
organization would push a recruit
ing campaign with full vigor, and
he urged the heads of the units to
do everything possible to get the
necessary young men in the ranks
in as short a time as possible.
Unless the War Department has
other plans for the use of the
militia next summer, it appears now
that all of the local units, with
the exception of the 260th Regiment
Of Coast Artillery. will attend fixed
camp at Camp Albert C. Ritchie at
Cascade, Md.
Gen. Cox last week received a
letter from Maj. Gen. Milton A
Reckord, commanding the National
Guard Of Maryland and the 29th
National Guard Division, of which
the local troops are a part, to have
the local troops take their field
training at the Maryland camp. II
is understood that the local ofiicials
are favorable to accepting the in
vitation, but. of course, it was ex-
planned, it will have to be approved
by the headquarters of the Sd Army
Corps at Baltimore. Md No dates
for the encampment have been yet
selected and, of course, there is the
possibility that with the world situ-
alton as it is, the Army may decide
that it would be better to give the
troops some more maneuver training
on large scale. such as they had in
Northern Virginia last summer.
Assuming that they will be left
to their own plans and will 60 to a
fixed camp at Ritchie, this leaves
the 260th Coast Artillery to be
planned for. For the first time in
number of years the artillery last
summer had to forego its usual camp
at Fort Story, Va, in order to par
ticipate in the war games in North
ern Virginia, but it is probable that
they will be sent there next summer
so that they can carry on their
training with the modern anti-air-
craft equipment which is available
there.
The following have been ordered
to appear before an examining
board, of which Capt. Edward II.
Walters, Corps of Engineers, U. S.
Army, is president. to take tests to
determine their qualifications for
promotion to the rank of captains
in the Coast Artillery: First 1t.
Charles r. Haig, Battery H, and
First 1t. Wilmer G. Kemper, Head
quarters.
Corpl. Donald l.. Stetsch, 29th
Division Military Police Company,
has been ordered to report to an
examining board, of which Mai.
Fletcher F. Bernsdorff, Quartermas-
ter Corps, is president, to take a test
to determine his qualification for
promotion to the rank OF second
lieutenant of infantry.