Evening star., 1939-09-17

With all units allocated to the
District National Guard under the
War Department tables now organ
lied here unit commanders have been
instructed to devote a greater effort
to the development of their present
organizations, and less time to the
procurement of personnel. During
the past year there has been consid-
cradle time devoted to recruiting of
men and assigning them to the mac
tive lists, pending the formation of
new units. Under the latest instruc-
tions, this is to cease, so that more
time can be devoted to perfecting
the military education of those al
ready in the units established.
However, organization command
ers have been directed by Brig. Gen.
Albert l.. Cox, commanding the local
militia, to take the necessary steps
to recruit their units to full author
lied strength with active personnel
in order to increase the regular drill
attendance. The desire Is to have
men in the Guard who will attend
drills regularly, to the end that a
complete plan of progressive mill
tary instruction can be provided to
bring the unit as whole up to a
high state of efficiency for field serv-
ice. Gen. Cox said that the full use
is to be made of the privilege of en-
listing and transferring enlisted men
to the inactive National Guard in
order that the latter branch may
form reservoir from which active
personnel for camp and armory
training may be drawn to maintain
high ratio of drill and camp attend
ance. The purpose of such reser-
voir is to have available men who
can be placed on the active lists of
the various units, as observation de-
termines that there are certain
members of the command who will
not, or cannot for various personal
reasons maintain regular drill at
tendance. But as the units are rated
In efficiency of personnel on the
numbers who attend drill regularly
and the numbers who attend the
annual encampments and maneu-
vers, this consideration is held to be
important. AS matter of fact, an
organiza ton has to have a certain
percentage of those on its rolls at
tend camp in order to participate in
the Federal payments.
The War Department has prohib-
tied the enlistment of new men,
within the period of 80 days, imme-
diately prior to the date set for the
beginning of field encampment.
This is done, 1t was explained, to
avoid the presence in camp of new
men, who not only would have to be
taken away from the main outfit
for preliminary training, but be-
cause their training in the field
would disrupt the organizatio they
are in to the extent of the number
OF non-commissioned officers who
would have to be away from the
regular field training for this pur-
pose. Because the two weeks of
training is but a brief time, this dis
organization is considered a serious
drawback to the more important
functions of the soldier training
the field. Of course, the prohibition
against enlistment during the 60-day
pre-camp period applies only to new
men, and does not affect veteran
members of the Guard whose enlist
ments expire during this period and
who desire to re-enlist.
Because the enlistments of many
men expire during this pre-camp
period, and many of them do not re-
enlist, the inactive list reserve, it was
pointed out, becomes important to
the company commanders. In the
event that their strength falls below
the field of efficiency mark, they
can, if they build up a large inactive
list, draw from this field to bring
their units up to the field strength
required before they go into the
field for training at Federal expense
This becomes important for the off,
GERS of the units. because If they do
not have the requisite number of
men in their units when they report