Evening star., 1939-09-17
All Units AIIocuted
To Local Guard Completed
Officers Ordered to Stress
Training Above Recruiting

in the field, they cannot be paid for
their service, 1t was asserted.
With the increased mechanization
of the units of the local Guard,
the matter of storage of this valu-
able equipment has become a serious
problem, according to officials at
brigade headquarters, and efforts
will be made to obtain funds with
which to construct another garage
on the rifle range reservation at
Camp Simms. Congress Heights,
D. C. Already local officials have
asked the District Commissioners to
include in the estimates for 194l,
which becomes available on July
next, a fund of $4,000 for the
construction of new garages.
So much motor equipment has
been assigned to the local militia
units now, it was said, that it is
packed in the present garage at
Congress Heights and in the make
shift sheet-metal buildings used by
the 260th Coast Artillery on the
Washington Channel water front.
The trucks and other motor equip
ment are jammed in the Congress
Heights building, so that if one unit
desires to use several of it's cars
and trucks for training, it becomes
necessary to move much of the
other equipment. There is not even
room for aisles so that the equip
ment can be moved without dis
turbing other vehicles housed there.
The vehicles are so packed, it was
said, that they have become a seri-
GUS fire hazard.
While it only has 10 vehicles now,
it was said that eventually the War
Department plans to allocate 200
vehicles to the local militia.
Because of the heavy burden
placed on the civilian employees of
the Guard by the great expansion
in the number of units which have
been formed here, the local militia
officials have decided to ask for
funds for 20 additional employees.
The staff at brigade headquarters
is about what 1t was just after the
Guard was formed subsequent to
the World War. During the period
of governmental economy it re-
ceived practically no increase in
personnel funds, and all of the work
incident to the organization and
establishment of the new units was
carried on by the small and made
quate force.
AS the war games developed re-
Gently in the field, the men became
considerably impressed first-hand
with the importance of communica-
tions, particularly under the condi-
tions of present-day warfare, when
things happen rapidly and success
or defeat depends upon receiving
promptly and accurately the latest
information available.
Profiting by this, the local coast
artillery officials, headed by Col
Walter w. Burns, the regimental
commander, have decided to form
special school for such instruc-
ton. Col. Burns has issued instruc-
tions that all officers and non-com-
missioned officers who were con-
nected with communications during
the maneuvers attend this school
which will be regular feature of
the weekly coast artillery training.
PvtS. (First Class Richard P
Kind and Charles L. Payne of the
Headquarters Company, 104th Quar-
termaster Regiment. and Sergt
Joseph L. Myers, Headquarters Com
pany, 29th Division. have been
placed on the inactive list of their
respective units because of business
| interference with the performance
of military duty.
The Drum and Bugle Corps OF
the 260th Coast Artillery Regiment
has been ordered to hold its regu-
lar drill on Friday nights, instead
OF with the regular units on Thurs
day nights, it was announced.
Pvts. Hazel v. Swink and John
E. Boyd have been promoted tc
sergeants in Battery c, 260th Coast
Artillery.