Evening star., 1939-02-19
Naval Reserve
Officers Must
|Cruise 10 Advance
Promotions Go to
Those Who Perform
Active Duty

Officers of the United States
Naval Reserve who fail to take ad-
vantage of opportunities for active
or training duty are to find in the
future that it will prevent them
from receiving promotions when
they become due, according to reg
ulations promulgated by the Navy
Department. The new rule will
apply to officers Of the volunteers as
we'll as those of the organized or
active drilling branch of the organi-
zation.
1t has been found that some on
GERS of the volunteer classes receive
their commissions and do not there
after take sufficient interest in the
organization to participate in any
of its activities such as attending
lectures or taking opportunities for
service to learn the naval procedure
Although the department does not
have sufficient funds with which to
provide the volunteer officers with a
regular tour of sea duty annual
as in the case of the organized
branch, nevertheless it provides op-
portunities during the year for
these officers to take cruises aboard
vessels and to serve at various
shore stations. Many of them dc
take advantage Of these oppor-
tunities At the same time these
officers in many cases seek promo
ton when 1t becomes due, but the
department has decided to make
these promotions something tc
work for.
Generally. officers of the Organ
lzed Reserve and the Volunteer Re-
serve for general service must per-
form minimum of Sc days active
or training duty in their respective
ranks as a prerequisite to eligibility
for promotion to the next higher
grade. However, at the discretion
OF the Naval Bureau of Navigation
lesser amount of active duty OF
training duty may be required OF
officers OF the line of the Volunteer
Reserve for general service, and
staff officers, but in no case, it was
explained, shall line officer be pro.
NOTED who has performed less than
70 days of active duty or training
duty IN grade, nor a staff officer
with less than IA DAYS. It was EN-
phaslzed that the Bureau of Navi.
CATION will require the % days
active or training duty in the cases
OF line officers and IA days such duty
ior star officers to be duty with q
naval activity. Credits for duty
with the Civilian Conservation
corps and for satisfactory comple-
tlon OF correspondence courses will,
only be allowed provided at leas,
Zo Gays training in the cases of line
oHlcers and IA days training in the
cases OF staff officers have beer
performed with a naval activity
IN many cases. it was pointed out
officers of the Organized Reserve
part OF whose service in grade was
With the Volunteer Reserve, and of.
hcers Of the Volunteer Reserve, gen.
eral service, apply for promotion anc
upon examination of their record,
there appears to be no information
as to whether or not such officer,
while IN volunteer status applied
Tor and were refused training duty
The bureau has said that in orde,
that 1t may exercise its discretion
lntellgently in the consideration
OF cases where the full amount Of
required active or training duty
has not been performed, it is neces.
sary that full information as to in.
terest as well as duty performed be
available. Commandants of some
of the naval districts have con.
slstently forwarded copies of letter.
written such Reserve officers wher
their requests for training duty were
denied due to lack of funds or train.
ing facilities. On the other hand
certain districts have not furnished
this information and the officers
records in the Navy Department are
incomplete
The bureau has informed com.
mandants that in order that it may
have the necessary information te
act on applications for promotion
it is desired that they, in forward
ing fitness reports, state whether
or not the officers concerned have
applied while in volunteer status fol
training duty during the perioc
since their last appointment or pro.
motion, and, if refused, the reasons
for such refusal. Commandants also
have been requested to include 8
summary of the information ir
their Endorsements on applications
for promotion.
1t. John Fewell, who has beer
given instruction in navigation tc
the members of the Naval Conmun-
ications Reserve Division, has found
it impossible to continue the course
because Of the pressure of other
duties. The communications per-
sonnel have been much interested In
the course and have expressed re-
gret that it is impossible for the
lieutenant to continue it at this
time.
The communications group is in.
Stalling a new transmitter in the
local armory which will considera.
bly, improve their ability to con.
tact naval stations and Naval Re-
serve stations throughout the coun.
try in their training and drill work
In this connection, it was announced
that a new antenna will be con-
structed between the local Reserve
armory and the optical shop at the
Washington Navy Yard.
Arrival of the new training ship
which is to be assigned here by the
Navy Department will be delayed g
little because of the decision to place
heating plant aboard. The vesse
now is at the Charleston, S. c., Navy
Yard, where for several months she
has been undergoing a thorough
overhauling, preparatory to being
sent here for the local Reservists tt
be used as training ship on week
ends.
The vessel is much larger thar