Evening star., 1939-10-01
Naval Reserve Board
Named 10 Outline
Deck Force Training

II9Ht OIIiCeIS SeIeCteu
To Prepare Course
For Enlisted Men
Because there are so many differ
ent activities for the enlisted men Of
the deck forces of the Navy, a large
number Of officers have been named
to a board which Is to study and
make recommendations for a thor ,
ough course of study and training
for the members of the 1st Battalion,
District Naval Reserves. The board
which will have charge of the engi-
neering studies was named two weeks
ago, and 1t. w. Croft Jennings, COM
mander Of the battalion, named the
Deck Board last week.
The board will be composed of 1t.
F. S. Kirk, commanding the Sd Divi-
sion: 1t. Paul Kerst, commanding
the 1st Division; 1t. j. F. Carpenter,
executive officer of the Sd Division:
1t. q. g. w. S. Brown, commanding
the I'd Division; 1t. q. g. D. A.
McFarlane executive officer of the
I'd Division; 1t. g. g. r. D. White,
deck platoon officer of the Sd Divi-
sion; Ensign E. D. Reddington, deck
platoon officer of the I'd Division,
and Ensign I. Bunevhh, deck
platoon officer of the 1st Division.
The board set about its task Of
studying the methods which have
been in force for some time and
which 1t. Jennings decided needed
renovating, with view to provid-
ing better training system. 1t was
said that the action was deemed
necessary to attempt to correct some
faults in the training which came to
light as result of the study of the
report of the board of regular Off
GERS which conducted the annual
inspection Of the battalion early in
the day.
1t is hoped to provide a compre-
hensive and intensive method Of
training for all branches of the
deck force, which will carry the men
progressively to more important du-
ties and greater responsibilities. The
system which it is hoped to devise
is expected to provide better oppor-
tunities for advancement for the
members of the command, and to
flt them for more efficient service
both with the battalion and with the
fleet, in the event that it ever be.
comes necessary to call them to ac-
tive duty.
One result of the proposed train
Ing plan may be a consolidation Of
the training of the deck force un-
der one particular officer. perhaps
the battalion executive officer. Ear
lier in the year the engineering
forces were consolidated under the
battalion chief engineer, 1t. ComdI.
w. c. Lockhart, and the results were
said to be very effective from a
training standpoint.
1t. Robert Rice. U. S. Navy, COM
manding officer of the naval yacht
Sequoia. assigned for the use of the
Secretary of the Navy. and who also
is instructor assigned to the local
battalion in addition to his ship
board duties, delivered lecture last
week to the special division of the
battalion which is composed of en-
listed men who are seeking appoint
ments to the United States Naval
Academy through the Naval Reserve.
He spoke on submarines. in which
duty he was assigned before he was
ordered here for duty.
In connection with the sudden
and large increase in the number
of applicants for enlistment in the
local Reserve, recruiting officers say
that it has been noticeable that the
age of men making applications have
shown an increase Whereas be-
fore the outbreak of the hostilities
in Europe the applicants for the
most part were under the age of 21
years, those who have applied since
the war started are all more than
81 years of age, indicating to the
Reserve officers that these are seek.
ing billets in the naval establish
ment. where they would have some
training.
Reserve headquarters are being
besieged by others seeking commits
sions in the Reserve. Most of these
are seeking commissions in the spe-
cialist branches of the Volunteer Re-
serve. But there is general tight
ening up in this branch, because it
is not desired to have the commits
stoned branch topheavy with men
without sea training and who could
not be used in any way except in
the shore establishment.
Most of the applicants are seek
ing appointment in the intelligence
branches. Some are seeking ap-
pointments in the legal branch, but
1t was said that this branch is prac-
tically closed at this time. The in
telligence branch takes men who
have newspaper and investigating
training who could be used here in
time of war. The law permits the
Navy to take into the volunteer
branch as officers any one whose
civilian work peculiarly fits him for
some service which the Navy could
make use OF in time of war. Many
former officers of the Reserve, it
was indicated, are seeking recon.
mlssloning, but it was said that
many Of these served during tho
World War and are above the age
at which officers are usually taken.
On the other hand, it was said,
many of these officers have had sea
training and have been thoroughly
indoctrinated with naval practices
and procedure, whereas those SEEK
ing original appointments have had
no training in the Navy and it would
take some time to train them. If it
should be necessary to call them
suddenly into service it would re-
quire some months to give them
training before they could be given
assignments. On the other hand, it
was said many of the former officers,
even If they could not be used at
sea, could be used at training sta
tions both to train enlisted men of