Evening star., 1939-10-10
War Footing Basis
Plans Pushed by
Guard, Reserves
Drill Nights Moy Be
Increased Is Pet, but
Details Are Undecided

Plans for putting the United
States Army on q war footing by
modernization Of equipment and
expansion of training are to be fol-
lowed by expanded training pro-
grams without peacetime precedent
for the National Guard and Organ
lied Reserve, according to plans now
being formulated by the War De-
partment.,
Plans call for an increase in Ma
tional Guard training from 48 to 60
drill nights q year, an increase of Is
per cent. Whether the increased
drill periods will be used as at pres
ent for armory training or whether
1t will be used for week end field ex-
ercises has not yet been determined.
War Department officials are in
clined to favor the plan for week
end field training at least once
month during the summer for all
Guard units, but 1t is probable that
actual use Of the increased training
time will be left largely to the dis
cretion Of Guard commanders in
the various States.
The increased drill periods are
intended to permit the National
Guard to assimilate and train more
rapidly new recruits to be enlisted
under a plan to expand the Ma
tional Guard by approximately
IS 900 men during the coming year.
Need for Training Evident.
Large-scale National Guard Regu-
lar Army maneuvers, held during
the past summer at Manassas. Va,
and Plattsburg. N. Y. showed clearly
the need for increased training for
the National Guard If it is to fulfill
its intended mission as a part of
the "M-Day" force under the initial
protective plan which now is the
keystone Of American national de-
fense. This plan calls for the Regu-
lar Army and National Guard to be
equipped and trained to take the
field st once In case of emergency
to form the initial defense force
while mobilization is undertaken.
The Manassas-Plattsburg maneu-
vers indicated that the National
Guard not only lacks the training to
f1t 1t for such role, but that Guard
ofncers and men. because of insufi-
cient training, also lack the physical
fitness for arduous field service on
short notice
The increased training through
out the year and especially the pro-
posed week end exercises. which
would keep troops in the field. over
night, should overcome to q laree
extent the worst deficiencies in
present training, it is belieevd.
Reserve Time UNCHANGED.
No increase in the amount of
training given oficers of the Or
ganized Reserve is planned for the
present. but consideration Is being
given to changes in training meth
ods which would give Reserve OIL
GERS greatly increased training in
the actual handling Of troops in the
field.
Reserve officers are called to ac-
tive duty for IA days at a time. the
number of officers receiving such
duty annually depending on funds
appropriated by Congress. Onicers
also can receive inactive duty train
ing without pay if they so desire.
Under proposals now pending In
the War Department, National
Guard and Reserve officers above
the rank of captain would be given
an opportunity to command Regu-
lar Army troops during the increas-
ingly frequent field training exer-
cises which are a part of the pro-
gram OF putting the Regular Army
on sound defense basis. Such duty
would be given as a part of the
regular training program, with little
additional expense to the Govern
ment other than transportation Of
officers to and from the maneuver
areas.
II authorization for the increased
National Guard training program
can be obtained, additional armory
drils may be started during No
vember or December. Weekend
field exercises probably will depend
on the appropriation by Congress of
necessary additional funds, since the
Government would be put to the ex-
pense of transporting and feeding
the Guard troops. in addition to in
creasing the total annual training
pay by Is per cent. Congress prob
ably will be asked to make the nee
essary additional appropriations
during the next regular session, be-
ginning in January.
May Increase Drills.
The present law restricts the Ma
tional Guard to not more than 60
drill periods during the year. Funds
for the current year, however, have
restricted the number of drill pc
riods to 48. Congress can increase
drills to 60 year merely by appro-
priating the necessary funds. To
increase the total to more than 60
drills year, however, would require
a change in substantive law as well
as further increases in appropria-
tons. Such changes also will be
considered, according to present
plans.
To attain their maximum value
for officers as well as men. the week.
end field exercises for the Guard
would be held in as large concen-
trations as possible. The summers
maneuvers showed particularly the
need for increased training of the
higher command units, which can
be obtained only through the actual
handling Of large commands in the
field.
To achieve such concentrations,
Guard units from one or more States
probably would be concentrated at
the most convenient military reser-
vations in units as large as brigades
or divisions wherever possible.
Three Held for Jury
"