Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-13
All Naval Reservists
Are Not Affected by
Mobilization Order
Those in Volunteer
Group to Remain
In Inactive Stutus

In Inactive Status
When the LIST Battalion, District
Naval Reserve, is called into the
service for duty with the feet. 1t
will still leave q larger force here
than the battalion and which may
be called upon for some kind OF
armory training, preparatory to
taking them in. This includes 400
officers and 400 men in thu various
classes and divisions Of, the Volun-
teer Reserve. While this may APP
pear as one officer for each man,
it simply represents men in various
classes whose services would be
valuable to the Navy, and they are
not on an organized basis.
Many of the individuals, both in
the commissioned and enlisted
branch of this volunteer group. per-
haps have never worn the naval
uniform, but were taken into the
class because the Navy had decided
that there would be places for them
in the event of an emergency in
volying a general mobilization. For
these groups, the Navy for the past
several years has been conducting
classes of instruction in an effort
to indoctrinate the members into
naval procedure and customs. which
is the basis for their work for the
Navy if called upon. While many
of those in the various groups took
an active part in these classes.
nevertheless there were a number
who did not find opportunity to
do so.
Because of this disinclination on
the part of some of the members.
particularly those who had been
granted commissions, the Navy
started cleaning out about year
ago, pointing out that those elm
mated had not shown sufficient
interest in their Naval Reserve COM
missions to give a little time to
prepare themselves. OF course,
under the law they would not be
required to perform this duty. or
even to take the annual cruises,
which the members of the Organized
Reserve are required to take each
year.
For this reason. the Navy may
find it advantageous to provide
weekly training Of these forces
pending the time they may be called
into the service to back up the
organized reservists, who now are
standing by for the mobilization
order.
While waiting for the actual mob
ilization order, the officers will at
tempt to fill the divisions to the
new authorized strength. Some of
the added personnel will be obtained
by the transfer of members of the
volunteer branches who have been
training with the various divisions.
Other members of the volunteers,
who have not been drilling with the
division. will be transferred II they
apply for the duty. In the mean
time, the officers will try to recruit
additional men from civil life. One
of the advantages of enlisting In the
Reserve at this time rather than
the regular establishment. it was
pointed out, is that the enlistment
period is for four years, while that
for the Navy is six years. Under
the present training schedule for
the national defense, men are being
taken on active duty for periods of
not more than year. If the world
situation clears up in the meantime
they will be released to private life
but. if otherwise, and it is decided to
maintain the feet at top-notch eff
cheney with full complement for all
ships, then they will be on for a
longer period. However, in any
event if they go in the Reserve
their service will not be for six
years, that is, if world affairs i'm
prove.
In any event, it was said, the
maintenance of a large fleet will
require the permanent services OF
some of the reservists, and particu-
larry the officers The Naval Acad-
envy will not be able to turn out
the necessary officers at the present
rate. but the Navy has another
feeder through the medium Of a
number of colleges throughout the
country. which have put a naval
course in their curriculum. During
the four years that the men are
attending college, they take this
study also under naval officers as
signed to the schools. Upon compile
ton of their college work and the
naval course they are issued COM
missions as ensigns in the Naval Re-
serve. The Navy is reported to
have received some very fine office
personnel through this medium and
not a few of this group have re-
sponded to the volunteer call for
active duty issued by the Navy
some months ago. when the Presi-
dent issued his limited emergency
proclamation.
1t may be three weeks or month
it was said, before the members OF
the organized branch actually are
taken into the service.