Evening star., 1940-04-21


making it pos 1t. Lamar.
sible for some naval reservists to
get in who otherwise might not re-
ceive an appointment.
The successful candidates will en-
ter the academy on July l, at which
time they must have served at least
one year in the Reserve, attended a
certain percentage of drills and
made an annual cruise aboard a
ship of the fleet.
During the time that the group
has been in the local Reserve it has
been under the command of 1t
q. g. H. Arthur Lamar, who. in
addition to conducting the regular
routine drills, has conducted the
young citizen sailors on tours of
various naval activities in and
around Washington.
1t. Lamar announced that the
time is opportune now for young
men, who would like to try for the
class which is to enter the academy
in 1941, to enlist in the local Re-
serve. Already, he said, IL have
enlisted in the new group. He said
he is anxious to have all interested
persons enlisted prior to June l.
although strict adherence to the
statute requires they only be in
by July l.
The local battalion has been high
ly successful in passing men for the
academy, local citizen sailors having
obtained most of the appointments,
and it is hoped that the past record
will be exceeded this year.
There will be no reduction in the
10-year period required for officers
and enlisted members of the Naval
Reserve to receive the Naval Re-
serve Medal. 1t was learned that
the Naval Reserve Policy Board
which has been meeting at the
Navy Department here for several
weeks, has rejected the proposal of
the local Reserve that the time for
the medal to be received be reduced
from 10 years, as at present pro-
vided, to four, which is the period
required for the Marine Corps Re-
serve Medal
1t was explained that the Marine
Corps Reserve Medal is substantially
a re-enlistment medal, being award
ed for each four-year enlistment, but
that the Naval Reserve Medal car
ries greater honor. 1t is given fol
10 years continuous service, during
which the recipient must not have
received any unfavorable marks or
the fitness reports in the case of the
officers or on the service records ir
the case of the enlisted men. Fol
instance, it was explained that if ar
officer during the course of 10 year!
of service receives one mark of les!
than 2.5 out. of a perfect marking
of 40, he would be denied the medal
even though his service had beer
otherwise honorable. So, it was
added, the medal denotes efficiency
as we'll as long service. However. il
was said that there are now in the
local Reserve large number of Off.
GERS and enlisted men who are en-.
titled to the medal, and they will bt
issued as soon as they can be strucl
off by the mint.
The policy board also rejected an.
other recommendation of the loca
Reserve Officers Association chapter
It was the recommendation for {
change in the precedence provision
relating to officers in their relation
to officers of the regular establish.
ment, when called into the service
Under the present provisions, which
will remain, Naval Reserve officer!
will rank about six months behinc
those in the regular establishment
with a similar amount of service.
Capt. H. G. Copeland, Naval Re.
serve, on active duty in the Office ol
the Chief of Naval Operations al
the Navy Department, said that 6
co-ordinator of Naval Reserve activ.
tiles would be appointed next weel
In the Navy Department. The pur.
pose of the establishment of the
position is to have an officer who
will seek to coordinate the activitie.
of the two components of the Navy
and has been sought by the Reserv
lists for long time.
The officer to be placed in thi
new position will have no othe
duties except to look after the Re
serve and attempt to coordinate it
needs in conjunction with the regu
lar establishment.
1t is understood in Naval Reserv
circles that Capt. Felix Gygax, a
present director of the Naval Re
serve affairs in the department, an
who is soon to be made rea
admiral, is to be assigned to tn
new post.
1