Evening star., 1940-05-19

opportunities lUE IluIIlUCT O1 VI
ficers Of the District National Guard
to attend service schools of the
Regular Army have been offered by
the War Department In a letter
received at brigade headquarters
last week. Also there will be, during
the autumn, classes provided for a
number OF enlisted men to get SER
vice school instruction to fit them
to handle their assignments more
efnciently In the event they are
called into the field.
The four schools for officers and
the dates for the classes are: Medi-
cal Field Service School, September
Is to october 26; Army Veterinary
School, November 4 to November 80;
Ordnance Field Service School, two
courses, September 10 to December
II and January Is to April 8, l941,
and the Chemical Warfare School,
basic course, October 13 to November
%, 1910. The schools for enlisted
men will be Coast Artillery course
for electrical specialists in anti-air-
craft regiments September 16 to
December 20, and for engineers,
commissioned officers, Septem-
ber Is to December IA.
1t was pointed out that no specific
allotments are to be made to States
and the District of Columbia for the
medical, veterinary and ordnance
schools, but that all qualified per-
sonnet should be notified of the
vacancies, and selections will be
made by the War Department from
among those who apply. 1t was
added that only applications from
candidates who have met all re-
quirements, including completion of
the required extension courses,
should be forwarded to the depart
ment for consideration.
Because Of their desire to keep the
courses confined to individuals who
will be able to withstand the rigors
OF field service, candidates must
pass a thorough physical examina-
ton at their home stations before
departing for the schools, and must
be able to pass a searching physi-
cal examination at the school. Even
II passed by the National Guard sur
geons and subsequent examination
at the school brings out physical de-
fects, there is the certainty that the
candidate will be sent home. The
Army has been concerned for some
time with the type of physical ex-
aminations given at the home sta
tions, and has found them many
times to be perfuncIory. Examina-
tions at the schools have shown de-
fects which should have been found
by the examining surgeons at the
home stations. This, it was pointed
out, has not only resulted in send
ing the soldier back home without
taking the course assigned him, but
it has cost the Government trans
portation expense, plus the pay of
the officer during the period. Fur
thermore. it has prevented some
other physically qualified officer
from taking advantage Of the course
because after the examinations at
the schools it was too late to select
eA'AobAASA oAAlSCL VI CFCll u,
in the case Of schools for this group
to fill in the vacancy.
With the situation in Europe get
ting more serious all the time, the
Army is anxious to have only the
Guardsmen who are in the best of
physical condition given the train
ing, SO that the Army can depend
on having them in the event of
emergency making it necessary to
call them to the colors for active
service.
Consideration is being given by
Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox, command
ing the local militia brigade, to
changing the working hours for the
forces in headquarters to 8:l5 am.
to 3:45 pm. during the summer
months to conform to the hours of
the War Department.
Plans have been completed for
another review of the local brigade,
this time in honor Of the judiciary.
Aft0rnay Cen.