Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-13
Guard Members on Inactive
List to Be Called Into Service
PIons Being Made to Muster
State Detachment Into Active Service

When the National Guard is called
into active service for q full year Of
field training, 1t was disclosed at
brigade headquarters here, those
members who have been transferred
to the inactive list will be called into
the service along with those who are
serving on the active list. The only
way to escape service. 1t was indi-
Gated, is to apply for q discharge
under the various headings Of de-
pendents and get out Of the service
entirely before the militia is called
into the field.
Members Of the Guard are placed
on the inactive Lists, for various rea-
sons, including temporary removal
from the city and for business and
educational interference with the
performance Of military duty. But,
it was pointed out, that men who
work at night or attend schools so
that 1t would be impossible for them
to attend the regular weekly drills,
which are at night, would have to
give up their work and school the
same as those who attend the drills
regularly.
Each TO the units has large num-
Der Of men on the inactive list. In
some cases the return of the men
to the commands will bring them up
to full strength, and possibly some
of them overstrength. No orders
have yet been received for the Guard
to increase the men to what is
known as peace-time strength. At
the present time the units are main
tanned at what is called National
Guard strength" which is limited
by the amount of funds which is
provided by Congress for the pay
ment of drill pay to the officers and
men.
It is probable that the men will
be left on an inactive status until
the call for the troops to take the
field has actually been received
This is not expected to come until
after the first of the year. AS it is
now planned to send the local troops
to Fort George G.. Meade, Md, their
movement will depend upon COM
pletion of housing facilities.
Plans are being formulated at bril-
gade headquarters IT, muster the
State Detachment into Federal
service. This organization is made
up entirely of enlisted personnel.
largely men for clerical work, and
they will be placed on active duty
to assist here incidental to the work
of the draft boards. Upon compile
ton Of this duty they will be avail
able to transfer to other stations
where they might be needed in con-
nection with the field-training work
The State staff, which is composed
of officers, is now on active duty, all
of the members being used in con-
nection with local selective-service
operations.
President Roosevelt has accepted
the resignation of Capt. Wesley Fry,
Medical Corps. He left the service,
it was said, because this is his last
year as resident surgeon at one of
the local hospitals.
The resignation of Capt. E. J. c.
Hildenbrand, Medical Corps. also
has been accepted. 1t was said he
was unable to devote the necessary
time to the military duties.
Officers at brigade headquarters
point out that opportunity still ex-
lists for enlisted personnel Of the
various units to complete the neces-
sary work in the Army's correspond
ence courses to obtain commissions
in the National Guard of the United
States. Before being permitted to
take the examinations, in addition
to other qualifications for officers
in this branch of the service, the
prospective candidates must COM
plete certain of the Army's extern
sion courses.
But upon completion of the exam
ination, it does not mean, it was
explained, that the candidates will
receive appointments. The reports
of the tests have to be sent to the
War Department for approval. How
ever, if they do pass they remain in
an enlisted status in the ranks I'M
til the actual mobilization takes eff
feet, when their commissions imme-
diately become active and they leave
the ranks.
Four members of the local COM
mand have applied to brigade head
quarters for permission to take the
competitive examination by the
United States Civil Service Commits
sion to determine who will receive
the appointment to the United
States Military Academy at West
Point next July /. The successful
candidate at the approaching civil
service examination still must take
the entrance examination for West
Point candidates next spring, it was
said.
Those who have applied to take
the examinations are: Corpl. Walter
D. Dabney. jr., Battery D, 260th
Coast Artillery; Corpl. George S.
Blanchard, jr., Battery D. 260th
Coast Artillery; Pvt. James B. Glenn
ents, Headquarters and Service
Company, 121st Engineers, and Pvt
James T. White, Headquarters Com
pany, 10Th Division.
Brigade headquarters announced
that it had revoked the discharges
for the following, issued to permit
them to enlist in the United States
Marine Corps: Pvts. Joseph j.
Koontz, John c. Mayhem and Rob-