Evening star., 1940-12-01
Mobilization Plans of Other
Units Studied by Local Officers
D. C. Guard OffeioIs Make Trip
To New Jersey Contonment

with the idea Of attempting to have
. woodworking military machine
when the 2sth National Guard DiM-
sion. which includes the local Ma
tional Guard. goes into its training
camp at Fort George @. Meade
probably next month, three oficers
Of the local Guard went to Camp
Dix, N. j., last week. The 44th Divi-
sion is now in camp there.
The officers who went to the camp
included Col. Oliver 8. Wood. U S.
A., senior instructor Of the local
militia brigade; 1t. Col. Peyton G.
Nevitt, adjutant general Of the 2Gth
Division and assistant adjutaut gen-
eral Of the local militia brigade. and
Maj. Sidney Morgan. inspector gen.
erals department, State staff.
1t was said th"t the Camp Dix
troops are still In tents. as barracks
have not been completed. Ohdcers
were unable to say why they were
sent into the field before the hous-
ing was completed, unless, they said,
1t was because the troops were sent
into the field before the statute was
adopted requiring such buildings
and camp facilities to be completed
before the troops were called into
the field. One Of the reasons why
1t is as yet uncertain Just when the
local troops viii be modified is the
uncertainty as to when the canton
ments at Fort Meade will be COM
pleted and ready to receive the
troops.
Some of the local units are plan
ming to make a more or less perma-
nent home for themselves in camp,
with all Of the necessities which
they have at their armory here. One
unit last week applied for permis-
sion to take into the field steel
lockers for the use of the men. The
request, however, has been held up
until further instructions as to
equipment to be sent into the field
Is received from the War Depart
ment.
A number of local Guard officers
went to Baltimore last week for q
conference of 10th Division staff
officers, under the direction of Maj.
Gen. Milton A. Rockford. command
ing the 29th National Guard Divi-
sion. They took the information
which they gathered during their
visit to Camp Dix and laid the facts
before the division conference for
discussion.
1t was expected that Gen. Reck-
ford would authorize the members
of his stan department to take steps
to correct any details found neces-
sary, which will obviate the troops
Of the 10Th Division being slowed
down in their work of settling In
their new environment, profiting by
the information obtained during the
conference with the ofIicers Of the
44th Division.
Local brigade headquarters was
informed last week that the contrac-
tors on the new drill hall at the site
Of its proposed new armory had
been granted eight more days for
completion, due to causes beyond
the control Of the contractor. ON
cials said that the structure probably
will not be completed until after
the troops have gone into the field.
The drill hall, 1t was said, was COM
pleted first, because 1t is the center
point around which the troops
quarters will be erected.
As most Of the equipment will be
cleared out of the local armories
when the troops go into the field,
there Is hope that the quarters will
be completed within the next year,
so that when the troops complete
their tour Of year in the field they
will be able to return directly to
their new quarters. The local ON
cials have asked for another 81 ,0o0,-
900 in the appropriation bill for the
next fiscal year to construct the
troops quarters.
It is believed the District Commits
sioners will clear the request for
building funds because Of the desire
to clear the space Of the present
armory, which now Is within the
area allocated for the municipal cen
ter.
Immediately upon mobilization of
the local troops, all extension course
service to both ofacers and men will
cease, according to information re-
ceived last week from the War De-
partment. These are the courses
which are issued by the War De-
partment to oficers to prepare them
for promotion and to enlisted men
to make 1t possible for them to get
commissions. 1t was pointed out
that the records Of completion Of
the courses are the property Of the
militia in their National Guard
status, and will not be taken into
the field except for records to show
just how far each of1icer and man
has progressed in the courses, to be
used In consideration for promotions
while In the field.
It was the opinion Of local brigade
officers that the stopping Of the
correspondence course does not
mean that promotions win be cut
OF while the troops are in the field,
but that what has been done by
correspondence courses win be done
In actual classes In the field. On
Gers who have received certificates