Evening star., 1940-08-25

OUIIleNlldJ lldl dlucIlcu, UuI pOoSiOiS
not thoroughly seasoned for inten-
sive field operations. the units OF
the District National Guard will re-
turn here today, and be sent i'm
mediately to inactive duty for what
may perhaps be only brief period.
But with the plans to call the Ma
tional Guard into active service for
period of at least a years train
ing, for the purpose of getting thor
oughly familiar with the large scale
operations of armies in the field, and
to form the nucleus of a training
corps for the large number of con-
scripts who are expected to be called
to the colors.
The unit commanders and aides
will face the duty of clearing their
commands of enlisted personnel
whose economic conditions might
be seriously affected by the neces-
sity of serving with the colors AL
though it is expected that many of
these men will try to avoid the op-
portunity of being discharged for
this reason. Guard officials will be
faced with the demands of the War
Department for eliminating them.
This reduction in the forces will
require new additions to the various
units. and these will be obtained
through the inauguration of recruit
ing campaigns through urging the
members of the units to canvas
their friends with a view of inter-
esting them in an enlistment. Those
familiar with the efforts of the local
guardsmen to obtain the men to
fill vacancies provided in an increase
II. strength provided by Congress, do
not believe that the task will be an
easy one. Furthermore. there was
belief that men, within the con-
scription age, would prefer to await
the calling of their numbers before
enlisting, as few relish the idea of
giving up their civilian positions
voluntarily until the country actu-
ally required them to enter the serv-
ice.
In the relief of men from answer
ing the call. the Guard officials are
deslrous of being as liberal as pos
slble. in view of the stand of the
War Department. Even though men
who were enlisted had waived their
rights of seeking relief because of
family responsibilities when they
entered the Guard service. For in
stance, it was explained that in the
case Of men who were married and
whose wives had indicated that they
could support themselves in the
event their husbands were called to
the colors, now have children. This
considerably changes the picture
from the original waiver.
At the same time, the present con-
ditions have brought to the atten-
ton of the military authorities the
fact that in time of peace under the
American military system the Gov
ernment has spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars in training men
for field service with the colors in
times Of emergency whose services
they will never be able to use, except
In extreme cass, when economic
matters cannot be considered if there
is prolonged war.
There are other conditions which
have been allowed to exist in Militia
units which will even cut the ranks
OF enlisted and commissioned per-
sonnel. This consists of permitting
men to serve year after year, and
have money expended on them for
training purposes, when it is known
that they would not be physically fit
for arduous field service in time of
national emergency. This, of
course, it was explained. Is mat
ter that the Federal Government
cannot continuously guard against
because of the use of influence in
the Militia units. This consists of
medical officers passing men for
camp service and on annual physical
examinations year after year when
the medical officers must have
known that they had physical de-
fectS.
This has come to the attention of
the Federal military authorities on
numerous occasions, and at the only
time that they have an opportunity
to check. 1t has been found on
numerous occasions, when officers
were sent to service schools for long
periods of study, that they have not
been found physically fit by the
Regular Army surgeons who ex-
amined them upon reporting at the
schools. They have been directed to
return to their home stations, and
by all reasoning should have been
sent to retired or inactive lists as no
longer fit for field duty. 1t simply
illustrated to the Regular medical
officers and those in the Regular
Army that the Militia medical off,
GERS were not fully making their ex-
aminations and in doing this were
violating their instructions. In late
months the Army has called this
condition to the attention of State
Militia officials when announcing
courses at the Regular Army schools
for National Guard officers and
pointed out that officers must be fit
for field service.
Pvt. Salvatore j. Carpine has been
made a corporal in Company B and
Corpl. Robert M. Sullivan a sergeant
and Pvt. Frederick r. Abner a cor
poral in Company E, both units be-
ing in the 12lst Regiment of Engi-
neers.
Pvt. (first class Charles Billings
has been made a corporal in the
Headquarters Company, 29th Divi-
sion.
Capt. Paul s. Hill, Medical Corps;
First Lts. Z. :. Houdispav. i 3.