The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-15
Navy's So Tidy That GObs On Leave Complain Of Mothers Housekeeping
And Cleanliness Are First Lessons Taught To Recruits

braided So-and-SO boss him around. He's told to turn in his rifle and get a pistol belt and holster; then he's put in command Of his com- pany for half an hour.
 ."Of course, he's scared silly. He squeaks a command and hears his voice for the first time. But the company moves. He gives another order, and 1t works. He gains con- fidence and pride, and pretty soon he's giving his best imitation of one of the gold braided So-and-sos that he used to resent"
 Of 64 average applicants for Navy service, S2 are rejected for physi- cal defects, 19 for defects in char acter or education. Nobody with 8 reform school or police record is considered. Not all have a high school education, but they must have its equivalent in trade school training or some special skill plus 8 high native intelligence.
 But those who are accepted soon find that even they don't know very much, that their characters still need bolstering with compul- Sory church-going, and that they're still under par physically. The average man gains nine pounds in eight weeks. Capt. Lucian Williams, senior dental officer, showed me records of recruit companies. Sample: Of 137 men, examination found 544 cavities to be drilled and filled, required attractions, and only IT sets of teeth which merely needed cleaning.
 NO TIME
 FOR MISCHIEF
 Life for newcomers seems to be mostly close-order drill with old Enfield rifles), lectures (they get only classroom acquaintance with ships and big guns), physical check ups and repair (dental officers work in two eight-hour shifts), eating more than you'd believe possible, standing inspections, and sleeping.
 They're so busy that there's little time or energy left for getting into mischief among the bars and bright lights of San Diego.
 Somewhere, though. they find time for fun at the station itself, which with immaculate lawns and attrac- tive permanant buildings looks more like a campus than camp Just f1- nished is auditorium (lectures by day, movies every night), a nau- tical-looking library, and recre- ation center which will have every thing from bowling alleys to a swimming pool. There are no hos tesses in the shore training of the U. s Navy; recruits have to get used to the womanless world they'll find afloat
 At the end of eight weeks, most of them go to sea. This is a mere shakedown cruize; they're distri- buted among ships of the fleet and given regular duties, though its six more months before they're rated as f1rst-clasS Seamen.
 The Training Station has doz- en or more basic and advanced schools, but only about one recruit in seven or eight is chosen, by tests and observation, to attend one of them. After duty with the fleet, and when and if they have deve- loped certain aptitudes,, sailors are sent ashore for special training in ordnance and fire control (gunnery), radio, metal work and other trades, signaling, aviation mechanics. Some want to be cooks and bakers, sten- ographers, quartermasters, buglers. Others are taught the secrets of tor pedoes and the bewilderingly con1- plicated gyrocompass.