Evening star., 1941-01-19

pear to point to preparations for an
early induction of the local troops
into the Federal service for their
year Of training in the field. These
include shifts of officers to fill va
cancieS, created for various reasons,
the ordering of officers before ex-
amining boards to test their fitness
for promotion, the appearance of
enlisted personnel before such boards
to determine their qualifications for
promotion from the ranks by COM
mission before the troops go into the
field, and the dispatch of officers
for some preliminary training before
being called into service.
Some of the officers are being
ordered into the field for various
duties, including the attendance at
school and for instruction. How
ever, it was explained that they are
not being formally inducted into
the service, but are being ordered
out for Traditional field training"
and they will not be inducted into
the Federal service until their units
are called in, although as a practical
matter some of them may remain
in the field right up to the time that
their units arrive at the training
camp from the home station here.
Col. John w. Oehmann, COM
mandingl the 121st Regiment of
Engineers, and 1t. Col. Peyton G.
hewitt, assistant adjutant general of
the local militia and adjutant of the
29th National Guard Division, it was
explained, are not now being in
Quoted into the Federal service. but
are being ordered to additional camp
instruction duty. Both are scheduled
to report at Fort George G. Meade
tomorrow.
1t was indicated at brigade head
quarters that three officers will
probably be sent to the adjutants'
school at Fort George G.. Meade
next week. The school is to be
conducted under the direction of
Maj. Edgar B. Heylmun, U S. In
fantry.
These officers are: Capt. C. Earl
Smithson, veteran adjutant of the
l2lst Regiment of Engineers; Capt.
Elmer w. Humphrey, Headquarters
Detachment, Special Troops, 29th
Division, and Capt Edward D. Null
vanity, l04th Quartermaster Regi-
ment.
If any enlisted men plan to take
their private automobiles while in
the field, they will have to park them
somewhere of the reservation, it
was announced at brigade head
quarters. Instructions were received
that only commissioned officers. non
commissioned officers Of the grade
OF master sergeant, technical SER
geant, staff sergeant and first SER
geant would be permitted to have
automobiles in the camp.
Parking lots will be established
in the areas assigned to each organ
ization and those allowed to have
cars will be authorized to purchase
official Fort Meade tags. which will
permit them to enter and leave the
reservation with their vehicles.
The 121st Engineers Band will
go into the service with a strength
OF %, it was said at brigade head
quarters. While it was said that
the regulations authorized an in
crease to 48, the increased strength
in the band would have to be de-
Quoted from the numbers allocated
to the line companies. so that il
has been decided to keep it at its
present strength.
Plans are being formulated for q
large building construction pro-
gram on the rife range at Camp
Simms, Congress Heights. D. C..
during the time that the units are
in the field. Officers said the War
Department and the w. P. A. have
joint project for the erection OF
several large buildings which are
designed to be used for garages.
The buildings will be of corrugated
iron construction. A force of en-
ployes will be kept employed to
maintain the structures. When the
troops return from the field it is ex-
pected that they will have con-
siderably more automotive equip
ment than they have at the present
time. In order to keep this in the
best condition and ready for i'm
mediate service 1t will be necessary
to provide housing. Some of il
probably also will be stored in
buildings adjacent to the new
armory which is now in course
of construction at the eastern end
of East Capitol street.
| Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord
commanding the National Guard Di-
vision, held meeting with his staff
officers in Baltimore last week to
discuss details for the mobilization
and induction and the movement of
troops from all parts of the division
area to Fort George G.. Meade.
1t. Col. Peyton G. hewitt represented
the local militia brigade at the con-
| ference
The following members of the l21st
Regiment of Engineers have been
|