Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-04-03
Waiver Pledged
Candidates
For Army Rank
Men With Families
Promised Release
Or Commissions

The War Department promised
today that it would keep faith
with the ga registrants indicted
into the Army to try for appoint
ment to officer candidate schools
and guaranteed that the men who
do not win commissions will be re-
lieved from duty If they request it.
Informed that some men with
dependents who had planned to try
for the appointments were alarmed
because the waiver of dependency
they signed did not stipulate a
time limit, the War Department
said definitely that the waiver ap-
piled only to the period of training
Those who, after four months
service, are not selected to attend
an officer candidate school or who
fail to complete the schools course,
the War Department pointed out,
can request relief from active duty
and would be transferred to the
enlisted Reserve on deferred
status. They would not be called
to service. said the War Depart
ment, until registrants with the
same degree of dependency in their
community are called. Those who
do not request relief from active
duty would be retained in the
service.
Selection Indicates Commission.
At the same time, the War De-
partment indicated that the men
selected for the course would have
a fairly good chance Of winning
appointments to the officer candi-
date schools. Although no assur-
ances are being given along this
line, the War Department pointed
out that the very fact that a man
Is selected for the course means
that a board of officers thinks he
has the qualifications to make the
grade.
This preliminary selection is done
at military station by a board of
officers at the same time that the
prospective officer candidate appli-
cants are given their Army physical
examinations. 1t is here that likely
of1lcer material is spotted.
The War Department also made
1t clear that once the men were in
Quoted into the Army there would
be no change of regulations which
would keep them from being re-
lieved from duty on request should
they fail to make the grade.
The Army will keep faith with
these men," the War Department
said. They can be definitely certain
that they will either be commits
stoned or will be relieved from duty
II they request it."
Preserves Status.
The War Department understands
1t was said, that men with depend
ents may be able to provide for their
families out of their savings for a
short time where they could not do
so Indefinitely. Therefore, the War
Department said, the waiver of de-
tendency has no effect on the reg
istrant's status with his local board.
Men who fail to win their commits
sions and are relieved from duty
Will revert to their original classifi-
cations, the War Department en-
phasized.
In answer to another question, the
War Department made it clear that
even If men in the same group as
the registrant came up for Undue
ton. he would still not be held in
the Army. On his return to his COM
munity it would be up to his local
board to change his classification
but only on the basis that other
men were being reclassified, it was
said.
In other words. the War Depart
ment asserted, registrant's chances
Of being called would not be af-
fected in any way by the fact that
he had signed a waiver of depend
ency to try for appointment to an
officer candidate school.