Evening star., 1942-01-04
Naval Reserve Units
Facing Intensive
Drilling Schedule
Engineering Students
Offered Chance to
Win Commissions

While the enlisted personnel OF
the two United States Naval
Foserve Divisions which hold their
weekly drills at the Washington
1-avy Yard were given a respite
curing the holiday period, the of1-
tc-s were required to forego their
,-lidays in order to recruit men for
he reserve. All of them were at
t.,oir desks in the Naval Reserve
Armory each day.
The officers announced the dlvl-
sicns will face a strenuous period
cf intensive drilling when they
resume attendance this week.
The local battalion has lost some
OF its most valuable officers and
enlisted personnel, and will have
to make some shifts in assignments
in order to fill the billets. One OF
the severest losses was the detailing
of Chief Boatswain's Mate Joseph
P. Slattery>to duty at sea. He is a
product Of the local pre-World War
/ Naval Militia, served throughout
that conflict at sea, and after the
war was ordered to indefinite ac-
tive duty with the local Naval
Reserve, being attached to various
training ships which were assigned
here for instruction purposes.
Officer Gives Service.
The local organization also gain
officially another oflcer who has
been serving voluntarily since the
day after the attack on Pearl Har-
Dor. He is Ensign Chester A. Slater.
He appeared at the armory the day
following the Japanese attack and
volunteered his services. He went
right to work in the armory at any
duties which were assigned him, and
has been serving without pay. 1t
was said he would be ordered to
duty this week, and in addition to
his daily duties would be assigned
to assist in training the men of the
divisions on Thursday nights.
Personal letters will go out each
week to each junior and senior stu
dent in colleges and universities
here who are taking engineering
courses, telling them Of the oppor-
tunities to obtain commissions in
the Naval Reserve. They will be
given commissions now and allowed
to remain on the inactive list until
they complete their college courses,
when, If they are successful in get
ting through school, they will be
ordered to active duty. They will
be immune from the draft If they
are 81 years or over. They are
being urged to visit the armory and
discuss the matter with the officers.
While engineers are primarily being
sought, it was explained that later
other students, particularly those
taking a major course in matHe-
matics, would be solicited.
A~ti.vde Tests.
Mnnv Ct TIE latter will be urged
+ c~~o'l for the cless VT courses,
= 80 --'c-cs. v,,o are given a
IS t-e'n:rr IS enlisted men
f. nine whether they have
--'c fer the naval service. In
2c--@rt they do, they are appointed
81 .20-crve midshipmen and sent
II crc &C the three schools for re-
s-rve cnicers for a course of three
ronths' intensive instruction. They
receive the same pay and allow
ances granted to midshipmen of the
Naval Academy Upon successful
completion OF the course they are
commissioned ensigns in the Naval
Reserve and are ordered to active
duty.
Orders already have gone out to q
number of local young men who
applied for the VI special officers
course some months ago to report
to the schools to which they have
been assigned on January %. New
classes will be started at that time
it was said, and other groups will be
sent from the District as the classes
starting this month are graduated
In the meantime the local reserve
officers will make every attempt to
build up a long list Of prospective
students so that the present schools
and possibly those to be inaugurated
later. are filled.