Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-05-17
Intensive Traininq
Planned for Local
Naval Reserve Unit
Limit Division
To 100 Officers;
Seek College Men

local Reserve officers, drilling weekly
at the Naval Reserve Armory at the
Washington Navy Yard is to be put
through an intensive 16-week course,
according to officers in charge.
It has been decided to limit the
division to its present strength of
100, rather than to take all appli-
cants at this time and have two or
three divisions drilling at different
times throughout the week
Under the plan all of the members
of the division will be given the
same course which formerly was
given to the enlisted recruit. There
will be foot movements, infantry and
the manual of arms. Although
practically all Of these officers are
in the specialist and administrative
groups, which were not taken in for
seagoing duty, nevertheless they will
later be given instruction in some of
the seagoing treating such as knot
ting and splicing seamanship and
signaling 1t was pointed out that
later it may be necessary to send
them to sea.
They will not be given any of the
basic instruction in navigation,
ordnance and gunnery and battle
problems. If it becomes necessary to
train them further for sea activities
aboard ship, they will be sent to the
indoctrination course at Northwest
ern University. But they will have
the basic training obtained from
their attendance at the drills at the
local arnory. The indoctrination
course has been started to train for
seagoing duty those officers who,
because of age and marital status,
are unable to obtain commissions in
the so-called VT class, which is
filled with young college graduates,
who are given a four months train
ing course, upon successful compile
ton Of which they are commissioned
as ensigns.
To Form New Groups.
Upon the completion of the course
by the present group, they will be
dismissed, and another group will
be formed which will be ready to
start In Immediately. 1t Is under
stood this will be kept up until all of
the specialist groups have been
trained.
The Navy Department has or
dered the local procurement officers
to tighten up considerably on the
applicants for positions in the Air
Corps intelligence group. Hun
dreds have been tentatively &C
cepted and many commissioned,
But It was added that many who
have applied for this duty have had
absolutely no qualifications to fit
them for this duty, A college
course was not required for the
commission, one Of the few where
it was not required, but men trained
in reporting and interviewing were
taken.
Men now applying for this course
regardless Of their experience and
basic training must have college
degrees. The procurement officers
have asked that those who do not
have a college degree refrain from
taking the time OF the interviewing
officers.
Men with engineering degrees.
those with working experience as
well as those just out of college. are
needed. The local Office said that
it is now getting about IS applicants
daily in this class, but would like to
receive applications from as many
as so. They may be as old as so
years.
A new call has gone out for young
college men under 80 years of age,
and preferably under 81. and as
signment to special duty, the ma
ture of which the procurement Off
GERS did not desire to make public,
but for many of these assignments
there would be the opportunity for
important sea assignments. Sue
cessful applicants would be commits
stoned as ensign and given short
training course and sthen assigned
to their posts
Hundreds of owners of small boats
and yachts, as we'll as those trained
in their operation and navigation,
are needed, it was said, and the
Office will give prompt attention to
applications. They should be under
80 years old. 1t was suggested as
probable they would be assigned to
small boats and yachts in inland
waters and off the coasts for patrol
duty, and perhaps some OF the
younger men might be assigned to
the little PIT boats. Applicants
who are accepted, might expect
commissions in the grades of ensign,
lieutenant. Junior grade, and lieu
tenant.
The Navy also. needs men, with
college degrees, having knowledge
of aviation, descriptive geometry,
mathematics or astronomy: ability
to plot aircraft by radio with a
minimum Of time under instruction.
They may be between the ages Of
81 to SO years.