Evening star., 1943-04-20
Soldiers Start Arrivino
AT Georgetown for
Training Assignments
l06 Enlisted Men Due
Here Today; Will Take
Tests for College Work

Soldiers from various posts in
the Sd Service Command we're
arriving today at Georgetown
University to be reclassifled and
assigned to colleges in this area
for specialized training.
The War Department authorized
an announcement that Georgetown
University has been designated as
the 2,509th service unit to carry out
in this area a new special training
assignment and reclassification pro-
gram, known as the STAR. Approx
imately 106 enlisted men we're due
to arrive today, followed by an ad-
ditional 100 Thursday A third de-
tachment of approximately 125 is ex-
pected Saturday.
Col. Denham B. Grafton. comman-
dant of the unit, said other groups
would arrive from time to time as
the program progresses. It is un-
derstood no more than $50 will be
quartered on the university at any
one time.
Under d. c. Military District.
Col. Grafton, professor of military
science and tactics at Georgetown
for the last year, has been COM
mandant of the infantry ROTC unit.
When the STAR program was au-
thorized, he was placed in COM
mand of the special military unit
set up to administer it.
Administration of the program
comes directly under the Washing
ton military district, but it will func-
ton as a unit for the entire area
embraced in the Sd Service Com
mand, formerly known as the Sd
Corps Area.
A committee of Georgetown Off
clals and teachers has been organ
lied to direct reclassification of the
soldiers. The Rev. Stephen F.. Nc
Nance, S. j., dean of the college of
arts and sciences, will serve as
director.
While at Georgetown, the soldiers
will be quartered in the dormitories
and have their mess on the campus.
They will be under military discip-
line and training at all times during
their stay.
Length of Stay Will Vary.
The duration of the soldiers stay
at the Hilltop school may vary from
one Gay to perhaps month, de-
pending on the individual case.
While the War Department did
not announce the STAR program for
the entire country, it is understood
from official sources that each of the
nine service commands will have
one or more universities designated
as official units to conduct the work
of reClaSSification.
Georgetown is pleased to CO.
operate with the Army in this service
and trusts that its efforts will merit
the confidence the Army has shown
IN the university through its Sc
lection the Very Rev Lawrence C.
German, S. j., president, said today.
we welcome the soldiers to this
campus and want them to feel it is
their home while they are here"
Soldiers selected by their post
commanders for participation in the
Army specialized training program
will be sent here under much the
same condition as men who apply
to a college for admittance. Many
Of them are high school students.
others college freshmen or men of
more advanced training.
VIII Be Examined.
At Georgetown they will be in
tervlewed and examined to deter
mine whether they are fit for COL
lege work.
Some OF the soldiers may be found
qualified for basic training in one or
more of the three terms in that
group. Others may be selected for
advanced college training for spe-
cial engineer courses. or assignment
to what is known as foreign area
studies. On the other hand. it was
pointed out, some of the soldiers
will no doubt be rejected as un-
suitable and sent back for normal
military training.
While Georgetown will recommend
to the commanding officers what
courses the men should take. the
Army itself will assign them later
to attend classes at various schools
; IN this area. Under The Star pro-
gram some of the soldiers no doubt
will be given several weeks of spe-
clal coaching at GEORGETOWN