Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-10


out are men from this group. Put
another way, men with combat ex-
perience make up little over one
third Of the Army, but constitute
nearly three quarters OF the number
to be released.
Fathers represent 10 per cent Of
the. Army and rs per cent Of the
group returning to civilian life. In
other words, one soldier out OF five
/ is father, but one man IN every
four to be sent home will be a
father. Since we did'not begin draft
ing fathers until the war was well
advanced, 1t Is apparent that our
system Is operating heavily in their
favor.
Meets Soldiers Desire.
I think these. statistics make 1t
clear that the point system carries
out the desire expressed by our SOL
diers In the polls and gives first con-
sideration to those most entitled to
receive 1t.
After the adjusted service rating
cards have been filled out, the num-
Der of soldiers with each point to-
tai in every theater will be reported
to the Adjutant Generals ONCE
here in Washington, and certain
point total will be established as
the critical score.
This critical score will represent
the minimum number of points with
which an enlisted man or woman
can be released from the Army.
There will be one critical score for
all enlisted men in the Army
Ground Forces and the Army
Service Forces and another for all
men in the Army Air Forces. A
third critical score will be calculated
for members of the Women's Army
Corps. The three critical scores are
designed to effect equality of treat
ment for enlisted personnel in all
branches of the service.
Won't Delay Releases.
1t will take about six weeks before
these critical scores can be COM
puted and announced. However,
the War Department has no inten-
ton Of delaying releases until this
computation Is finished. An in
term score of IS points has been
established for Army Ground, Air,
and Service Forces enlisted person.
mel. All soldiers who have this many
points or more will be considered as
eligible for release in accordance
with the plan, and men will start
moving to separation centers for dis
charge early next week. For men,
bers of the WAC, an interim score
of A points has been set up.
Only points scored as of Satur-
day, May IL, 1945, will be taken
into consideration in determin-
ing eligibility for release. The
only credits which will be given
after that date will be for decora-
tons and battle participation stars
earned prior thereto. Likewise, ad-
ditional credit will be given for
children born on or before May IL,
but whose birth was not known to
the father at the time the scores
were prepared.
Enlisted personnel who desire to
remain in the service and have a
satisfactory record will be retained.
Because of the requirements Of
the war against Japan, the strength
of the Army Service Forces and
the Army Air Forces will be reduced
much less than the strength of
the Army Ground Forces. JAS a
result, the initial rate OF release will
be more rapid among ground troops
than among those assigned to air
forces or service forces. However,
through transfers of some low-score
men from the ground forces and
new trainees, a proportionate share
of men will be released from all
three forces as rapidly as practicable.
Emphasis on Individual $500.
| In this whole program the 1rmy
has put the emphasis on the In
dividual because we felt that was
the only fair way in which to carry
out rehabilitation. From the OPP
Grating viewpoint. 1t would have
been much simpler to bring surplus
units home for rehabilitation and
release their personnel intact with
out worrying about whether all the
men in them were entitled to pri-
ority of separation from the Army
Such method, however, would
operate with great unfairness to
many individuals who have had long
and arduous service but are not
assigned to one of the units declared
surplus. II only units in Europe
were considered. this method would
work unfairly to units long in the
Pacific or at outpost bases in the
American theater. 1t would operate
unfairly to men who have seen ex-
tended combat service both in Eu-
rope and the Pacific and have been
returned to this country for re-
assignment. 1t would release men
only recently assigned as replace
ments to units long in combat and
would discriminate against veterans
OF many campaigns in units not
selected for return.
Held Fairest Method.
Consequently, it was determined
that the fairest method to effect
partial rehabilitation would be
through the selection of men as
individuals, rather than by units,
with the selection governed by thor
oughly impartial standards.
The carrying out of this program