Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-23
|Be|yoir's New Center
Speeds Up Releases
Ito 100 Men Per Day
BY JERRY O'LEARY, Jr.

Fort Belvoir's week-old Army
Service Forces Training Center
separation point has developed a
process to permit the discharge OF
soldiers in 36 hours per man and
100 men per day.
Maj. Leonard Dover, point direc-
tor, told reporters yesterday, 1--WE
could step up discharges, but only
at the expense Of the men in
volved."
The newsmen accompanied Brig.
Gen. Robert N. Young, command
ing general Of the Military District
of Washington, on a tour of the
recently established separation
point
With the discharge procedure
worked out by Maj Dover and his
staff, now in effect, the Belvoir
center expects to release more than
5000 men month with a COM
paratively small force Of separation
personnel.
Discharges Men Here.
The separation point sends home
ofncers and men stationed in the
Military District of Washington, no
matter where they live. Army sep
aration centers only discharge men
lnducted within a specific military
district. The point processes all those
eligible for discharge from the
ASF'TC, the Engineer School, South
Post, Arlington Hall, Army Special
Training Unit, Army War College
Engineer Board, Office of Strategic
Services, Vint Hill Farms and Pc
Box l142.
The point is taking plenty of
time and care with each individual
The order setting up the point read
in part:
The urgency and Importance
connected with the separation of
personnel from the Army is such
as to demand the highest efficiency
The cooperation of all organiza-
lions Is an absolute necessity to
assure that personnel are dis
charged in befitting manner
showing ample evidence of the
gratlncation and appreciation due
them for their service to their
country"
Steps Streamlined,
The CT discharge at the separa
ton point goes through a series OF
streamllned steps, at the end OF
which he becomes a civilian. First
ne is shown Commute orienta
ton film. Then his pay records art
checked to see whether he is flnan.
cially square with Uncle Sam. H.
then undergoes an exhaustive phys.
ical examination, because the Army
wants each mans defects or wound:
in his record SO he can call on thu
/ Veterans Administration for treat
ment due him. in case of recurrence.
Of an ailment.
Men about to leave the service
Mai. Dover explained, tend to con.
ceal physical abnormalities, fear.
ing their discharge will be held up
Contrariwise, they tended to revea
them freely at induction time.
For instance, If a man has ma
LARA the major said, land 1t ism
in his health records, he can't prov.
TO the veterans hospitals that h,
/ incurred the disease in Army serv.
ice"
Counselors Give Advice.
Then, the discharge Is inter.
viewed by a group counseling Off.
Ger, who explains his privileges I'm.
der the CT Bill of Rights and the
advantages offered by converting hi
temporary national service life IN.
surance policy into a permanent
peacetime holding.
| Personnel consultation follows
The consultant determines where
the soldier will most likely find hi
proper place in the civilian worle
he Is about to -enter.
Finance officers then give the dis.
CHARGE the first installment of hi,
mustering-out pay and transporta
ton pay to his home town at S cent.
per mile. officers get the custom
airy cents a mile.
The final ceremony is dignfied ant
lasts 10 minutes. The officers thanl
the men. individually hand then
their discharge buttons and papers
and the national anthemn is PLAYED
That's all there is to it. The Arm
gives them free bus ride to Wash
ington.
! Last Meal a Good One.
Generally. the discharges get
better-than-usual last meal" Yes
terday it was steak with all tn
trimmings. Only the WAC is lef
out at the Belvoir discharge mill
The WAC has five discharge cen
tiers throughout the Nation, tn
nearest being at Fort Dix, N. j.
;, Thus far, Maj Dover's unit ha
discharged three men on points TO
every one released for age.
The War Department authorize
the separation installation at Belvoi
and other sites, to accelerate tn
release of eligible soldiers. A tots
OF 155 new facilities will be in op
Grafton by tomorrow, 112 operate
by the Service Forces and 43 by tn
Air Forces. The new program wi
make possible the discharge of 400
900 men by the end of this month
A total of 1000, 900 will have bee
!, released for all causes between v
day and the first victory Christina
. In addition to the temporary sep
aration points and bases, four ne
!, separation centers will be opene
November l, bringing the numbe
of centers throughout the Nation I
o 26. The new centers will be locate
. at Fort Monmouth, N. j.; Fort Kno
: KY; Camp Grant, ILL.,. and Cam
Fannin, Tex.