Evening star., 1945-07-10
100000 Face
Overseas Duty
Under New Rule
Many at Pentugon
Will Be Affected
BY Stimson Order
By NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.

The Army estimated today that
400, 900 officers and men on special
home front duty are eligible under
a new order requiring that all Army
personnel with less than six months
overseas service be given foreign
assignments by next May / If they
are qualified and can be replaced.
These 100000 men, 1t was said,
are In addition to a previously an
nounced pool of 1900 900 who are
now being trained for overseas.
They include some 100000 "key spe-
cialists" who can be replaced in
their present jobs only with diff
Guilty, officials said.
The drastic order, issued by Sec
retary Stimson late yesterday, af-
fects all physically qualified male
military personnel. Special en-
phasis," it said, will be placed on
men and officers under 35.
Many on Pentagon Duty.
AS rapidly as possible operating
jobs in the Zone of the Interior
which means the home front-are
to be filled by returning veterans.
A great many of the special group
of 100000 are officers on duty at
the Pentagon, elsewhere in Wash
ington and in various service COM
mandS.
Secretary Stimson's order was
issued, the War Department an
nounced, in compliance with the
statement made by President Tru-
man in his June message to Con-
gress. when he said:
1T Is our plan that every physi-
cally fit soldier in the United
States who has not yet served over
seas be assigned to foreign duty
when he completes his training or,
If he is fulfilling an essential ad-
ministrative or service job, as soon
as he can be replaced by return
ing veteran"
Issuance of the order at this time
came as no surprise for Mr.. Stim-
son recently had announced the new
policy was In the making.
Order Of Requirements.
A War Department order to
ground, service and air forces, said
that in addition to returning vet
erans, the requirements would be
made up of civilians, female mill
tary personnel, overage personnel
and those specifically exempt from
overseas service"
On June /, the Army had a total
Of about 100000 of whom $500, 900
were overseas. The total number
in the United States, including
sick, wounded and men otherwise
disqualified for further overseas
service was estimated at 100000
Men who are excluded from the
new order are composed of special
groups exempted by the War De-
partment. They are enlisted men
over SO unless they request overseas
assignment in writing; physically
disqualified officers and enlisted
men, and those covered by the policy
exempting sole surviving sons of
families from which two or more
persons have been killed, are prison.
ers or are lost.
Many Newly Inducted.
The 1900 900 men in the overseas
training pool in this country mostly
include newly inducted men and
others especially singled out for for
eign assignment.
OF the remaining 100000 mill
tary personnel in the zone of the
interior, approximately 1,100, 900
would be exempt for various reasons.
They include 100000 in Army hos
pitfalls, SOC, 900 who have already had
in excess of six months overseas
service, 10000 who are physically
disqualified, 100000 WACS and
nurses and about 100, 900 in unclas-
sified miscellaneous groups, some of
whose records are in transit.
That leaves the 400, 900 on special
duties, practically all of whom will
be given foreign assignments for
the first time as soon as replace
ments are found for them.