Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1946-10-26
Negro Enlisted Men
May Become
Officers

Washingtn, d. C.. Oct, - The
Navy Department last Thursday,
announced a plan which will permit
quilted colored enlisted men of the
Navy and Marine Corps to become
officers and enter on active duty
as ensigns and Naval Avitors in
the Navy and second lieutennts in
the Marines.
Both the Navy and the Marine
Corps emphasized last Friday that
solored sailors and Marines would
be permitted full participation under
the new plan.
At present the Navy only has
thirty colored officers, none of
whom is a Naval Aviator. The
Marine Corps has never had a
colored officer on active duty, and
only two colored men have ever
been commissioned in the Corps.
The plan calls for the selection
of qualified enlisted men of the
Navy and Marine orps, including
Reserves on active duty, for officer
candidate training in the Naval Re-
serve officer training Corps and
naval aviation college program.
CANDIDATES for both programs will
be selected in a service-wide COM
petitive examination to be held on
designated ships or stations all over
the world next Januaryf IS. Sci.
ected candidates will enter college in
the fall Of 1947.
Deadline for receipt of all nom.
nations in the Bureau of Nava
Personnel was set for December II
To qualify, men must be in the
Navy, Marine Corps or serving OF
/ active duty in the Naval or Marine
Corps Reserve on January 19,1947
and meet physical requirements fol-
entry into the Naval Academy.
In addition, they must be higl
schol graduates or possess an e
quivalent background, be less thar
81 years old on June 80, next, un
married, and recommended by thei1
commanding officers.
Applications for the aviation pro
gram must be not more than 1917
years of age on July l, or, if eli
gible to enter college as a soph
more, must not be more than 20H
years old on July 1, must NEE
physical requirements and pass 8
battery of aviation tests.
J Those selected for the NROT(
program will be given fouryeal
! college education at one of tn,
Gifty-two institutions where's the
NROTC units are established. Can
lidates will receive their tuition
books, normal fees and $50 PEE
month while training, but mus
agree to accept a commission upor
graduation as an ensign in the
Navy or a second lieutenant in the
Marine Corps and serve on active
duty for two years.
! Under the aviation program
CANDIDATES will be given two years
of college at an accredited uni
versity of their own choice, as ar
apprentice seaman in the Naval
Reserve or inactive duty. After two
years they will be ordered to flight
training as midshipmen with. even
tual designations as naval aviators
After this designation they will
be ordered on operational flight
duty. Two years after appointment
as midshipman they will be eli
gible for commission as ensign
in the Navy or second lieutenant
in the Marine Corps, One year
later they will return to college for
the last two years of undergrad.
uate work kkas commissioned Of
ficers in the regular or reserve
service.
If in the reserve service they
will receive their tuition and $1O0
a month. In tn regular service they
will receive active duty pay and
allowances plus tuition, books, and
normal fes.
Their decision as to whether they
wish TO remain( Fin the regular
ranss or go into a civilian career
and reserve status may be de-
lferred until they have had an OPP
portunity to serve as commissioned
officers.