The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-08-18

Crist Mill
By REP. GEORGE sMATHEHs

World Wars l and II proved 10
us that the standing army and
navy could not alone fight aAwar
II took help from the civiliane
who had to lay aside their hoes,
pens and shovels and learn the
gruesome trade of war. While
the nations security stood in
peril, precious months were con-
sumed in forging a competent
army and navy from willing but
completely unframed recruits.
Had the war been closer to our
shores, the delay might have
been fatal.
We could not, however, attempt
to maintain permanent military
large enough to prosecute a war
effort without civilian assistance.
Our economy would collapse-not
only because of the unhearable
expense, but also because it would
remove too many men from the
productive pursuits of civilian
life.
How, then, may we provide for
military force which can quick
ly and effectively meet war
emergency without our support
ing an enormous peace time army,
navy and air force? The answer
lies in maintaining civilian re-
serve organizations which are
kept current on military subjects
by a reserve training program.
Of all our military units, the
Navy he, taken the lead in build
ing well-trained reeerve COM
ponent. For example, the Naval
Air Reserve would be able to
furnish enough men to man the
aviation units of SIS aircraft car
riers now in the mothball fleet,
plus 81 patrol squadronS, 25
transport squadrons and AZ air
service squadrons. These men,
often termed Week end War
riors", train two week ends every
month at a Navy Air Station near
their homes.
For example, here in Washing
ton we have about 100 reserve
officers and enlisted men COM
prising the Naval Air Reserve
Training Unit at Anacostia, which
is but one of twenty seven in the
United States. Each of the pilots
must fly at least 100 hours every
year; there are $50 filters at Ana
costa. ~
This year the Navy has ipaugu-
rated at 20 stations the training
of enlisted reserves just out of
high school. These young boys
are given eight weeks of train
ing, one of which is aboard an
aircraft carrier. The Anacostia
reserve unit recently gave. such
boot training to 100 high school
graduates, with one week aboard
the battle carrier, Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
Instruction by televi5ion is the
latest teaching method now being
used by the Navy. Last Satur-
day morning I attended a class at
Anacostia where, coming over
the television screen, was a pee
ture on weather and weather re-
ports, which is of vital importance
to airmen.
The lecturer was speaking from
Sands Point, Long Island. New
York, and was being heard and
seen simultaneously by Naval re-
servistS at Anacostia, Philadel-
phia and New York. The mate
rial being presented was right up
to the minute for it even includ-
ed an explanation of the weather
that morningn.
Each classroom is equipped
with microphone connected by
telephone wire to Long Island,
so that students can ask the lee
turer questions and he answers
them just as though he were in
the room. In cooperation with
the television network, which is
making its facilities available for
these courses, the Navy plans to
expand its coverage to eventual
ly gain a much larger audience.