Evening star., 1951-04-22
House Hearing 10 Aim.
AT thorough Revision
OF Reserve Programs |
By George Beveridee

A House armed services subcom-
mittee this week will swing into
q long series Of hearings leading
TO q complete overhaul of the
Pentagon's heavily criticized re-
serve programs.
The hearings viii spotlight aI
long-awaited Defense Department.
proposal which would scrap exist
ing reserve units. In their places,
new programs would be set up,
to give reservists guaranteesl
about their chances of being called
to active duty.
Proposal Outlined.
Assistant Defense Secretary
Anna M. Rosenberg last week out
lined the proposal. which would
be IN o new reserve bill to be
drawn up by the subcommittee, |
headed by Representative Brooks,
Democrat, Of Louisiana. BaSicallyl
the proposal provides for these
three new reserve forces:
!. The Ready Reserve-Mem-
bers would be liable for cali to
active duty whenever military
need demanded. and they would
be subject to organized training
programs set I'D by each Of the
military services.
2. The Standby Reserve
Members could not be called to
active duty involuntarily except
after Congress declared war or a
state Of National emergency.
Those unable to participate in Or
ganized training programs would
be placed on an inactive status
list" within this group. These
inactive" reservistS would be
called into uniform only when no
men with their special qualifica-
tions were available from the reg
ular standby" or ready" forces.
8. The Retired Reserve-Mem-
bers would be those who have
completed 40 years or more of
reserve service or who have dis
abilities. They also could not be
called to duty except in war or
National emergency declared by
Congress.
Choices to Be Made.
While details have not yet been
drawn up, q Pentagon official said
last night the hundreds of thou
sands Of men now in the enlisted
reserve would be given their choice
of the ready" or standby" re-
serve. Many Of these enlistments.
however, will expire next July.
Such reservists then will have a
choice Of continuing or dropping
out entirely.
The oficial also said plans are
being drawn up under which re-
serve officers at some time in the
future would choose between ac-
cepttng permanent reserve status
or dropping their commissions.
Presenting the project to Con-
gress last week, however, Mrs.
Rosenberg related It to the draft
bills which will go to a House
Senate conference Tuesday. Under
the bills, an enlisted men-includ-
ing those under any future uni
versal military training program
would have to enter the re-
serves for several years after fin
ishing their training or active
service.
3Years In Ready" Status.
Under the Pentagon plan, these
youths would serve at least three
years In the ready reserve" Then,
they either could continue on the
same basis or be transferred to
the standby reserve" depending
on whether they Joined organized
training units.
II q UNIT program is authorized
to provide several months Of train
ing for all youths, Mrs. Rosenberg
said. "they will be able to calcu-
late their own timetable Of reserve
service fairly exactly" She added:
"A man who completes his UNIT
at 10 would be in the ready re-
serve until he was %. How much
longer he served in the stand by
reserve would depend on the total
time Congress establishes in the
conference"
The Brooks subcommittee TO-
morrow will hear Air Force ofn-
eials discuss reserve activities.