Evening star., 1951-10-21
Guardsmen Face Snaq
In Retirement Sefup
After Separation
By WiIIiom }. WheotIey

Will IklC III ot Sudl OcIiCu W DC
released from Federal service
about next May /, those who de-
sire to keep on earning credits
toward retirement may find no
Guard units in their home States.
Without a drilling unit to which
they can be assigned, their piling
UP of retirement advantages stops.
Guardsmen. reservists, etc., can
earn retirement pay by perform
ing 20 satisfactory years Of duty.
This pay begins when they reach
age so. When they aren't actually
on active duty. they must belong
to drilling units and collect a set
\ number of retirement points"
each year to maintain their salts
factory standing.
Two Bills Introduced.
The Department Of Defense has
had two companion bills intro
duced in the House and Senate
to correct this, but they cannot
be considered until the next ses-
sion OF congress.
The situation is caused by the
fact that once a guard division or
other unit in State is called into
Federal service the State cannot
organize substitute units.
Thus when guardsmen complete
their service they will be returned
to the States as individuals with
no unit.
Under current law the Army
and Air Force could retain guard
. unit designations indefinitely, so
long as it is necessary for the
Nation to maintain an armed
camp under present world condi-
tions. However, the bills now
pending require that the services
return unit designations to the
States after a period of five years.
States Without Units.
In the meantime, with the pres
ent maximum of two years fixed
as the period of active service, the
States and territories will be with
out similar units. not only for
military duties within the State
but for prospective national serv-
ice. To correct this, the new legis-
lation would provide for the or
ganization of carrier" units to
be organized. to which returned
euardsmen could be assigned to
continue building up their retire
ment rights. OF course, a National
Guard Bureau spokesman ex-
planned. these officers and men
could be assigned to the inactive
guard in their respective States.
but they would get no retirement
credits.
The earlier guardsmen to en-
ter the service were both air and
Army units; they went in August
!, 1850. However, the Air Force
has announced it expects to begin
releasing these men after 81
months of service. or in May, 1852.
The Army units are facing the
limit OF twenty-four months of
service, SO it would be the end
OF July before they return home
3or reassignment.
Conference Opens Tomorrow.
Reassignments and other mill
Tia problems arising from the Ko-
rean conflict will hold major in
terest in the three-day conference
OF the National Guard Association
opening tomorrow at the Nav
flower Hotel.
Top-ranking officers from all
parts OF the country will hear
President Truman address the
f3rd annual meeting Wednesday
morning.
The conference gets under way|
at 10 am. tomorrow with a well
coming address by Commissioner
F. Joseph Donohue.
Reports Scheduled.
There will follow reports by Mai
Gen. E. A. Walsh, association
president; Maj. Gen. Milton AL
Rockford, adjutant general of
Maryland and chairman on thel
legislative committee; Brig. Gen.
Fred M. Waterbury, of New York,
secretary, and Brig. Gen. w. HI
Abendroth. District Nationall
Guard commander, treasurer.
Other subjects to be discussed
include universal training in rela-
ton to the Guard; the Armed
Forces Reserve Act of 1851; thet
retention of National Guard or
ganizations in active service; pro-
posed construction programs for
the Army and Air Guards; current
and proposed promotion policies,
and future troop allocations for
both the Army and Air Guards.