Evening star., 1953-09-05
Armed Services Drop
Draft Of Physicians;
Army Has Overflow

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The armed services, which re-
Gently were making strenuous
efforts to recruit physicians, now
appear to have an overflow.
In fact, the Defense Depart
ment announced yesterday the
doctor draft is being ended. at
least temporarily And the Army
is transferring some 500 volun-
teer physicians to the Navy and
Air Force because it has an over
flow. The department explained
that many volunteers since the
doctor draft act was renewed
for two years made the transfer
possible.
Only last month the depart
ment announced the draft call
for 542 physicians for the Army,
bringing to 5,754 the number
who have received draft notices
by all the. armed services since
July 1851.
Very Few Drafted.
However, very few of the
physicians have waited to be
drafted. Virtually all, on re-
ceiving notices from draft
boards, sought and obtained
commissions from the armed
services. Thereby they have
qualified for $100 extra pay each
month. The few who have failed
to take this course have been in
Quoted as enlisted men
Meanwhile the department an
nounced the regular call of
$4,000 men in November for as
Signment to the Army. The same
number of men were drafted in
July and August and will be
taken into the Army in Septem-
ber and October.
The Navy, Marine Corps, and
Air Force will continue to de-
pend entirely on voluntary re-
cruiting.
The November call will bring
to 1,457,000 the number of men
drafted into the Army since the
draft was reinstated in Septem-
ber, 1850. An additional 81,43O
have been drafted into the Ma
rine Corps but that service has
not issued any calls since May,
1852.
Applies Only to Physicians.
The ending of the doctor draft
applies only to physicians, but a
Defense Department official
pointed out that no dentists have
been drafted in recent months.
The official said the ending of
the doctor draft had no relation
to the cease-fire in Korea.
mo further draft calls for
physicians will be made and no
more volunteer medical officers
will be accepted until such time
as losses create vacancies" the
department said.
THE rather large number of
available volunteers is due to
the number of physicians who
decided to volunteer for
service now rather than wait
until called by their draft
boards" added the department.
An additional reason cited is
that many of the doctors now
on duty in the Army who are
entitled to early release under
the new doctor draft act, are not
taking advantage of this oppor-
tunity. A sharp decrease in the
number of physicians being
granted deferments for addi-
tional professional training also
contributes to the present stu
alton.
Transfers Are Voluntary.
The Navy and Air Force re-
Gently have not been accepting
doctor volunteers since they had
an adequate number. But be-
cause of scheduled losses, they
are now in position to use some
OF the Army's volunteers.
The department said that in
so far as possible, the re-distri-
button would be accomplished 1y
voluntary inter service trans
fers. However, if the number
seeking such transfers is insult
ficient, it may be necessary to
detail some Army doctors to duty
with the Navy and Air Force.
AS of August 81, the Army
said, 13 physicians and five den
fists were serving as enlisted
personnel. Some others had
come in to the enlisted ranks
but later obtained commissions.