July-August - Air Defense Artillery School

68 THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL JIII)'-A~
by name but by history. by past performance and by potential
future performance.
To furnish all of its antiaircraft artillerv batteries with
this all-important data on the men of the' Command, the
AAATC Classification Section at Camp Edwards developed
the "Form 20 Extract Card," In realitv, there are two cards
in use, one blue for cadremen and' one white for filler
replacements.
The feature of the "Extract" card which has met with
such favor by officers in newly-activated units at Camp Edwards
is the fact that they are permanently retained in the
battery office, as part of the restricted file.
Information on the blue 8-inch bv 5-inch "Extract" card
for cadremen includes educational history (highest grade,
specialization, and highest mathematics), civilian occupation,
main and second best, physical qualifications and particular
disabilities, j\GCf and Radio Operator's aptitude
test scores, enlisted specialist school, military service (date,
arm, type battalion, type weapon, job title and highest rank)
and alternate cadre assignments on the basis of historical
data.
On both the cadre "extract" card and the filler card, it is
noted by the training center Classification Section whether
or not the enlisted man is an OCS prospect.
Another welcome entry for newly-activated units is a line
denoting leadership potential. \\Then the filler or cadreman
is reinterviewed on arrival at the AAATC, Camp Edwards,
the interviewer is careful to determine whether or not the
enlisted man has ever had any experience in directing or
controlling other men. If his civilian background included
a position in which he was responsible for the work and
conduct of as few as two or three others, this fact is noted
and becomes increasingly valuable to the battery commander
in the selection and development of noncommissioned
officers. The problem of NCO selection is critical
in new organizations and again the time factor weighs so
heavily on the officer charged with the responsibility for
this selection, that to be given complete and detailed case
histories of all the men of his command for reference in
his files at any hour of the day or night, has proved one of
the most valuable adjuncts yet devised at the AAATC for
successful leadership choices early in the unit's history.
The onlv difference in the white "Extract" card furnished
all units o~ filler replacements, is the omission of alternate
cadre assignments, for obvious reasons, and the inclusion of
a more detailed breakdown of civilian experience or abilities.
For filler replacements, entries are made whether the enlisted
man has any particular mechanical, electrical, or radio
repair ability; typing skill, truck driving experience, automotive
operation or has done hunting to any extent. It was
believed to be of value to list the "ability" background in
greater detail for fillers than cadremen, since the latter
by virtue of experience have been subjected to critical
scrutiny by the Army Classification system and have been
more or less crystallized in certain antiaircraft artillery jobs.
The closest of follow-up is maintained by the AM TC
Classification Section, first, to determine whether the ,'aluable
school-trained specialists are being utilized properly or
to insure that none of these technicallv trained men have
slipped into other duties unnoticed, a~d second, to effect
the most efficient liaison with unit personnel officers in
classification problems. Suggestions for the improvement
of techniques in the handling of new men in units are
constantly being received. re\'iewed and if merited put into
effect.
At Camp Edwards. the theory which brought such success
in American industry is being followed, revised and
imprO\'ed with
forcethe
following rationale as its motivatinQ
"If large concerns whose primary interest is profits find
that it saves them money to hire industrial psychologist~
whose entire task is the placing of employees in the t)'P<
of work for which the\' are naturallv fitted-then ho\\
much more important is [t for the Army: responsible for the
safety of the nation. to adopt some such procedure."
All of the advanced personnel procedures are being in.
tensively employed at the antiaircraft artillery trainine
center, Camp Edwards. The Special Training Unit ha)
several times been enlarged and is working in close can.
junction with. qualified personnel consultants for the re
habilitation of enlisted men, a large percentage of whom
have been returned
men.
to units, proficient antiaircraft artillery
To assist units further in becoming one hundred per cenl
efficient so far as the condition of personnel is concernee
is a standard operating procedure recently developed JI
Camp Edwards to expedite greatly the preparation of JI
personnel in field units for combat service early in the
training period. The possibility of not discovering a soldie
who is not mentally or physically fit for combat until latl
in. t.raining is at present
mll1lmum.
being reduced to an absolute
Throughout the energetic program of the Classification
Section of General Handwerk's command at Camp Ed
wards the complete recognition of the importance of applied
psychology to the development of untrained men inl
proficient toughened antiaircraft artillerymen has alread,
paid cnormous dividends in the salvage of otherwise ex
pended pcrsonnel, in rapidly-formcd organizations and in
overall combat efficiency. ,
f
Southern California Sector
of
Sports continue to be the chief extra-curricular interes!
of soldiers at Fort Rosecrans. I
The post baseball team, though without a diamond ~
its own on which to practice, has for months won eve
game it has played in the San Diego County sandlot leagu
Its record of twenty-seven wins and no losses was broke
~lav 2 when it tackled the Santa Ana Armv Air Base te-a
at Nav)' Field in San Diego. Unable to'solve the slo
curves of the Fliers' pitcher, Joe Jacobs, the Cannon .
came out on the short end of a 3-t0-2 score. Joe DiMagg
ex-Yankee clipper, played center field for the 5MB's. a
managed to sandwich in two brisk singles between au(~
graphs.
The first field day to be held here brought a throng
soldier athletes and comedians to the Lower Level Pa
ground. The usual jumps, runs, hurdles, and throws
the attention of the more serious-minded muscle
Former armchair Sampsons contented themselves \\
f