COAST ARTILLERY, JOURNAL - Air Defense Artillery

524 THE COAST ARTILL:::RY JO:.R~AL
mobilization plans served to initiate all these officesinto the problems
of our new organization and I believe they now are prepared to serve
well the interests of all components of the Army of the United States.
Within the War Department all offices are so organized that each
problem is considered with respect to its effect upon the Organized
Reserves as well as all other components. It has been our constant .
endeavor so to organize as to realize the one-army idea. To do this we
follow the guiding principle that any proposed action must be considered
with respect to its effect on each and every component.
Distinct progress has been noted in local combinations of interest
between the Organized Reserves and Regular Army. The longer these
two components work together, the more will they appreciate each other
and the better will they be prepared to interchange personnel to suit
the requirements of a general mobilization.
The procurement of reserve officers has progressed throughout the
year. In September the increase by procurement amounted to 1994
reserve officers,llll being in the grade of second lieutenant. The total
strength of the Reserve Corps, exclusive of those holding both Reserve
and National Guard commissions, is 97,878. The losses during the last
month amounted to 337, making a net monthly gain of 1657 reserve
officers. The losses were mainly due to death or to failure of reserve
officers to sign the form required prior to issue of a new commission.
There has been a steady increase for a number of years without any
definite provisions for elimination and discharge. There are at present
about 30,000 unassigned reserve officers of whom the majority-about
20,OOG--arein the grade of second lieutenant. The other 10,000 unassigned
officersare generally surplus in the grades of colonel, lieutenant
colonel, and major. This surplus of 10,000 officersin higher grades,
due to promotion of former emergency officers,is in excess of the entire
requirements of the plans for six field armies.
An interesting comparison is obtained from the figures on the
officers who were in the Regular Army, ~ational Guard, and Reserve
Corps in June, 1926, and the officerswho, on ::\ovember 11, 1918, were
in the American Expeditionary Forces. The o.-erseas strength, including
men en route, was at that time 2,003,935.. We now have 62 major
generals as against 62 in the A. E. F. on ?\O\-ember 11, 1918; 227
brigadier generals as against 19,; 1814 colonels as against 773; 4241
lieutenant colonels as against 1348; 13,271 majors as against 4995;
28,994 captains as against 17,255; 31,269 first lieutenants as against
27,313; and 48,397 second lieutenants as against 31,059. The June
total was 128,275 as against 83,006 in the A. E. F.
Another point which merits our consideration is the respectiw ages
at which officers may attain corresponding grades in the Officers' Re-