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BULLETIN

No. 25.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

WASHINGTON, June 9, 1920.

Act of Congress-Amendments to national defense actArticles of War.-The following act of Congress is published to the Army for the information and guidance of all concerned : An Act To amend an act entitled "An Act for making further and more effectual provision for the national defense, and for other purposes," approved June 3, 1916, and to establish military justice.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled.

CHAPTER I.

That the Act entitled "An Act for making further and more effectual provision for the national defense, and for other purposes," approved June 3, 1916, be amended as follows:

That section 1 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended by striking out the same and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

"That the Army of the United States shall consist of the Regular Army, the National Guard while in the service of the United States, and the Organized Reserves, including the Officers' Reserves Corps and the Enlisted Reserve Corps."

SEC. 2. That section 2 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended by striking out the same and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

"SEC. 2. COMPOSITION OF THE REGULAR ARMY.-The Regular Army of the United States shall consist of the Infantry, the Cavalry, the Field Artillery, the Coast Artillery Corps, the Air Service, the Corps of Engineers, the Signal Corps, which shall be designated as the combatant arms or the line of the Army; the General Staff Corps; The Adjutant General's Department; the Inspector General's Department; the Judge Advocate General's Department; the Quartermaster Corps; the Finance Department; the Medical Department; the Ordnance Department; the Chemical Warfare Service; the officers of the Bureau of Insular Affairs; the officers and enlisted men under the jurisdiction of the Militia Bureau; the chaplains; the professors and cadets of the United States Military Academy; the present military storekeeper; detached officers; detached enlisted men; unassigned recruits; the Indian Scouts; the officers and enlisted men of the retired list; and such other officers and enlisted men as are now or may hereafter be provided for. Except in time of war or similar emergency when the public safety demands it, the number of enlisted men of the Regular Army shall not exceed two hundred and eighty thousand, including the Philippine Scouts."

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SEC. 3. That section 3 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended by striking out the same and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

"SEC. 3. ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY.-The Organized peace establishment, including the Regular Army, the National Guard and the Organized Reserves, shall include all of those divisions and other military organizations necessary to form the basis for a complete and immediate mobilization for the national defense in the event of a national emergency declared by Congress. The Army shall at all times be organized so far as practicable into brigades, divisions and army corps, and whenever the President may deem it expedient, into armies. For purposes of administration, training and tactical control, the continental area of Xthe United States shall be divided on a basis of military population into corps areas. Each corps area shall contain at least one division of the National Guard or Organized Reserves, and such other troops as the President may direct. The President is authorized to group any or all corps areas into Army areas or departments."

"SEC. 3а. THE INITIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THE ORGANIZED RESERVES.-In the reorganization of the National Guard and in the initial organization of the Organized Reserves the names, numbers and other designations, flags, and records of the divisions and subordinate units thereof that served in the World War between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, shall be preserved as such as far as practicable. Subject to revision and approval by the Secretary of War, the plans and regulations under which the initial organization and territorial distribution of the National Guard and the Organized Reserves shall be made, shall be prepared by a committee of the branch or division of the War Department General Staff, hereinafter provided for, which is charged with the preparation of plans for the national defense and for the mobilization of the land forces of the United States. For the purpose of this task said committee shall be composed of members of said branch or division of the General Staff and an equal number of reserve officers, including reserve officers who hold or have held commissions in the National Guard. Subject to general regulations approved by the Secretary of War, the location and designation of units of the National Guard and of the Organized Reserves entirely comprised within the limits of any State of Territory shall be determined by a board, a majority of whom shall be reserve officers, including reserve officers who hold or have held commissions in the National Guard and recommended for this duty by the governor of the State or Territory concerned."

SEC. 4. That section 4 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended by striking out the same and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

"SEC. 4. OFFICERS.-Officers commissioned to and holding in the Army the office of a general officer shall hereafter be known as general officers of the line. Officers commissioned to and

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holding in the Army an office other than that of general officer, but to which the rank of a general officer is attached, shall be known as general officers of the staff. There shall be one general, as now authorized by law, until a vacancy occurs in that office, after which it shall cease to exist. On and after July 1, 1920, there shall be twenty-one major generals and forty-six brigadier generals of the line; five hundred and ninety-nine colonels; six hundred and seventy-four lieutenant colonels; two thousand two hundred and forty-five majors; four thousand four hundred and ninety captains; four thousand two hundred and sixty-six first lieutenants; two thousand six hundred and ninety-four second lieutenants; and also the number of officers of the Medical Department and chaplains, hereinaftetr provided for, professors as now authorized by law, and the present military storekeeper, who shall hereafter have the rank, pay and allowances of major; and the numbers herein prescribed shall not be exceeded: Provided, That major generals of the line shall be appointed from officers of the grade of brigadier general of the line, and brigadier generals of the line shall be appointed from officers of the grade of colonel of the line whose names are borne on an eligible list prepared annually by a board of not less than five general officers of the line, not below the grade of major general: Provided further, That the first board convened after the passage of this Act may place upon such eligible list any officer of the line of not less than twenty-two years' commissioned service.

"Officers of all grades in the Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, Corps of Engineers, and Medical Department; officers above the grade of captain in the Signal Corps, Judge Advocate General's Department, Quartermaster Corps, Ordnance Department and Chemical Warfare Service, all chaplains and professors, and the military storekeeper shall be permanently commissioned in their respective branches. All officers of the General Staff Corps, Inspector General's Department, Bureau of Insular Affairs and Militia Bureau shall be obtained by detail from officers of corresponding grades in other branches. Other officers may be either detailed, or with their own consent, be permanently commissioned, in the branches to which they are assigned for duty.

"SEC. 4a. WARRANT OFFICERS.-In addition to those authorized for the Army Mine Planter Service, there shall be not more than one thousand one hundred and twenty warrant officers, including band leaders, who shall hereafter be warrant officers. Appointments shall be made by the Secretary of War from among noncommissioned officers who have had at least ten years' enlisted service; enlisted men who served as officers of the Army at some time between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, and whose total service in the Army, enlisted and commissioned, amounts to five years; persons serving or who have served as Army field clerks or field clerks, Quartermaster Corps; and, in the case of those who are to be assigned to

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duty as band leaders, from among persons who served as Army band leaders at some time between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, or enlisted men possessing suitable qualifications. Hereafter no appointments as Army field clerks or field clerks, Quartermaster Corps, shall be made. Warrant officers other than those of the Army Mine Planter Service, shall receive base pay of $1,320 a year and the allowances of a second lieutenant, shall be entitled to longevity pay and to retirement under the same conditions as commissioned officers; and shall take rank next below second lieutenants and among themselves according to the dates of their respective warrants.

"SEC. 4b. ENLISTED MEN.-On and after July 1, 1920, the grades of enlisted men shall be such as the President may from time to time direct, with monthly base pay at the rate of $74 for the first grade, $53 for the second grade, $45 for the third grade, $45 for the fourth grade, $37 for the fifth grade, $35 for the sixth grade, and $30 for the seventh grade. Of the total authorized number of enlisted men, those in the first grade shall not exceed 0.6 per centum, those in the second grade 1.8 per centum, those in the third grade 2 per centum, those in the fourth grade 9.5 per centum, those in the fifth grade 9.5 per centum, those in the sixth grade 25 per centum. The temporary increase of pay for enlisted men of the Army authorized by section 4 of the Act of Congress approved May 18, 1920, shall be computed upon the base pay provided for in this section, and shall apply only to enlisted men of the first five grades. The temporary allowance of rations authorized by section 5, and the transportation privileges authorized by section 12, of the said Act, shall apply only to enlisted men of the first three grades.

"Existing laws providing for continuous service pay are repealed to take effect July 1, 1920, and thereafter enlisted men shall receive an increase of 10 per centum of their base pay for each five years of service in the Army, or service which by existing law is held to be the equivalent of Army service, such increase not to exceed 40 per centum.

"Under such regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe, enlisted men of the sixth and seventh grades may be rated as specialists, and receive extra pay therefor per month, as follows: First class, $25; second class, $20; third class, $15; fourth class, $12; fifth class, $8; sixth class, $3. Of the total authorized number of enlisted men in the sixth and seventh grades, those rated as specialists of the first class shall not exceed 0.7 per centum; of the second class, 1.4 per centum; of the third class, 1.9 per centum; of the fourth class, 4.7 per centum; of the fifth class, 5 per centum; of the sixth class, 15.2 per centum. All laws and parts of laws providing for extra duty pay for enlisted men are repealed, to take effect July 1, 1920: Provided, That nothing in this section shall operate to reduce the pay which any enlisted man is now receiving, during his current enlistment and while he holds his present

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grade, nor to change the present rate of pay of any enlisted men now on the retired list.

"SEC. 4c. ASSIGNMENTS.-Officers and enlisted men shall be assigned to the several branches of the Army as hereafter directed, a suitable proportion of each grade in each branch, but the President may increase or diminish the number of officers or enlisted men assigned to any branch by not more than a total of 15 per centum: Provided, That the total number authorized in any grade by this Act is not exceeded: Provided further, That the number of enlisted men herein authorized for any branch shall include such number of Philippine Scouts as may be organized in that branch: Provided further, That no officer shall be transferred from one branch of the service to another under the provisions of this section without his own consent. Except as otherwise herein prescribed, chiefs and assistants to the chiefs of the several branches shall hereafter be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a period of four years, and such appointments shall not create vacancies. Appointment as chief of any branch shall be made from among officers commissioned in grades not below that of colonel, and as assistant from among officers of not less than fifteen years' commissioned service, who have demonstrated by actual and extended service in such branch or on similar duty that they are qualified for such appointment: Provided, That the chiefs of the several branches shall make recommendations to the Secretary of War for the appointment of their assistants: Provided further, That in making the first appointment to any such office created by this Act the chief of a branch may be selected from among officers of not less than twenty-two years' commissioned service. Any officer who shall have served four years as chief of a branch, and who may subsequently be retired, shall be retired with the rank, pay and allowances authorized by law for the grade held by him as such chief. In time of peace no officer of the line shall be or remain detailed as a member of the General Staff Corps unless he has served for two of the next preceding six years in actual command of troops of one or more of the combatant arms; and in time of peace every officer serving in a grade below that of brigadier general shall perform duty with troops of one or more of the combatant arms for at least one year in every period of five consecutive years, except that officers of less than one year's commissioned service in the Regular Army may be detailed as students at service schools: Provided, That an officer commissioned in a staff corps shall not be or remain detailed as a member of the General Staff Corps unless he has served for one of the next preceding five years with troops of one or more of the combatant arms. In the administration of this provision, all duty performed between April 6, 1917, and July 1, 1920, inclusive, or as a student at service schools, other than those of the noncombatant branches, at any time, shall be regarded as satisfying the requirements

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