status, it is clear that no such common experience can be generally had by all officers for a generation or more. The Board believes a common entry of all officers, Reserve and Regular, via the first 2 years of the NROTC as proposed by the Jacobs-Barker plan, would eliminate intraservice differences to ony a minor degree. Other more realistic methods of eliminating such friction exist. Among them are the following which the Board strongly recommends: (a) Take immediate and vigorous action to insure positive indoctrination and training of all officers in mutual understanding of the problems which must be solved in order that individual officers from all sources may pull together for the common good of the Navy. (b) Initiate open-minded and progressive administrative measures to insure: 1. Identical designation of all junior officers. 2. Equal opportunity among all officers for promotion, responsibility, training, and education. (e) Adjust the supply of permanent commissioned officers taken into the Navy so that approximately one-half come from the Naval Academy and one-half from other sources. The Board conceives that implementation of the last of these measures alone will in time serve to eliminate intraservice friction and insure an open-minded, alert officer corps wherein each source of entry provides qualities for mutual emulation. The Marine Corps offers the Navy sound precedent. Their officers, drawn from varied sources, are unsurpassed in professional esprit. 16. The Board recommends in the junior-officer grade, the judicious and equitable employment of short-term commissions associated with terminal educational benefits and bonus payments on a sliding scale. Short-term officers would be undifferentiated members of an over-all junior-officer pool. All would be commissioned 4 years after entry, wear the same uniform, carry the same designation, and have a reasonable opportunity of obtaining a permanent commission. Those not so commissioned would be returned to inactive reserve status at as early an age as practicable, and given the best possible opportunity to enter a business or profession. Such short-term officers would provide (a) A large number of junior officers on active duty to meet service needs in this category. (b) A reduction of the number of naval officers embarking upon a permanent naval career, thereby lessening to a marked extent forced attrition and the accompanying waste and expense of retirement in an officer's highly productive years. (c) A continually replenished reservoir of educated, experienced, active, and rigorous Reserve officers available for immediately useful employment with minimum need for refresher training in event of mobilization in national emergency. JAMES L. HOLLOWAY, Jr., Rear Admiral, USN, Senior Member. HENRY T. HEALD, President, Illinois Institute of Tech nology, Member. CHARLES D. WHEELOCK, Captain, USN, Member. JOHN P. W. VEST, Captain, USN, Member. CHARLES K. DUNCAN, Commander, USN, Member. JAMES P. BAXTER, President, Williams College, FELIX I. JOHNSON, Captain, USN, Member. STUART H. INGERSOLL Captain, USN, Member. ARTHUR S. ADAMS, Captain, USN (Retired), Member. DOUGLAS M. SWIFT, Commander, USN, Member and Recorder. The CHAIRMAN. Let us now take up the Jacobs matter. Do you have that there? Admiral JOHNSON. There was no board in connection with that, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have the report? Admiral JOHNSON. We have a copy of the bill which I will put into the record, sir. (The bill referred to is as follows:) A BILL To provide for the selection and training of officers for the Regular Navy and for Acceptance of appoint- Section 15. NROTC and V-12 units. (b) Selection pointment. Section 8. Regular and Reserve midship- men: ment. (a) Records for State committees. Section 16. Naval cadet appointments Section 17. Regular midshipman pointment ap provisions— Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized and directed to establish, supervise, administer, and control, a pro- gram for (1) the selection of candidates for officer training for the Regular Navy and the Naval Reserve; (2) the training of candidates so selected at estab- lished and duly accredited educational institutions for periods of not less than two academic years; (3) the screening and selection of the candidates so selected and trained for appointment as midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy or as Reserve midshipmen; and (4) the further training of such midshipmen with a view to commissioning them in the Regular Navy or the Naval Reserve, SEC. 2. When used in this Act (a) the term "President" means the President of the United States; (b) the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Navy; sebool under the supervision of a naval officers training unit; (i) the term "Reserve midshipman" means any officer candidate who has completed at least two academic years training as a naval cadet and who has been appointed Reserve midshipman under section 8 (c) of this Act; (j) the term "Regular midshipman" means any officer candidate who has completed at least two academic years training as a naval cadet and who has been accepted for and actually enrolled in The United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. SEC. 3. (a) Upon the application of any educational institution, the Secretary may, in his discretion, with the approval of the President, establish a naval officers training unit at such institution composed of either a naval cadet school or a Reserve midshipmen's school, or both. In passing upon the applications of educational institutions and in determining at which institutions naval officers training units shall be established, the Secretary shall consider the following factors: (1) The desirability of giving the widest possible geographical distribution to such training units, wherever feasible placing at least one such unit within each State; (2) the geographical advantages or disadvantages of the particular institution; (3) the physical properties, equipment, faculty, course of study, and reputation of the particular institution; (4) the relative cost to the Government of establishing and operating each proposed training unit; and (5) the availability from public, private, or institution sources of adequate housing and messing facilities at reasonable cost for naval cadets and Reserve midshipmen. Whenever consistent with the above-enumerated considerations, the Secretary shall establish naval officers' training units at institutions to which Naval Reserve officers' training units are attached on the date of the enactment of this Act. In passing upon any application filed under this section, the Secretary may require the applying educational institution to comply with certain conditions before approval or the Secretary may establish such a training unit subject to the continuous compliance with stated conditions. The conditions imposed by the Secretary under this section shall not be unreasonable or arbitrary, but shall be designed to effect a uniform, high-quality training program among all naval officer training units. (b) The Secretary shall detail an officer of the Navy or of the Naval Reserve as commanding officer of each naval officers training unit, together with such other enlisted and officer personnel as he deems necessary. The commanding officer of each naval officers training unit shall be in complete charge of said training unit and of naval cadets and Reserve midshipmen assigned thereto. He is authorized to take all action necessary for the proper administration of the training unit and the proper training of said cadets and midshipmen, subject to such instructions as he shall receive from the Secretary. The Secretary may establish regulations for the operation of naval officer training units which shall include but not be limited to the following: (1) The establishment of minimum course requirements for naval cadets and reserve midshipmen, including but not limited to courses in mathematics, navigation, mechanical drawing, naval science and tactics, physics and modern sciences, naval history, customs and etiquette, English, history, modern languages, and the economic and social sciences; and (2) the establishment of minimum requirements for drill, field maneuvers, practice cruises, and physical fitness programs. Naval cadet and Reserve midshipmen's courses shall be ancillary to the regular courses offered by the educational institution involved and shall be scheduled in such a way as to recognize that Reserve midshipmen are to be trained primarily for civilian occupations. Every effort shall be made to schedule naval cadets and Reserve midshipmen into courses regularly offered by the educational institution; the staff of the training unit being employed to instruct only in those required courses wherein the institution offers no comparable courses. At institutions in which courses are given by members of the training unit staff, civilian students not classified as naval cadets or Reserve midshipmen may, in the discretion of the commanding officer of the training unit, be permitted to attend such courses as are taught by members of the staff of the training unit. SEC. 4. (a) Any male citizen of the United States, its Territories or possessions, not less than fifteen years of age and not more than twenty years of age may apply for officer training in the United States Navy. Applications shall be made to and on forms provided by the Commission. A qualified applicant who is an enlisted man in the United States Navy shall apply to the Secretary, who shall forward the application to the Commission. (b) The Commission shall offer and conduct annual, uniform. Nation-wide competitive examinations for the selection of officer candidates. Examinations shall be given at such times and places as the Commission shall determine; however.. they shall be completed at such time as to permit the Commission to certify the results of such examinations to the Secretary not later than April 15 of each year. The content of annual examinations shall have the approval of the Secretary and shall be designed to test (1) educational background; (2) intelligence; (3) mechanical aptitude; and (4) potential officer and leadership qualities. The Commission shall certify to the Secretary, on or before April 15 of each year, the names of those applicants who have been tested and who are recommended by the Commission for officer training. Such certifications shall show, with respect to each recommended candidate, his State and National standing on the examination. SEC. 5. The Secretary shall, from time to time, fix National and State quotas for naval cadets. The quota of naval cadets for each State shall approximate a percentage of the national quota of naval cadets equal to the ratio which the population of the State bears to the population of all States. The Secretary shall, from time to time, fix National and State quotas for Regular midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. The quota of Regular midshipmen for each State shall approximate a percentage of the national quota of Regular midshipmen equal to the ratio which the population of the State bears to the population of all States. SEC. 6. (a) The Secretary is authorized and directed to appoint, in each State, a naval cadet and Reserve and Regular midshipman selection committee composed of three members-one a line officer of the Navy or Naval Reserve, preferably on duty at a naval officers training unit within the State, one a person of distinction in the field of education, and one a representative citizen. Headquarters of the committee shall be established at a naval officers training unit within the State, if there be such otherwise at the training unit nearest to the State. (b) Members of State committees appointed under authority of this section, except such members as may be officers of the Navy or Naval Reserve, may be employed by the Secretary, by contract, or otherwise, without regard to section 2709 of the Revised Statutes or the civil-service or classification laws and, out of available appropriations, the Secretary may provide for the compensation of such State committee members at rates not to exceed $25 per day and while away from their homes on official business, transportation in kind, and not to exceed $10 per day in lieu of subsistence. SEC. 7. (a) As soon after April 15 of each year as practicable, the Secretary shall certify to each State committee (1) information as to its current State quota of naval cadets; (2) information as to the number of prospective vancancies in that quota on September 1 of that year; (3) information as to the naval officers training units to which appointments to vacancies should be made; and (4) a number of names of officer candidates for the State recommended by the Commission equal (if there are sufficient names recommended) at least to three times the number of prospective vacancies, together with the State and National ratings thereof and such other information as may have been certified by the Commission. (b) Immediately upon the receipt of the certifications provided for in subsection (a) of this section, the committee shall (1) notify each certified officer candidate that he has been recommended for appointment as a naval cadet, informing him of his State and National standing; (2) send to each such officer candidate appropriate forms for filing with the committee showing (a) his school record; (b) his criminal record, if any; and (c) a certification by duly licensed and qualified physician as to the applicant's physical condition; (3) notify the applicant to appear before the committee and officers attached to a designated naval officers' training unit for a personal interview and physical examination; (4) interview all physically qualified officer candidates who file proper forms and appear for interview; (5) after due consideration of civil-service ratings, files on prior experience, studies, and conduct and personal interviews, select and appoint to the certified vacancies the officer candidates who, in their opinion, are best qualified; and (6) notify those appointed to appear and accept appointment. (c) Upon acceptance of appointment as naval cadet each officer candidate shall enter into a contractual agreement with the Secretary, acting for and on behalf of the United States, binding said officer candidate to the naval service, unless sooner released by competent authority, for a period of seven years as follows: (1) Not less than two academic years as naval cadet; (2) not less than two academic years as Reserve midshipman or not less than three years as a Regular midshipman; and (3) not less than three years as a Naval Reserve officer or not less than two years as a Regular Navy officer. SEC. 8. (a) The commanding officer of each naval officers training unit shall keep a complete record of each naval cadet's scholarship, conduct, and activities. Such records shall be supplemented by procedures whereby each naval and institution instructor makes periodic recommendations as to the qualifications of each cadet. The record so kept shall be made available to the State committee which shall supplement that information by such interviews as it deems necessary and proper. (b) In the month of March of each year the Secretary shall certify to the State committee the prospective number of Regular midshipmen vacancies for its State as of July 1 of that year in the United States Naval Academy. On or before June 1 of each year, each State committee shall recommend to the Secretary for appointment as Regular midshipmen a sufficient number of naval cadets (with appropriate alternates) to fill the vacancies in Regular midshipmen billets at the Naval Academy for that State: Provided, That there are a sufficient number of qualified naval cadets from the State to merit, in the opinion of the committee, such appointment. In order to be eligible for recommendation by the committee a naval cadet must have satisfactorily completed at least two academic years as a naval cadet as of June 1 of the year of recommendation. In making recommendations under this subsection, the committee shall consider, as a primary factor, the desire of individual cadets to be permanent officers in the United States Navy. Every naval cadet, in good standing, as he completes his second academic year as a naval cadet, shall be given the choice of (a) being considered for appointment as a regular midshipman; or (b) being permitted to continue in the naval officers training program as a Reserve midshipman. In June of each year, the Secretary shall appoint, from the recommended principals and alternates from each State, a sufficient number of Regular midshipmen to fill the quota for such State. In the event that there is an insuflicient number of naval cadets recommended for any State, the Secretary is authorized to fill the vacancies from among alternates from other, preferably adjacent, States. Upon acceptance of appointment as Regular midshipmen, naval cadets shall be ordered to report to the United States Naval Academy on or about July 1 of the year of appointment. (e) Naval cadets who have satisfactorily completed not less than two academic years of training as such, and who have not been appointed Regular midshipmen under subsection (b) of this section and who have not been discharged from their contractual obligation to the United States, as hereinafter provided for, shall be appointed Reserve midshipmen. SEC. 9. (a) Naval cadets and Reserve midshipmen, while so serving, shall be subject to the Articles for the Government of the Navy, United States Navy Regulations, and all orders from superior authority issued pursuant to law. (b) In order to avoid unnecessary application of court-martial procedures to naval cadets and Reserve midshipmen, the Secretary, with the approval of the President, is authorized to promulgate disciplinary regulations and procedures for naval cadets and Reserve midshipmen based on punishment through the issuance of demerits and the assignment of extra duty and study periods with dismissal from the program as the punishment for excessive demerits. Nothing in said regulations shall forbid the application of existing court-martial procedures in cases in which the Secretary finds the use of such procedures to be appropriate. For purpose of discipline, naval cadets shall be deemed to be enlisted men and Reserve midshipmen shall be deemed to be midshipmen under existing law, the commanding officer in the latter situation exercising the functions and prerogatives that the Superintendent of the Naval Academy exercises under existing law with respect to midshipmen at said Naval Academy. (c) An officer candidate who has accepted appointment as a naval cadet shall continue under the designation of naval cadet until (1) discharged from his contractual obligation to the United States by proper authority; or (2) designated a Regular midshipman; or (3) designated a Reserve midshipman. An officer candidate, designated Reserve midshipman, shall continue under that designation until (1) discharged from his contractual obligation to the United States by proper authority or (2) commissioned in the United States Naval Reserve. (d) A naval cadet or Reserve midshipman may be discharged from his contractual obligation to the United States under section 7 of this Act, by his commanding officer, on recommendation of the State committee based on a showing of (1) record of unsatisfactory conduct; (2) record of unsatisfactory scholarship; (3) physical disqualification; (4) undue hardship on the officer candidate or his family. |