Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Military Organization, United States
MILITARY ORGANIZATION, UNITED STATES. During the World War the organization of the Army of the United States was controlled by acts of Congress passed on June 3, 1916, which placed in the hands of the President practically absolute authority in the raising and maintaining of American forces. See United States Army, Selective Draft Law. At the conclusion of peace, steps were taken to perfect a reorganization of the military establishment, and measures were introduced in both Houses of Congress to bring this about. There was a strong disposition on the part of many to incorporate in the new measures a system of compulsory training, but it was found impossible, in the light of public opinion in relation to the question, to carry this into effect, although the measures as finally constituted provided for a voluntary system of training under the direction of the Army. According to the provisions of the Army Reorganization Bill, which was finally passed in the latter part of April, 1920, the Army of the United States includes the Regular Army, with all the regular branches of the service, and, in addition to these, Chemical Warfare Division and a Division of Aerial Warfare. It includes also the Philippine Scouts. In the time of peace the Regular Army consists of 280,000 enlisted men.
The peace establishment includes, in addition to the Regular Army, the National Guard of the various States and a body known as the Organized Reserves. Provision was made in the measure for the organization of these branches by a committee of the General Staff of the War Department.
The measure provides for the rates of pay for enlisted men, ranging from $74 monthly for the first grade to $30 monthly for the seventh grade.
The General Staff Corps was constituted, consisting of a Chief of Staff, the War Department General Staff, and the General Staff Troop. The War Department General Staff consists of the Chief of Staff and four assistants selected by the President from regular officers and 88 other officers not below the rank of Captain. The duties of the War Department General Staff are to prepare plans for national defense, and the use of the military forces for that purpose and for the mobilization of the manhood of the country and its material resources in case of emergency. It has also the duty of investigating and reporting upon all questions affecting the efficiency of the Army and its state of preparation for military operations. The Chief of Staff presides over the War Department General Staff.
The Assistant Secretary of War is charged with the supervision of the procurement of all military supplies and other business of the War Department pertaining thereto. There is constituted a War Council which includes the Secretary of War, the Assistant Secretary of War, the General of the Army, and the Chief of Staff. It is the function of this Council to consider policies affecting both the military and munitions problems of the United States.
There was created a Finance Department, to consist of a Chief of Finance with the rank of Brigadier-General, and 141 officers ranking in grade from Colonel to Second Lieutenant and 900 enlisted men. The Chief of Finance has the duty of disbursing all funds of the War Department.
Certain changes were made in the matter of relative rank, affecting chiefly the Medical and Dental Corps and the Army Nurse Corps. The purpose of this is to make the rank of these officers correspond to that of officers in other branches of the service.
The Air Service consists of one Chief of Air Service with the rank of Major-General, one Assistant with the rank of Brigadier-General, 1,514 officers, and 16,000 enlisted men. The infantry consists of 110,000 enlisted men and 4,200 officers; the cavalry of 20,000 enlisted men and 950 officers; and the field artillery of 37,000 enlisted men and 1,900 officers. The coast artillery consists of 30,000 enlisted men and 1,200 officers.
There is an Officers' Reserve Corps for the purpose of providing a reserve of officers available for military service when needed. Any person who has been an officer of the Army between April 6, 1917, and June 30, 1918, or an officer of the Regular Army at any time, may be appointed as Reserve Officer.
There are Reserve Officers' Training Corps, to be established in such civilian universities and colleges as are required to provide instruction in military tactics. Camps are maintained for the further practical instruction of the members of the Reserve Officers Training Corps for a period not exceeding six weeks in any one year. The President has power to appoint as Reserve Officers graduates of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
There is an Enlisted Reserve Corps, which consists of persons voluntarily enlisted therein for a period of three years, except in cases of persons who served in the Army and Navy and Marine Corps between April 6, 1917, and Nov. 11, 1918. These may enlist for one year periods. Organizations of the Enlisted Reserve Corps may be formed by the President into tactical organizations similar to those of the Regular Army and composed, as far as practicable, of men residing in the same locality.
The status of the National Guard was changed so as to bring it, in emergencies, directly into the national service. Men enlisted in the National Guard are required to sign an enlistment contract and subscribe to an oath of enlistment under the authority of the Federal Government. Officers of the National Guard must be selected from the enlisted men of the National Guard; from among the officers active or retired, reserve officers, and former officers of the Army and Navy or Marine Corps; and from enlisted men and former enlisted men of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps who have been honorably discharged. They may also be selected from graduates of the United States Military and Naval Academies and from graduates of universities, colleges, and of officerstraining camps where they received instructions and supervision under an officer of the Regular Army.
Affairs affecting the National Guard are under the supervision of the Military Bureau of the War Department, the Chief of which is appointed by the President. He holds office for four years and has the rank and pay and allowance of an officer of the Regular Army.
The measure revised the provisions in regard to the conduct of court-martials and outlines the jurisdiction and procedure under which they will be held.