US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Eustis, VA)

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'ibgpx lf SEVEN YEARS OF THE CMTC Lutz VVAIH, Major Gmznal, U. S. flrmy 'l'he Adjutant General in response to public opinion and the camps have grown by reason only of their proved re- sults in better health and citizenship for the young men who attend. lflven the Military Training Camps Association, the recognized civilian agency of the War De- partment, has done no more than to help make the opportunity known year by year to young men as they reach the proper age for enroll- ment. Thisworkisdone by the voluntary efforts of county chairmen and committees throughout the country and at a minimum cost in organi- zation. However, the area and population of the country are so great that it is no simple task merely to announce the Citizcn's Camps so that young men everywhere may be informed of what they offer. This could not have been done if it had not been for the unfailing cooperation of the public press. News- papers have devoted each year to the Citizens' ,fri Page Fourtufn EARLY TO RISE -Group calisthenics are the first exercises of the day. .v.v.v.v.v.v. v v v v. mv v. .v.v v.v.v v. . v r.v.v.v.v.v.v-v.v.v v v v v.v.v.v-v-v v v v vv v v.

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xr Q ,r stantly increasing appro- -- priation for this purpose has been insullicient each year to provide room for all the young men who desired to enroll. Camp capacity has grown from I0,000 in IQZI to 36,000 in 1927, hut even in this last year there were 20,000 more applications than places. This growth has come solely through greater appreciation lay young men and by their parents of the oppor- tunity that is offered. lt is certain that, if Congress will provide the necessary funds, young men will lill the camps up to the maximum that can he trained hy the oflicers and l10ll-COIll- missioned oiiicers of the Regular Army, with such help as the Organized Reserves can give. ' Some theories of social, economic and political organization have won public support in the United States only through intensive pro- paganda. This is not at all true of voluntary SEVEN YEARS OF THE CMTC training or of the camps wlnch incorporate this CHAN N I, qlmm,RAH idea. 'I he. I-louse of Atldjnr C,-,,,-,-,,1, U, 3, ,1,,,,5. Representatives and the The Chit-l ol Stall' Senate authorized them il FIELD ARTILLERY shares with Infantry and Cavalry the t th ' 1 d ' ' - in Coast Artillery is given on the Atlantic and the Pacific andptliiigrgiilfaof Meeiilcg? camps' while trammg Pagr TlIl.ff1'1'll n A n 1Y.'n'nYu'nv-Y vnvn' Y Y Y I -V-'If'-V-V-'-V-V-'M' ' ' ' ' ' ' r.v.v.v.v.v-vw.v.vmv.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.

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SEVEN YEARS OF 'THE CMTC Camps space that could not have been pur- chased for commercial purposes for less than many hundreds of thousands of dollars. They have given publicity to the camps because they recognized popular interest in voluntary training, just as Congress for the same reason has granted the necessary appropriations for the CMTC. Indeed, no other Governmental activity has won in recent years such unqualified approval as the Citizens' Camps. The Amer- ican Federation of Labor sent a committee last year to inspect the training at Plattsburg and afterwards in its national convention at Detroit unanimously declared, f'We believe that it would be advantageous to all the boys of our country to take advantage of the opportunity afforded them in the Citizens, Military Training Camps. They benefit by i . THE CMTC MESS is one reason why the men show an average gain of several pounds within the thirty days of the training period. the discipline. It stimulates their patriotic spirit and teaches them the principles of citizen- ship. Our investigation disclosed the fact that the boys who are taking advantage of this course are enthusiastic in their praise of the benefit they derive from this training. It is remarkable what benefits accrue to a boy after spending one month in camp. The Chair- man ofthe United States Steel Corporation believes that our young men should be trained in such regular and intelligent courses of study and practice as are afforded by the Citizen's Military Training Camps . These words express the feeling of employers throughout the country, who have given them substantialbacking by the allowance of two weeks' extra vacation with pay to such of their young men as are reckoned best qualified for this training. Corporations have largely profited by this action thru the better morale of thousands of their young employees who are striving by faithful and intelligent service to' show themselves worthy of such recognition. In religious denominations there has been from time to time some dissentient voice or query, but even thosegroupswhich have doubted the propriety of compulsory military in- struction in colleges supported by public taxation have not found a legitimate argument IN OCEAN, LAKE OR ARIVER or in pools like this, swimming is everywhere a favorite sport. Page F zflren ' 'i ------ VV .v... .v.v.v.v.v.vv ' l