FIRE PROTECTION 12. An inspection of fire-protection equipment disclosed no deficiencies. In addition to the local fire-fighting equipment and precautions, the District of Columbia Fire Department is available on call. MINOR DEFICIENCIES 13. A report of minor deficiencies, suggestions for improvement in conditions of the home, and other matters that are not deemed of sufficient importance to be included in this report, have been furnished to the governor of the home for his information and for such action as he may deem appropriate. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 14. The administration of the United States Soldiers' Home has been, in the main, efficient and economical. Due consideration has been given to the general welfare of the members and of the institution as a whole. VIRGIL L. PETERSON, Major General, APPENDIX B The Numbers, Grades, and Assignments of the Officers and Enlisted Men of the Army, and the Numbers, Kinds, and Strength of Organizations, Pertaining to Each Branch of the Service (Par. 4c, National Defense Act, 41 Stat. L. 762) APPENDIX B The following statistical data pertaining to the fiscal year ended June 30, 1940, are furnished in compliance with the provisions of the last sentence of section 4 (c) of the act of Congress approved June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. L. 762), reading as follows: The Secretary of War shall annually report to Congress the numbers, grades, and assignments of the officers and enlisted men of the Army, and the number, kinds, and strength of organizations pertaining to each branch of the service. In addition to the data called for by that section of the law, the losses of the Army during the period covered by this report are also shown in detail. AUTHORIZED STRENGTH OF THE ARMY An act of Congress approved April 3, 1939 (Public, No. 18, 76th Cong.), provides that on and after July 1, 1939, the peacetime commissioned strength of the Regular Army shall be 16,719, to be attained in 10 approximately equal annual increments. Under appropriations for the pay of the Army, and appropriations for rivers and harbors improvements, which included pay for 185 additional officers in the Corps of Engineers, authorized by the act of June 26, 1936, funds were available in the fiscal year 1940 for an apportionment of 13,637 officers to the different arms and services. The following table shows this apportionment of 13,637 officers: Detailed from other arms or services and included in the figures for those arms or services. No legislative change was made in the authorized warrant officer strength for the fiscal year 1940. The actual strength on June 30, 1940, was 763, or 12 less than the total at the close of the previous year. This loss represents the difference between 57 appointments and 69 separations during the year. Of the 763 warrant officers of all classes in active service, 165 were exempt from the statutory limitation of 600 prescribed by the act of June 30, 1922. As the result of an examination of 166 candidates for appointment as band leaders, held in April 1939, only 9 qualified. Their names were placed on an eligible list from which appointments are being made as vacancies occur. While the National Defense Act, as amended by the act of June 4, 1920, authorized a total of 280,000 enlisted men in the Regular Army, available appropriations necessarily govern the size of the Army each year. The enlisted strength provided for by appropriations for the fiscal year 1940, and recruiting activities incident to the current Army expansion program, are described in some detail elsewhere in this report under Recruiting. ACTUAL STRENGTH OF THE ARMY The actual strength of the Army on June 30, 1939, and June 30, 1940, by arms and services is shown in the following table, including retired personnel on active duty: 1 Exclusive of 46 officers on duty with, but not detailed in, the General Staff. 2 Includes 1 retired Philippine Scout officer on active duty. 3 Includes both commissioned and warrant officers. 4 Includes 109 officers on duty with, but not detailed in, General Staff. |