Extracted text

OCR Page 1 of 18
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT BUREAU OF THE BUDGET WASHINGTON 25, D.C. OCT 5 1945 My dear Mr. Latta: The Congress has enacted H.R. 3951, "To stimulate volunteer enlist- ments in the Regular Military and Naval Establishments of the United States. The President, in his message of September 6, 1945, urged the Congress to consider ways and means to assure the maximum success of campaigns to recruit volunteers for the Regular Army and the Regular Navy. This enrolled enactment is designed to accomplish that purpose and directs the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy to carry forward intensive recruiting campaigns for volunteers. It suspends the 280,000 ceiling on the size of the Regular Army and directs the accept- ance of enlistments and reenlistments therein for periods of 18 months or two or three years from persons not less than 17 years of age and reenlistments for one year from persons who have served in the Army for not less than six months. The proposed measure requires quarterly reports on volunteer enlistments in the Regular Army, and terminates the authority to recruit for the Regular Army on June 30, 1947. Enrolled enactment H.R. 3951 offers certain inducements to persons who volunteer thereunder for the Regular Army or the Regular Navy. It provides for payment of enlistment or reenlistment furlough allowances and for payment of enlistment allowances; for acceleration of mustering- out payments; for reestablishment of the right to select family allowances instead of monetary allowances in lieu of quarters; for continuance of receipt of family allowances during the enlistment or reenlistment period by persons who enlist or reenlist prior to July 1, 1946; for extension of free mail privileges to December 31, 1947; for continuance of the overseas pay differential; for enlistment or reenlistment in the highest permanent or temporary grade held at the time of discharge by any person hlisting or reenlisting prior to February 1, 1946; and for extensi on of the time within which the privileges provided by the Servicemen's Readjust- ment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill of Rights) may be enjoyed. It also authorizes retirement by enlisted members of the Regular Army upon completion of 20 or more years' service. The Secretary of War is authorized by the enrolled enactment to enlist in the Philippine Scouts, with the approval of the Philippine Government, for periods of three years, 50,000 men for service in the Philippine Islands, in the occupation of Japan and of lands now or formerly subject to Japan, and elsewhere in the Far East. Citizens of the Philippine Islands are eligible to volunteer for such enlist- ment. KRUMAD NARA