GENERAL ORDERS, No. 79. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, October 30, 1889. By direction of the Secretary of War the following regulations to carry into effect the 3d and 4th sections of the act approved June 18, 1878, providing for the promotion of meritorious non-commissioned officers, are substituted for those heretofore published: SEC. 3. That hereafter all vacancies in the grade of second lieutenant shall be filled by appointment from the graduates of the Military Academy so long as any such remain in service unassigned; and any vacancies thereafter remaining shall be filled by promotion of meritorious non-commissioned officers of the Army, recommended under the provisions of the next section of this act: Provided that all vacancies remaining, after exhausting the two classes named, may be filled by appointment of persons in civil life. SEC. 4. That to insure the selection of proper candidates for promotion from the grade of non-commissioned oflicers, company and battery commanders will report to their regimental commanders such as, in their opinion, by education, conduct, and services, seem to merit advancement, and who have served not less than two years in the Army; the reports to set forth a description of the candidate, his length of service as non-commissioned officer and as private soldier, his character as to fidelity and sobriety, his physical qualifications and mental abilities, the extent to which his talents have been cultivated, and his fitness generally to discharge the duties of a commissioned officer. If recommended on account of meritorious services, the particular services referred to must be stated in detail. On receiving the reports of company or battery commanders, the regimental commander will forward the same to the department commanders, with such recommendation of non-commissioned regimental staff as he may deem worthy of promotion; and the department commander shall annually assemble a board to consist of five officers of as high rank as the convenience of the service will admit, to make a preliminary examination into the claims and qualifications of such non-commissioned officers. The board, constituted as above, shall submit a full statement in the case of each candidate examined; and on the said statements, the Department Commander shall indorse his remarks and forward them to the Secretary of War by the first day of June in each year. The Chief of Engineers and of other staff corps may make similar recommendations of the non-commissioned officers of their respective commands to the Secretary of War, who shall convene a board of officers for like purpose. I..The mode of making recommendations and preliminary examinations is set forth in the law above quoted. Department commanders will require that all proceedings in this matter, under their supervision, conform to the law. Examining boards will make all papers a part of their record in every case, each being made up separately. The recommendations must be accompanied by testimonials from reputable persons to whom the non-commissioned officer was known prior to his enlistment. II. Non-commissioned officers who are under twenty-one or over thirty years of age, or who are married, are not eligible for such promotion, and shall not be examined. III--Examining boards in examining non-commissioned officers recommended for promotion will examine each separately, the questions and answers to be in writing, and to form,a part of the record of the board. The examination of each person as to qualifications should embrace the following subjects: First. In his knowledge of English grammar, and his ability to read and write with facility and correctness. Second. In his knowledge of arithmetic, and his ability in the application of its rules to all practical questions. Third. In his knowledge of geography, particularly in reference to the northern continent of America. Fourth. In his knowledge of history, particularly in reference to his own country. Fifth. In his knowledge of the Constitution of the United States, and of the organization of the Government under it, and of the general principles which regulate international intercourse. IV. The board will consider eight as the maximum of the first, fourth, and fifth heads, and ten as the maximum of the second and third heads; and no candidate will be passed by the board who shall not have received more than half of the number of maximum marks under each head or subject of examination. V-Examination into mental and moral qualifications should cover the history of the person examined to date of examination, and establish for a successful candidate a continuously sound mental condition, excellent moral character, a good character for sobriety and fidelity, as well as an intelligent, energetic, judicious, and faithful performance of such duties as may have been devolved upon him in the Army. Examination as to physical qualification should include a certificate of physical examination, by an Army surgeon, to accompany the proceedings of the board, and embrace all the information required in the form for the examination of recruits. VI.. When an examining board shall have passed upon more than one candidate, the order of relative merit of all the candidates examined by the board will be reported. VII__The duty of making recommendations and examination of candidates is one involving, in a high degree, the welfare and character of the service, and all officers are enjoined to exercise the utmost circumspection and care, not only that no unworthy candidate be recommended, but also that the most worthy shall be recommended. All statements not based on the personal knowledge of officers themselves should be carefully verified by disinterested evidence. As far as practicable candidates will be promoted in their regiments. VIII. As the number of vacancies for candidates is limited, commanders and examining boards should bear this in mind, that expectations of promotion which cannot be realized be not raised. IX--Troop, battery, and company commanders will forward their recommendation to regimental headquarters by the 1st of February in each year, and regimental commanders will forward them to department headquarters by the end of the same month, that there may be ample time to enable the examining boards to be convened and complete their work in the time required by law. X.." Meritorious non-commissioned officers of the Army recommended," under the provisions of law above quoted, will receive a certificate to that effect from the Adjutant General of the Army, and will be known in the service as 66 candidates for promotion," and will have the title of "candidate" prefixed to that of their rank on all rolls, returns, orders, and correspondence. They will be entitled to wear on each sleeve of their coat a single stripe of gilt lace, similar to that worn by commissioned officers, but will be entitled to this privilege so long only as they maintain the specially honorable position of "candidate." XI--The privileges of a candidate terminate with the calendar year next succeeding that in which he receives his "certificate," unless his recommendation shall be continued by the succeeding boards of examination; but it will not be necessary to re-examine candidates under the first five sections of the third paragraph of this order. Candidates who become ineligible by reason of over-age shall be entitled to wear the candidate's stripe on the left sleeve only so long as they maintain the same standing and good conduct as noncommissioned officers in the service as at their examination. XII. "Candidates" who may be guilty of misconduct will be promptly reported to the Adjutant General of the Army, through regimental and department headquarters, the report to give a full statement of the misconduct alleged, with names of witnesses. Before forwarding such report to the Adjutant General of the Army, the department commander will see that the "candidate" has a fair and impartial hearing, that the merits of the case may be carefully and accurately determined and reported on for the decision of the Secretary of War. Any candidate who loses his position of non-commissioned officer ceases to be a candidate and forfeits his privileges as such. XIII "C "Candidates" who think themselves wronged in the loss of that position, shall have a right to trial by general court-martial on appeal, within two months, to the department commander, and no non-commissioned officer, while holding the privileges of a "candidate," shall be brought before a garrison or regimental court-martial. BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL SCHOfield: J. C. KELTON, OFFICIAL: Assistant Adjutant General. Adjutant General. General Orders, No. 80. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, November 5, 1889. By direction of the Secretary of War paragraph 417 of the Regulations is amended to read as follows: 417. There shall be, daily, at least two roll-calls, viz., at reveille and retreat. They will be made on the company parades by the 1st sergeants, superintended by a commissioned officer. Ordinarily there will not be any formation for roll-call at tattoo, but the prescribed signal will be sounded, and fifteen minutes thereafter all lights will be extinguished and all noises and loud talking cease. Taps shall be sounded at 11 o'clock p. m., when an inspection of quarters shall be made by the 1st sergeants, who will report to the officer of the day the names of all enlisted men who may be absent therefrom without leave. BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL SCHOFIELD: OFFICIAL: J. C. KELTON, Adjutant General. Assistant Adjutant General. |