Page 6 insurance and allotment, classification and assignment, the medical section, and articles of w a r are the major aspects of processing that will have immediate bearing upon the new soldier. Ju brief, these sections function as follows : Classification Tests The Army General Classification Test is designed to measure a recruit's general intelligence. It is helpful in determining potential fitness of the inductee, and is a fair index of the recruit's ability to absorb army training. Insurance and Allotment When the average selectee comes to the Reception Center, he shows his first concern for members of his family, and begins to make immediate inquiries about dependency allotment. It is the insurance and allotment section that takes care of dependency allotment for the soldier, providing allowances on basis of primary and secondary dependents. All necessary papers must be in hand before allotments can be made out. Insurance, upward to $10,000, is taken out on the soldier with the N a tional Life Insurance Co. It is optional with the new Army man. however, and if he does not desire insurance no effort will be made to force him. The majority of soldiers avail themselves of government insurance. In December, 1943, a total of $41,378,000 worth of insurance was taken out by selectees passing through Fort Benning's Reception Center. Assigned members of the Reception Center have a total of $42,134,851 worth of insurance. Classification-Assignment On the basis of the general classification test, and interviews, soldiers are classified and assigned, as nearly as possible, according to their best ability to perform given tasks. " W e attempt to make a round peg fit a round hole in assigning men," Col. James said. Practically all enlisted men now making up the staff of the various sections of the Reception Center were recruits who went through the same procedure as the soldiers they are presently helping to process. Their subsequent a s signments in the Reception Center were in recognition of special training or vocations they followed as civilians. Medical Section Selectees receive physical examination, typhoid, and smallpox vaccination, and if permanently assigned to the Reception Center take tetanus shots. checkups are made to guard soldiers against venereal diseases. Records of the medical section are part of the permanent files and can be used to chart a soldier's health condition throughout the course of his military career. Articles of W a r It is imperative that every selectee hears the Articles of W a r . and he Is impressed with the fact that he is governed by these laws of the United States Army. _ He is told what serious offenses in times of war will result in a military punishment—and cautioned not to be guilty of infraction
THE
SPHINX
of civil laws with any notions of escaping with impunity. The Armed Forces Induction Station, located within the vicinity of the Reception Center, is combined with f o r t Benning's Reception Center to make one command, under leadership of Colonel James. Two Lieutenant Colonels are also on the Reception Center Staff. They are Lt. Col. William T. Tippcns, executive officer; and Lt. Col. Ernest J. Knott, executive officer of the Special Training Regiment Other officers are : Captain Boyd O. Raggett, adjutant; Major Arthur W. Frye, operations and training officer. S T R ; and W a r r a n t Officer W O J G D. J. Delbert. All of these officers, with years of seasoned experience in military administration, have been responsible for the outstanding success of Fort Benning's Reception Center. They have given yeomen service and assistance, however, by well-trained members of the enlisted personnel, many of whom are_ college graduates. They are especially fitted for their work by reason of their own experience in the various professions and trade. Members of the enlisted personnel assigned to the Reception Center Headquarters a r e : Master Sergeant Tames C. Sales; Technical Sergeant Chester A. Harp and Willie H. McGhec; Sergeant Tommy J. Collins and George F. Comer; T-5 Joshua Harding, Russell D. Leonard, Robert Miller, Sollie Mitchell, Harvey S. M o o r e ; I'fc. P e r r y McKelvin, J r . ; Pvts. Bartis Abraham, William L. Bagwell, Milton E. Chester and James Evans. Two members of the W A C Detachment, Section H, Station Complement, Pfc. Jennie Byrd of Springfield, O h i o ; and Pfc. Emma E. Hughes, of K a n sas City, Missouri, are likewise a s signed to the Reception Center Headquarters. In the field of music and sports, soldiers of the Reception Center have made a national reputation for this military unit. Few centers in continental America or at overseas posts can boast of a finer chorus and band. And the Reception Center athletes captured service titles in basket ball, baseball and football during the past season. The Reception Center Tigers, coached by Captain Charles Houghland, former Notre Dame star, and made up of some of the leading ex-college gridiron illuminaries, amassed more than 200 points against their opponents' 13 during their eight-game series. They clinched the southeastern title in the Victory Bowl game New Year's Day by defeating Camp Forrest, 77 to 0. An up and coming R. C. basket ball team, mana.ged by Captain David A. Hess, shows promises of becoming another championship outfit. Under skillful guidance of Staff Sergeant Eugene H. Heyward. of Miami, Florida. the Reception Center baseball club won the southeastern servicemen's title. Sergeant Willis Brown, of Richmond, Alabama, is leader of the popular Reception Center chorus, which
May, 1944
Receives
Appointment
B R O T H E R HARRY C. W A R D Brother Harry C. Ward was appointed Juvenile Probation Officer for Tulsa on April 17, lo-R l | c resigned his position as principal of one of the county schools of Tulsa, which position he had maintained for the past live years, to accept his new duties. Brother Ward is vice-president of Alpha Tan Lambda chapter and becomes the second Negro to fill the Juvenile Post. gives weekly broadcasts over W R B L , Columbus, Georgia, by remote control from Fort Benning. Narrations for the broadcast are prepared by Sergeant William Washburn. Jr., of Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee, who serves as assistant to Captain Robert Reynolds, commander of the Special S c i viee Section. Sgts. Brown and Washburn have trained the chorus to master sonic of the m o s t difficult numbers, and their appearances on the post, and m nearby Columbus, Atlanta rind Fort Valley, Georgia, arc regarded as top attractions. T. Sgt. A. A. Davenport, Birmingham, Alabama, heads up the Reception Center band and orchestra. He was a music instructor in Birmingham prior to his induction into the service. Between the Reception Center band and chorus, music has been made a commanding feature of Fort Benning. Other activities in the Reception Center evolve around the Chaplain's office which of necessity must workrapidly with the soldiers in view of their brief stay in the Center. Chaplain James R. C. Pinn, of W a s h ington, D. C , oldest Negro chaplain in point of service with the U. S. Army, is in charge of religious services at the Reception Center, and is assisted by Chaplain McDonald of Richmond, Virginia.. Chaplain Pinn, after serving overseas in Liberia, Africa, with the 41st Engineers from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, returned to the States in February, 1943, and was placed in charge of Negro chaplains of the 4th and 8th Service Commands.