Question 22: Free Response

I would like very much to go into Combat duty overseas.

I think we should get furlows more often than we do.

I feel that all married men in service should be discharged from 30 years and passed with children and all married men should not have to put in 6 months after the war.

Many men are placed in construction and working outfits who should actually be in an outfit where more intelligence is required. Many are just out of school and have no chance for advancement in an outfit where you are rated according to civilian positions you held. I personally think the more learned should be weeded out and sent to some form of school.

1. Most men in the Army are not encouraged or allowed to think.

2. Too much stress is placed on appearances and "passing the buck" 3. The Medical Units are poor and seem not to differentiate between men with legitimate complaints and "gold-bricks." 4. The policy regarding furloughs is 100% wrong. Service or distance from home means nothing. 5. The officers in many cases are not good leaders. 6. Morale is discussed as a subject and then nothing done about it. 7. Considering everything the Army is doing a good job.

I think that the Army should be certain that a man is properly placed in the Army. For instance I am a mechanical draftsmen (Spec # 071) and since the T.O. of the organization does not call for that job I have been placed as a general mechanic which my training has nothing to do with. I know that my case is one among many and I feel that the Army would be better off if men were placed in positions they knew something about and enjoyed.

I think if they gave you a chance to show what you are worth, you wouldnít be a private. The non-coms now a days donít give a man a chance whatsoever. They try to hold him down most of the time. And picking the same man every time for details is the bunk. Just because heís a private that donít mean he gets everything. To many suck holes in this present army. If you donít suck you get the bad end of the deal. There is such a thing as being fair with the men. Just because a noncom donít like a man that donít mean he should be a private all his life. That donít apply to all NCOs though about 60% of them. That is one of the biggest gripes in the present army today.

60. you can't rub shit into men like some of our officers do, by officers I mean between the capt's up to the Colonel & expect to get good results. We may have the best dam outfit in the South but with the right leadership we'd be a hell of a lot better. examplea corporal who will give his men - (as a whole) a a break when their doing some unnessary work, like taking a drink or a smoke or a short break usually gets more results from his men of course he makes them do their work but they work harder when things aren't to crazy .

I believe that too many Non-Coms have been chosen in this outfit on the basis of favoritism - not on their ability as leaders & good workers. There has not been enough investigation of the qualities & talents and general attitude towards work, that is the officers have overlooked a good-deal in choosing men for promotion.

There is too much shit in this Regiment.

I have a suggestion regarding emergency furloughs I suggest they should be given when any relation is seriously ill. as it is you can only get one when a member of the immediate family is ill.

I think I answered all those questions the best of my ability. I think that the 393rd Reg't is ready to do any job that they are called on to do. We are ready.

I believe a man over 32 years old would be of better use to the U.S. on Defense job or producing vital necessities.

I enlisted in the Army with experience in construction work as foreman, mechanic or truck driver. I am listed in the company TO as a carpenter, which I know nothing about. Had I been told these things before I would still be a civilian, I believe to many good men are being wasted in wrong jobs in the Army. Their skills are being wasted.

I believe that, if the officers consulted the non-coms as to what kind of work the men in this squad were doing, instead of trying to figure it out for themselves, all of the men would have an equal chance to get rated. after all the officers do not have as good a chance to know what the men are doing as the non-com.

I think that Strict Discipline will make a good soldier but the average American soldier can't take it and do his job well. It causes too much personal feeling's between the officers and men.

I know the Army is too big to be very efficient on the whole. But personally I do believe 40% of the promotions are the result of hand shaking. In other words its not "what you know" but "who you know"

Remarks:

I suggest, also the boys here, that our voluntary enlistments in the Corps of Engr [Engineers] at E.U.T.C. [Engineer Unit Training Center] Camp Clairborne La. be investigated as we are being disregarded on our special trade assignments and can get no reason whatsoever for it from any of our superior officers. If there is no longer a desire for our trades why did they open enlistments to us and still advertise them and disregard us as we are sure we could qualify if we could only be given a chance to prove our ability. Thanking you.

The answers to these questions probably gives the idea that generally speaking I am down on the Army as a whole. This is due to the fact that I was encouraged by the U.S. Eng. to enlist in the Eng. Corps, and that I would be placed in work that I had experience in. The possibility of my ever getting this type of work are very very remote . For that reason I believe that my experience would be more valuable in private industry.

On the whole I think this outfit has very few good noncoms and officers