ROTC Allows Delayed Tour Of Army Duty

Army R.O.T.C. graduates will be able to postpone active duty for three years, if they want to attend graduate school, under a policy change announced by the Army recently. The new regulation will go into effect next May 1.

The three-year postponement, originally applied only to medical students and those in special scientific fields, will now be extended to post-graduate students working full-time in any recognized field at a degree-granting institution. It was pointed out that this new regulation will pertain only to Army R.O.T.C. and will have no effect upon the Air Force and Navy groups.

Serious Enrollment Drop

Meanwhile, members of the R.O.T.C. staff at the University have revealed a serious drop in this year's enrollment, rising as high as a 50 per cent drop from last year in the Air Force program. Commanders of the three units at the College called this year's lag a serious one.

Col. Waldo B. Jones, professor of Air Science and commanding officer of Air Force R.O.T.C. said last night that only 30 recruits have been accepted, as compared to over 60 last year. There will only be about 70 new members of the Naval R.O.T.C. compared to the approximate hundred who joined last year.

Although figures are not yet complete, it has been indicated that smallest enrollment drop will be in the Army unit. It is generally believed that introduction of the new three year active duty postponement will attract a larger number of students to this unit.