Page:Legislative History of the AAF and USAF.djvu/56

 �This Page Declassified lAW EO12958 Legislatio Dur:ng the War Years flight would be issued the necessary avia- tion clothmg and equipment at govern- ment expense. During the course of such trainLug, when not quartered at the Md- tary Academy, they were to recmve the same allowances for travel, subsistence, and quarters as aviahon cadets; and during the course of such framing they were entitled to the same government msurance benefits as were provided for enlisted men of the Army detailed as awaton students under the Act oi June 3, 1941, Pubhc Law 99, 7 Cont., I Mess. If the officer were detailed to flyrag duty after completion of the course this msurance was to become compulsory, the promams being deducted from the pay of the msured. When the man was released from flying duty Ins insurance was to be- come optional and was to be paid for by the lrsuredJ  Thru legislaton was a matter of simple justice in that it placed on an equal footrag with the other trainees those U.S. Mli- tary Academy cadets detailed to take avia- tion framing. Certamly the small pay of the U.S Military Academy cadets was holly inadequate to enable them to pay their own hvlng expenses when hey were m aviatan framing Another tramrag measure which was of considerable sigrfificance m telatari to the AAF traimng program was the amendment to the Czvilian Pilot Traimng Act of 1939 enacted into law on 24 July 1942 This measure authorized the Czvil Aeronautics Authority "to train mvllan pilots and tech- nicians and mechamcs or to conduct pro- grams for such tramtrig, mcludlng studies and researches as to the most desirable quahficatons for arcraft priors and techni- cians and mocharoes. TM This extra legisla- twn had been opposed by the War Depart- ment because it did not restrict the tramtrig to Air Corps enhsted reservists on call by the commanding general, AAF, and did not proude that only that eqmpment which was already available for the pilot-traimng program should be used. Wthout these pro- wsions the War Department and the AAF felt that it was a useless diffusion of critical matenel and personnel. In the last analy- sis, however, the War Department had the authority under Executive Order 8974 to see that the act was interpreted and adman- astered o as to prowde the type of traanmg it desired.  During the period 1939 to 194 the Corps expanded so rapidly, and at a rela- tively greater rate than the rest of the Army, that some system of temporary pro- mothon, based on statutory authority, was urgently needed. Pubhc Law 52, 77 Cont., i Mess. (approved 22 September 1941) thonzed temporary promotion by selectou during the period of the emergency for all officers of the Army of the Urnted States. Such a general promotion plan, however, Was not adequate for Ar Corps needs. TM The orgamzahon of the AAF, bmlt around the combat plane, called for a hgher pro- portion of officers to enhsted men than was necessary in other branches, and smce pdots were generally young men, provision had to be made for the promoran of young officers Trns necessitated a flexible promo- tion system which could be operated wth- out regard for promotion procedure in other branches of the Army The devising and ad- mmistration of an Air Corps promotion sys- tem was oomphcared by the fact that there were six dfferent classes oI officers serwng wth the Air Corps. In the late summer of 1941 the AAF be- gan the preparation oi legislation which would set up a separate and urnform pro- motion system for the Army air arm. After considerable dscussion and roytmon of drafts by the various AAF organizetans concerned, a final draft which met the ap- proval of the Judge Advocate General and the Budget and Legslative Plannag Branch was prepared. After approval by the Bureau of the Budget, the bill was in- troduced in the Senate on 8 January 1942, and m the House on the following day. Congress passed the bill with two minor amendments, anO it became Public Law 455, 7 Cong., 2 Sess. on 18 February 1942 By the provlsmns of ths law any officer who was on Air Corps duty (includmg cers of the Regular Army Air Corps, of the Regular Army components, of the Ar Corps Reserve, of the Officers Reserve Corps, of THIS PAGE Declassified lAW EO12958