Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 44 Part 2.djvu/823

 centum of the total authorized commissioned strength of such service. Officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men of the National Guard participating in exercises of performing duries provied for by section 92, 94, 97, and 99 of the National Defense Act, as amended, and of the Reserves of the services mentioned in the title of this Act called to active duty shall reveive an increase of 50 per centum of their pay when by orders of competent authority they are required to participate regularly and frequently in aerial flights, and when in consequence of such order they do participate in regular and frequent aerial flights as defined by such Executive orders as have heretofore been, or may hereafter be, promulgated by the President and when such flying involves travel they shall also receive the same allowances for traveling expenses as are or hereafter may be authorized for the Regular Army: Provided, That when officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men of the National Guard are entitled to armory drill pay, the increase of 50 per centum thereof herein provided shall be based on the entire amount of such armory drill pay to which they shall be entitled for a calendar month or fractional part thereof, and the required aerial flights may be made at ordered drills of an Air Service organization, or at other times when so authorized by the President. Regulations in execution of the provisions of this section shall be made by the President and shall, whenever practicable in his judgement, be uniform for all the services concerned."

. —That the third sentence of section 4c of the Act entitled "An Act for making further and more effectual provision for the national defense, and for other purposes," approved June 3, 1916, as amended, be, and the same is hereby, amended by adding thereto the following:

"And provided further, That during the period of seven years immediately following July 1, 1926, any appointment as Chief of the Air Corps shall be made from among officers of any grade of not less than fifteen years' commissioned service, and from these who have demonstrated by actual and extended service in such corps that they are qualified for such appointment; and as assistants from among officers of not less than fifteen years' commissioned service of similar qualifications: Provided, That the Chief of the Air Corps shall make recommendations to the Secretary of War for the appointment of his assistants."

. —For the purpose of increasing the efficiency of the Air Corps of the Army and for its further development the following five-year program is authorized:

—The number of promotion-list officers now authorized by law in the grade of second lieutenant of the Regular Army is hereby increased by four hundred and three, and the number of enlisted men now authorised by law for the Regular Army is hereby authorized to be increased by six thousand two hundred and forty: Provided, That the increase in the number of officers and enlisted men herein authorized shall be allotted as hereinafter provided. The present allotment of officers to the Air Corps is hereby authorized to be increased by four hundred and three officers distributed in grades from colonel to second lieutenant, inclusive, and the present allotment of enlisted men to the Air Corps is hereby authorized to be increased by six thousand two hundred and forty enlisted men. The President is authorized to call to active service, with their consent, such number of Air Corps reserve officers as he may deem necessary, not to exceed five hundred and fifty, 90 per centum of whom shall serve for periods of not more than one year, and 10 per centum for periods of not more than two years: Provided, That