As of January 31, 1945, the Army Nurse Corps consisted of the following personnel: Since that date there have of course been a substantial number of promotions and additions, but the figure for January 31, is the last one which has been published by The Adjutant General of the Army. Recently there have been a large number of promotions. In the period February 3-March 16, 1945, there were 4,291 promotions. The pay and allowances (rental and subsistence) of Army nurses are as follows: Nurses in Veterans' Administration facilities are civil-service employees and begin with a classification of SP-5, which carries an annual salary of $1,800, and as a wartime measure they are being paid $2,190 for a 48-hour week. Every 18 months the nurses receive a promotion of $60, until they reach a total salary of $1,980 plus overtime. Then if the efficiency rating is "Excellent" they receive a salary of $2,160 plus overtime. The position of head nurse is classified as SP-6 with a salary range of $2,000 to $2,600, or SP-7 with a salary range of $2,300 to $2,900, or SP-8 with a salary range of $2,600 to $3,200, depending upon the responsibility of the assignment. These classifications are reached in a period approximately 10%1⁄2 years. The total number in each classification at the present time are: SP-5, 4,457; SP-6, 440; SP-7, 90; SP-8, 20. In considering the relative compensation of Army nurses and Veterans' Administration nurses, it should be borne in mind that Army nurses do not pay Federal income tax on the money received as rental and subsistence allowances and, like all other military personnel, are entitled to an additional deduction of $1,500 for income-tax purposes. It should also be noted that Veterans' Administration nurses, like all civil-service employees, contribute 5 percent of their income for retirement purposes, whereas there is no similar obligation on Army nurses. In addition, an Army nurse has the privileges granted under the G. I. bill of rights, including veterans' preference. Sincerely yours, GEORGE F. LULL, General KIRK. May I make this statement before General KIRK. Since World War I until our nurses were given a commission by the kindness of this body, the Veterans' Bureau nurse received more pay as a civilian employee than did the Army nurse. Now, at the present time, when the Army nurse is commissioned, it tops her in her pay rate over the veterans' nurse. So, to level that off, legislation or something is necessary to increase that particular grade in civil service, to increase the pay of the civilian nurse that the Veterans' Bureau hires. Senator O'MAHONEY. I wonder if you would be good enough to look into this problem and make whatever suggestions you may care to make to the committee as to whether or not it would be desirable to amend this bill in such form as to up the grade of every nurse now in the Nursing Corps, a blanket increase all of the way up the line of grade compensation. Everyone has testified as to the wonderful service the nurses have been giving and the great sacrifices they have made and the arduous character of their work. Is there any objection to our making formal recognition of that work in this bill, and how can that recognition best be given? I should like to have the recommendation of the War Department on that score. General KIRK. Yes, sir. That will have to come from the War Department and not from me. Senator O'MAHONEY. Secretary Patterson is here and listening. Senator REVERCOMB. Why would it not be feasible and workable, General, to have a special corps for the practical nurses so you might use them where you want them? General KIRK. You mean to draft the practical nurses? Senator REVERCOMB. Yes. General KIRK. Is there any standard, sir, on which you can tell who is a practical nurse? Is there any standard so we would know she had proper training as a practical nurse? Senator REVERCOMB. No; that is a matter you would have to determine. General KIRK. I do not believe there is any standard on which we could do that, except to examine each individual. We have a standard by State law as to who a registered nurse is, but I do not think there is any standard whatever on a practical nurse whereby we could determine her qualifications to meet a standard we normally would have to have if we are going to use her to take care of wounded soldiers. Senator O'MAHONEY. Mr. Chairman, before the session ends, I would like to amplify what I have said in questions to General Kirk, and I think Senator Maybank agrees. It is our feeling that a minimum grade for an Army nurse should be first lieutenant, at least. Of course, those who are brought in now should not be brought in in any preferential status, but I do feel that much of the problem would be solved if proper recognition were given by way of grade and salary to the nurses who have rendered outstanding services in the whole corps. Senator MAYBANK. Let me add in connection with your statement, General, about these nurses in the Southwest Pacific having been there for 3 years and still being second lieutenants, it does seem to me, considering the wonderful work they are doing, they should have had more recognition. I am not criticizing, and I want to commend you for having recommended them for promotion by their commanding officer. General KIRK. I made a fuss about it; all I knew how. Senator MAYBANK. I have no criticism of you, General, but where a nurse stays for 3 years in the Pacific, with the climatic conditions and all of the inconveniences they are subjected to out there and still be a second lieutenant, that does not make sense. Senator O'MAHONEY. Let me suggest, General, if you make a fuss with us you will no doubt get more attention. The CHAIRMAN. We will adjourn until 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. (Whereupon at 12:25 p. m. the committee recessed until Wednesday, March 21, 1945, at 10 a. m.) NURSES FOR THE ARMED FORCES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1945 UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10 a. m. in room 424 Senate Office Building, Senator Elbert D. Thomas (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Thomas of Utah, Kilgore, O'Mahoney, Austin, and Gurney. Also present: Representative Frances P. Bolton, of Ohio. The CHAIRMAN. Admiral, for the record, will you state your name and whatever other information you want to have appear? STATEMENT OF REAR ADMIRAL W. J. C. AGNEW, MEDICAL CORPS, UNITED STATES NAVY, ASSISTANT TO CHIEF OF BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY Admiral AGNEW. My name is William J. C. Agnew, rear admiral, Assistant to the Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department. I have a short statement, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. Just go right ahead, Admiral. Admiral AGNEW. I have previously testified before the Committee on Military Affairs of the House of Representatives on a bill to insure adequate nursing care for the armed forces. That was on February 7, 1945, and the situation with respect to the Navy has undergone no material change since that date. My testimony, therefore, is essentially the same as that which was previously given, and I must again preface my remarks with the statement that, as the Navy Department has not yet submitted comment on the bill, my comments thereon are as a representative of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery only. The Medical Department of the Navy has not experienced and does not anticipate the acute difficulties in the procurement of nurses which confront the Army, but the overall need of the military services for additional nurses is appreciated and for that reason the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery is in favor of the purpose of this proposed legislation. The requirements of the Navy Nurse Corps are, roughly, 3 nurses for each 1,000 of total Navy and Marine Corps personnel. Estimated on this and certain other factors, the quota for the Navy Nurse Corps has been determined as 11,500 as of June 30, 1945. At the present time there are 9,580 nurses on active duty. We have in the Bureau 3,000 applications for appointment, of which number 600 have been approved and will result in the issuance of commissions to 600 additional nurses, making a total strength of approximately 10,180. The CHAIRMAN. You say you have 6,000 applications now in the Bureau? Admiral AGNEW. We have 3,000, sir. The CHAIRMAN. 3,000? Admiral AGNEW. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. How long have they been there, Admiral; how long have they been pending? Admiral AGNEW. After the President's appeal in January, we received 2,886 during the month of February. The total in the month of March is not determined because now our applications go through the Procurement Office of the Navy. The CHAIRMAN. Up to now the applications have been running in a normal way; about how many a month do you get under ordinary circumstances? Admiral AGNEW. In October 1944 we had 264; in November, 380; December, 385; January, 855; February, 2,886. The CHAIRMAN. You were taking care of your needs right along, up until the first of the year, on those applications, were you? Admiral AGNEW. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What have you done in the way of change in regulations that has made it possible for you to take more nurses? I think I have read something about that. Admiral AGNEW. We have a ceiling established for all personnel in the Navy, which is established by the Navy Department, the Operations Department of the Navy. Our ceiling for nurses was established at 11,000. We anticipated, in view of the increased casualties we have had in the Marine Corps fighting in Iwo Jima, that we would need additional nurses. So we asked the Operations Department of the Navy to increase our ceiling to 11,500. We anticipate that will be done. The CHAIRMAN. What about the nurses that get married; have you changed that regulation? Admiral AGNEW. Formerly, if a nurse married, her resignation was accepted. On January 10 that regulation was changed and now the resignation of a nurse is not accepted because she marries. It is accepted for cause as, for instance, if she becomes pregnant, her resignation is then accepted. The CHAIRMAN. The change in that regulation was due to the agitation for this bill, was it? Admiral AGNEW. No, sir. We had an attrition of nurses, Mr. Chairman, of approximately 100 a month by reason of marriage. The CHAIRMAN. Do you think the Navy would have reformed without this bill? Admiral AGNEW. Well, at the time-our superintendent of nurses, Captain Dauser, is here--at the time that change was made we needed about 2,000 nurses. Captain DAUSER. Yes; we were running short on our monthly allowance. The CHAIRMAN. What about the other changes in regulations; what about the colored nurses; is there any racial discrimination? Admiral AGNEW. We have no racial discrimination in the Nurse Corps. We have one colored nurse appointed and several applications are now pending. The CHAIRMAN. Are you taking them? Admiral AGNEW. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What about your institution in Hawaii; do you use Japanese nurses there? Admiral AGNEW. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Not in Hawaii? Admiral AGNEW. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Anywhere? Admiral AGNEW. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Do you use Chinese nurses? Admiral AGNEW. Yes, sir; we have one nurse of Chinese descent. The CHAIRMAN. If this bill passes as it is worded now, as it comes over from the House, then what about it? Admiral AGNEW. We are hoping, Mr. Chairman, that the voluntary clause will be continued in this law when it is passed and we anticipate we will have no difficulty in meeting our requirements. The CHAIRMAN. That is, you expect to operate on the voluntary basis and therefore ignore the theory laid down in the law in regard to races and the other provisions? Admiral AGNEW. We would not ignore it, Mr. Senator. If we could not through the voluntary method obtain our monthly allowancewhich, after we reach 11,500 by July we anticipate will be approximately 100 a month, we would accept nurses from Selective ServiceI mean under this law, if it were enacted. The CHAIRMAN. Without regard to nationality? Admiral AGNEW. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. That is, nationality in the sense of their being Americans? Admiral AGNEW. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. You have never had a ban against German girls who were born of German parents? Admiral AGNEW. Not as long as they were American citizens. The CHAIRMAN. Of course, the Japanese born in the United States are American citizens, too; are they not? Admiral AGNEW. We have never had an application from the Japanese. The CHAIRMAN. The Japanese have not applied? Admiral AGNEW. No. The CHAIRMAN. Why have they not? Practically all the nursing in Hawaii is done by Japanese nurses, is it not, civilian nurses? Captain DAUSER. The nursing field is very limited in Honolulu. They are short on civilian nurses. The CHAIRMAN. With a population of three-fourths of one nationality, it seems to me they must be. Captain DAUSER. That is probably why we have not had any applicants, because they have been so much in demand in Honolulu. The CHAIRMAN. Were there any other changes in regulations to make it easier to get nurses? Admiral AGNEW. The Secretary of the Navy has recently accepted for reappointment in the Nurse Corps of the Navy Reserve all nurses who during the last year, the calendar year 1944, resigned because of marriage. The CHAIRMAN. That is, the girls can go back if they wish? |