of paragraphs 101 and 102, Field Service Regulations, 1914. One of the rides will be concluded within 6 hours and 30 minutes and two within 7 hours and 30 minutes each, after starting, all to include proper rests. These tests will be conducted whenever practicable at the stations where the officer or officers may be serving and under the immediate supervision of the senior line officer present; otherwise the places will be designated by general officers commanding, and the tests will be conducted by them or by officers whom they may designate.

Department commanders will personally conduct at least one of the annual test rides. The Chief of Staff of the Army will cause officers stationed in Washington, not under the orders of a department commander, to be examined as prescribed in paragraph 2, and he or one of the general officers of the General Staff Corps will conduct the annual test ride for those officers. General officers will not be required to undergo the physical examination prescribed in paragraph 2.

The annual riding tests for officers serving in the Tropics will cover in the same number of days two-thirds of the distance, and in two-thirds of the time each day, required of officers serving elsewhere.

As soon as possible after the conclusion of the third day's march, and in no case more than three hours thereafter, each officer taking the test will be examined again by the medical officers referred to in paragraph 2, who will make report in accordance with directions found on the blank form.

So far as consistent with proper military interests, the physical examination and test of officers serving within the geographical limits of a department, but not ordinarily under the jurisdiction of the commander thereof, will be conducted so as to cause the least possible interference with the regular duties of these officers.

Should the medical officers certify in the case of any officer, after the physical examination prescribed in paragraph 2, that he can not, without seriously endangering his health, take the physical test herein prescribed, he will not be permitted to take it, provided the officer supervising the test approves the finding of the medical officers. Should this officer not approve such finding, he will at once report the case with his views thereon, through military channels, to The Adjutant General of the Army for the action of the Secretary of War. In the 67993-18- -9

absence of such certificates by the proper medical officers, no officer who desires to take the test will be prohibited from doing so.

4. Field officers of the Coast Artillery Corps will take a inarching test in lieu of the riding test prescribed in paragraph 3, and under the same provisions as to physical examination before and after the test as apply in the case of officers taking the riding test. This test will consist of a march of 50 miles, to be made in three consecutive days and in a total of 20 hours, including rests, the march on any one day to be during consecutive hours. Should any of these officers prefer, they may be permitted, if practicable, to take the riding test prescribed in paragraph 3 instead of this marching test.

The annual marching test for officers serving in the Tropics will cover in the same number of days two-thirds of the distance, and in two-thirds of the time each day, prescribed in the cases of officers serving elsewhere.

5. Side arms will not be worn while taking tests.

6. Field officers of the permanent staff corps who are 60 years of age and over will be excused from the annual physical test, although these officers will be subjected to the annual physical examination.

Officers of the permanent staff corps and departments above the rank of captain who are not detailed from the line, who are engaged upon work of a technical character and who have reached an age and rank which render it highly improbable that they will ever be assigned to any duty requiring participation in active military operations in the field, may, upon their own application, forwarded through military channels to The Adjutant General of the Army, be excused from the physical test prescribed in this order, but all such officers who are below the grade of brigadier general shall take the prescribed physical examination.

7. All reports of results of examinations and tests will be made on the blank forms referred to above.

8. The provisions of General Orders, No. 240, War Department, 1907 (par. 21, this compilation), as to the attendance of all officers at practice marches and as to affording opportunity for Infantry captains to cultivate horsemanship, will be closely observed, and a special report made, through military channels, to The Adjutant General of the Army, in each case where an officer falls out on practice marches or fails to

make the same without having been excused by proper authority. (G. O. 148, 1910-1679093, A. G. O.; Par. I, G. O. 72, 1913-2097388, A. G. O.; Par. III, G. O. 77, 1914-2208671, A. G. O.)

23. Exemptions of graduates, Mounted Service School, from test rides.-Officers of the Army above the grade of captain who successfully complete the full course of instruction at the Mounted Service School are exempted for the ensuing year from taking the 90-mile riding test prescribed in General Orders, No. 148, War Department, 1910. (Par. I, G. O. 16, 1912-1910986, A. G. O.)

24. Use of private mounts in test rides.-Officers of the Army who are required to take annual riding tests, and who have private mounts that are foraged and cared for by the Government, will use such mounts in taking the prescribed tests. Officers who own such mounts and do not use them in the riding tests will submit explanation in writing to The Adjutant General of the Army of their failure to comply with the foregoing requirement.

The foregoing provisions do not contemplate that officers' horses shall be sent to the place where the test is held, except when it can be done without cost to the United States. It is expected that field officers owning only one horse shall ride that horse the full 90 miles. (Cir. 57, 1909-1568893 A, A. G. O.; Cir. 59, 1909-1568893 B, A. G. O.)

25. Obstacle ride for officers.-1. Cavalry and Field Artillery officers commanding posts, and commanders of Cavalry and Field Artillery detachments or regiments at all posts and stations where such mounted troops are serving, will annually conduct the officers of their commands over a course 3 miles in length over varied country with an average of three obstacles to the mile uniformly distributed throughout the course within a period of 11 minutes, but not less than 9 minutes. No officer will be reported as having made the ride unless he shall have taken all the obstacles. There will be six overground obstacles, which will consist of fences, logs, brush, and stone walls, each not less than three feet high and of suen stiffness that they will not break when struck by the horse's feet, and three ditches, each of which will be 6 feet wide and 2 feet deep.

2. The month during which the ride will be held will be designated by the department commander. Post commanders

will fix the date of this ride, and all officers of the Cavalry and Field Artillery on duty with troops within department limits, will so far as practicable be required to take this ride on the date fixed by the post commander during the designated month, unless excused therefrom under medical certificate. Officers who are temporarily absent or who are excused under medical certificate will take the ride as soon as practicable after their return, or restoration to duty with troops. Officers failing to take the ride under medical certificate for other than temporary disability will be reported so that they may be ordered before a retiring board. The commanders of detachments or regiments will make detailed report of the rider, through channels, to the department commanders, who will be responsible for carrying out this order. Field officers will ride their own mounts; officers below that grade their own mounts, if they possess such, otherwise the Government horses regularly ridden by them on duty.

3. Inspectors general in making their inspections will pay special attention to this matter and report all officers who fail to take the ride, giving the reasons therefor. Failure to take the ride from any cause will be entered on an officer's efficiency record. (Par. III, G. O. 48, 1913–2057239, A. G. O., and A. G. O, letter of Oct. 2, 1914-2057239 B.)

ARTICLE VI.

VETERINARIANS, CAVALRY AND FIELD ARTILLERY.

26. Eligibility for certain duties.-Veterinarians are not competent to sit as members of courts-martial or perform any of the duties which are expressly required by law to be performed by commissioned officers. As their status is assimilated to that of commissioned officer, however, they are eligible for detail as members of boards of survey, or councils of administration, and may when no commissioned officer is available serve as exchange officers and may witness payments to enlisted men. (Cir. 30, 1901-386704, A. G. O.)

27. Entitled to salutes from enlisted men.-A veterinarian of Cavalry or Field Artillery is allowed by law the pay and allowances of a second lieutenant. He is given rank next after a second lieutenant, and the character of his duties is such as to require him to give orders to enlisted men. He is, therefore, entitled to receive the customary salute from enlisted men. (Cir. 18, 1902-432607, A. G. O.) (133)