LIBRARY New York State Veterinary College ITHACA, NEW YORK UH U. S. Surgeon-General's Office. 653 Circular of infornation in relation U58 to appointment in the Veterinary Corps, U. S. 1916 Army... LIBRARY NEW YORK STATE VETERINARY COLLEGE JTHACA, N. Y. Cornell University Library UH 653.U58 1916 Circular of information In relation to a 3 1924 003 364 555 The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003364555 Form 144 ■ War Depaitment, Surgeon General's Office (Authorized June 29, 1916) CIRCULAR OF INFORMATION IN KELATION TO APPOINTMENT IN THE VETERINARY CORPS, U. S. ARMY, THE REQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS, EXAMINATION OP APPU- CANTS, ETC. The Act of Congress approved June 3, 1916, estabKsh.- ing tie Veterinary Corps of the Army, is as follows: Sec. 16. VetennaHa'm.—Tiie President is hereby authorized, hy and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint veterinarians and assistant veterinarians in the Army, not to exceed, including veteri- narians now in service, two such officers lor each regiment of Cavalry, one for every three batteries of Field Artillery, one for each mounted battalion of Engineers, seventeen as inspectors of horses and mules and as veterinarians in the Quartermaster Corps, and seven as inspectors of meats for the Quartermaster Corps; and said veterinarians and as- sistaiit veterinarians shall be citizens of the United States and shall con- stitute the Veterinary Corps and shall be a part of the Medical Depart- ment of the Army. Hereafter a candidate for appointment as assistant veterinarian must be a citizen of the United States, between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-seven years, a graduate of a recognized veterinary college or university, and shall not be appointed until he shall have passed a satisfactory examination as to character, physical condition, general education, and professional qualifications. An assistant veterinarian appointed under this Act shall, for the first five years of service as such, have the rank, pay, and allowances of sec- ond lieutenant; that after five years of service he shall have the rank, pay, and allowances of first lieutenant; that after fifteen years of service he shall be promoted to be a veterinarian with the rank, pay, and allow- ances of captain, and that after twenty years' service he shall have the rank, pay, and allowances of a major: Promded, That any assistant veterinarian, in order to be promoted as hereinbefore provided, must first pass a satisfactory examination, under such rules as the President may prescribe, as to professional qualifications and adaptability for the military service; and if such assistant veterinarian shall be found defi- cient at such examination he shall be discharged from the Army with one year's pay. The veterinarians of Cavalry and Field Artillery now in the Army, together With such veterinarians of the Quartermaster Corps ae are now employed in said corps, who at the date of the approval of this Act shall have had less than five years' governmental service, may be appointed in the Veterinary Corps as assistant veterinarians with the rank, pay, and allowances of second lieutenant; those who shall have had over five years of such service may be appointed in said corps as assistant veter- inarians with the rank, pay, and allowances of first lieutenant; and ttiose who ^hall have had over fifteen years of such service may be appointed in 50832°— 16 said corps as veterinarians witli the rank, pay, and allowances of cap- tain: Provided, That no such appointment of any veterinarian shall be made unless he shall first pass satisfactorily a practical professional afid physical examination as to his fitness for the military service: Provided further, That veterinarians now in the Army or in the employ of the Quartermaster Corps who shall fail to pass the prescribed physical ex- amination because of disability incident to the service and sufiicient to prevent them from the performance of duty valuable to the Government shall be placed upon the retired list of the Army with seventy-flve per centum of the pay to which they would have been entitled if appointed in the Veterinary Corps as hereinbefore prescribed. The Secretary of War, upon recommendation of the Surgeon General of the Army, may appoint in the Veterinary Corps, for such time as their services may be required, such number of reserve veterinarians as may be necessary to attend public animals pertaining to the Quartermaster Corps. Reserve veterinarians so employed shall have the pay and al- lowances of second lieutenant during such employment and no longer: Provided, That such reserve veterinarians shall be graduates of a recog- nized veterinary college or university and shall pass a satisfactory ex- amination as to character, physical condition, general education, and professional qualifications in like manner as hereinbefore required of assistant veterinarians; such reserve veterinarians shall constitute a list of eligibles for appointment as assistant veterinarians, subject to all the conditions hereinbefore prescribed for the appointment of assistant veterinarians. Within a limit of time to be fixed by the Secretary of War candidates for appointment as assistant veterinarians who shall have passed satis- factorily the examinations prescribed tor that grade by this Act shall be appointed, in the order of merit in which they shall have passed such examination, to vacancies as they occur, such appointments to be tor a probationary period of two years, after which time, if the services of the probationers shall have been satisfactory, they shall be permanently appointed with rank to date from the dates of rank of their probation- ary appointments. Probationary veterinarians whose services are found unsatisfactory shall be discharged at any time during the probationary period, or at the end thereof, and shall have no further claims against the Government on account of their probationary service. The Secretary of War shall from time to time appoint boards of examiners to conduct the veterinary examinations hereinbefore pre- scribed, each of said boards to consist of three medical officers and two veterinarians. In accordance with the above law, the following rules and regulations are promulgated: APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT. Every application for appointment as assistant veteri- narian should be made to the Surgeon General of the Army, in the handwriting of the applicant, giving the date and place of the applicant's birth and the place and State of which he is a permanent resident. It must be accom- panied by testimonials from at least two reputable persons as to the applicant's citizenship, character, and habits. Whether or not the applicant is married does not affect ^ his eligibility for the Veterinary Corps. By law the candidate must be a citizen of the United States, between the ages of 21 and 27 years, and be a gradu- ate of a recognized veterinary college or university; and he is appointed only after he shall have passed a satisfac- tory examination as to character, physical condition, general education, and professional qualifications. SELECTION OF CANDIDATES. The selection of candidates will be made by the Surgeon General of the Army from the applicants, and formal in- vitations to report for examination to the most convenient board will be issued. EXAMINATION. The examination will consist of two parts: (a) Physical. — The physical examination must be thorough. Candidates who fall below 64 inches in height will be rejected. Each candidate also is required to cer- tify that he labors under no physical infirmity or disabiUty which can interfere with the efiicient discharge of any duty which may be required. Errors of refraction, if vision is not below 20/100 in either eye, are not causes for rejection, provided they are not accompanied by ocular disease and are entirely corrected by appropriate glasses. The following table is given for convenience of refer- Physical Tproportionsfor height, weight, and chest measurement. Height Weight Chest measurement At ex- piration Mobility Inches 64 65 66 67 68 99 70 71 72 73 PovMs 128 130 132 134 141 148 155 162 169 176 Incites 32 32 32i 33 33i 33i 34 34i 34J 35i Inches 2 2 2 2 2i 2i 25 3 3 4 It is not necessary that the applicant should conform exactly to the figiu'es indicated in the foregoing table. The following variations below standard given in the table are permissible when the applicant is active, has firm muscles, and is evidently vigorous and healthy: Height Chest at expirar tion Weiglit 64 and under 68. . 68 and under 69.. 69 and under 70. . 70 and upward. . . Inches 2 2 2 2 Pounds 8 12 15 20 (b) Mental. — The mental examinations comprise the examination as to general education (oral and written) and the examination as to professional qualifications (written and practical). The examination as to general education covers (1) English grammar, and the applicant's ability to read, write, and spell with facility and correctness; (2) arith- metic, and his ability to apply its rules to practical ques- tions; (3) geography, particularly in reference to North America; (4) history of the United States. The written examination as to professional qualifica- tions will embrace the following subjects: (1) Anatomy; (2) physiology and histology; (3) materia medica and therapeutics, including toxicology; (4) pathology, bacte- riology and parasitology; (5) inspection of animal foods, as meat and milk, and quarantine laws and regulations; (6) practice of medicine; (7) obstetrics and zootechnics; (8) chemistry — inorganic, organic, and physiological; (9) surgery — general, operative, dental, and of the foot, including shoeing; (10) hygiene, including feeding and watering, stabling, heat and light, and ventilation. The practical examination will comprise the physical examination of the animal, with diagnosis and treatment; the conformation of the animal, and the examination of the animal for soundness, and a demonstration of the principles of shoeing. An average of 70 per cent will be required in general education, 75 per cent in the written examination as to professional qualifications, and 85 per cent in the practical examination. Examinations will be authorized and boards to conduct them convened from time to time as may be deemed necessary. The examinations usually last six days. The questions in the several subjects of the written examinations will be furnished by the Surgeon General. No allowances can be made for the expenses of appli- cants undergoing examination, whether incurred in trav- eling to and from, or during their stay at, the place of examination, as public funds are not available for the payment of such expenses. Each applicant, upon presenting himself to the board, will, prior to his physical examination, be required to submit his diploma as a graduate of a standard veterinary college. Should he fail to do so, the examination will not proceed. All instruments and materials used at examinations are furnished by the Government. The examinations are conductea under instructions from the Surgeon General of the Army. An applicant faiUng in one examiuation may be allowed another after the expiration of one year, but not a third. Withdrawal from examination during its progress, except for sickness, will be deemed a failure. Applicants who qualify will be appointed assistant veterinarians according to the needs of the service during the ensuing year, in the order of their standing at the exami- nations. After the expiration of a year they will no longer be considered eligible until again examined. Assistant veterinarians are commissioned with the rank, pay and allowances of second lieutenants of Cavalry, and receive pay at the rate of $1,700 per annum, with quarters, light, and fuel. The first appointment is probationary for the period of two years; should the candidate's service be satisfactory, his commission will be made permanent. After the expira- tion of five years he will be eligible for promotion to the rank of first lieutenant, with pay at $2,000 per annum, and allowances. After fifteen years' service he will be eligible for promotion to the grade of veterinarian, with the rank, pay, and allowances of captain; after twenty years' service he will be eligible for promotion to the rank of major, with the pay and allowances of that grade. 6 After each five years of service up to and including twenty years the pay of the grade is increased ten per cent; thus a captain with fifteen years' service would receive the basic pay of his grade, $2,400, plus 30 per cent for fifteen years' service, or a total of $3,120 per annum. All laws governing retirement are applicable to veteri- narians. On attaining the age of 64 years, veterinarians are placed upon the retired list by virtue of law; they re- ceive three-fourths of the pay of their grade at time of retire- ment. Leave of absence is allowed at the rate of one month per year, which may be accumulated to a total of four months. Beyond this, additional leave of absence on half pay with- out limitation may be granted. Absence from duty on accoimt of sickness involves no loss of pay. All veterinarians are entitled to medical attendance and hospital treatment, without charge other than for sub- sistence. Retiremfiment may be gpanted upon application af tfer 30 ye^rs service with 3/4 pay ='}f3000 a year. The same pay as retirement at 64 years. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAT., The next examination for the appointment of assistant veterinarians will be held tTndetfirmlBed There are now / .• \ vacancies in the Veterinary Corps of the Army. (7) There will be 10 vacancies each year on July first for 4 years to fill up the new regiments made each year by the new national defense act. There will be some scacancies caused by retirements after the corps is organized. \, WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1916 im