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Show LDSMissionary Service Gets firmyilFR Credit U. S. Army Reservists who are members of the LDS faith and are contemplating church missionary mis-sionary service can now receive full military credit for time spent on missions. The new ruling was received this week In a special Department Depart-ment of the Army message directed di-rected to Colonel H. E. Brooks, Chief of the Utah Military District, Dis-trict, who has sought an answer to this question since the passage jof the Armed Forces Reserve Act In August 1955. Heretofore, LDS Army Reserve enlistees fared conflicting obligations obli-gations to church and country that presented a serious problem prob-lem to L D S youths who desired to enlist under the current Reserve Re-serve Forces Act. "The way has been cleared," Colonel Brooks stated, for young men of the LDS faith to participate parti-cipate In the Army Reserve program pro-gram without fear of penalty or I loss of creditable military service time as a result of missionary work. We at Utah Military District Dis-trict feel that the Department of the Army has given special rec-'ognitlon rec-'ognitlon to the requirements of 1 religious denominations who per-I per-I form extensive missionary work. 1 By permitting an easement of the original legislation, they have shown an understanding of our particular situation In this Military Mili-tary District" 1 Substantially, the new policy will permit an L D S youth to enlist under the Reserve Forces Act of 1955, serve his six months of active duty time and then, if called on a mission, be transferred transfer-red to the inactive status list or i the Standby Reserve. While serving serv-ing as a church missionary, he wiU be credited with the total niimhp nf mlaclnri itpyty iuiin against his total eight years of obligated Army Reserve time. After completing his mission for the church, the Army Reservist Reserv-ist returns to complete whatever service time may be remaining with his hometown unit. |