OCR Text |
Show Army Lists Plans For Discharges A soldier is eligible for immediate imme-diate discharge under the army's partial demobilization plan if he has 85 credit points based on length ol total service, overseas and combat duty, decoratons, wounds and parenthood, the war department announced Thursday. Combat duty and parenthood get top rating. The army plans to discharge 1,300,000 men under this point system during the next 12 months and more later. It applies to soldiers sol-diers in all theaters. Immediate eligibility, however does not in-sure in-sure immediate discharge. And any man even though he has enough credits for discharge will be kept in the service if his work is deemed vital to the war against Japan. The navy is not affected. HOW POINTS ARE TALLIED 1 point for each month of service ser-vice since September 16, 1940. 1 point additional for each month of overseas service since September 16, 1940, computed from departure from U. S. port to return. 5 points for each battle participation par-ticipation star. 5 points for each wound. 5 points for each decoration. 12 points for each child under 18 up to a limit of three children. No extra credit is given for having been a prisoner of war. Officers need the same number of points as enlisted men, but there is less chance of them being be-ing discharged. They have received receiv-ed longer training and possess specialized skills and their eligibility eligi-bility under the point system will be subordinated to the need for them in the war against Japan. WAC's need only H points to be Lilifc-ble. Furthermore, if their husbands have been discharged, they themselves will be released automatically upon application. Enlisted soldiers who have been awarded the medal of honor also are automatically eligible for immediate im-mediate discharge. All men serving anywhere outside out-side continental United States are considered in overseas service. Thus those serving in Puerto Rico, Alaska, Panama and Hawaii are eligible. Soldiers eligible for discharge, dis-charge, who have been overseas without furloughs, will be given special consideration in assigning shipping space. The 85-point eligibility quota is only temporary. The point system sys-tem will be revised as soon as all men are classified and a separate quota will then be established for men in the ground and service I forces and another for those in the air forces. 'The revised quotas are expected to be somewhat lower low-er than 85 points. |