[H.R. 12766]
[Public, No. 85.]
Chap. 134.—An Act For making further and more effectual provision for the national defense, and for other purposes.
National Defense Act.
Forces constituting the Army.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Army of the United States shall consist of the Regular Army, the Volunteer Army, the Officers' Reserve Corps, the Enlisted Reserve Corps, the National Guard while in the service of the United States, and such other land forces as are now or may hereafter be authorized by law.
Regular Army.
Composition of.Sec. 2.—Regular Army of the United States, including the existing organizations, shall consist of sixty-four regiments of Infantry, twenty—five regiments of Cavalry, twenty-one regiments of Field Artillery, a Coast Artillery Corps, the brigade, division, army corps, and army headquarters, with their detachments and troops, a General Staff Corps, an Adjutant General's Department, an Inspector General's Department, a Judge Advocate General's Department, a Quartermaster Corps, a Medical Department, a Corps of Engineers, an Ordnance Department, a Signal Corps, the officers of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, the Militia Bureau, the detached officers, the detached noncommissioned officers, the chaplains, the Regular Army Reserve, all organized as hereinafter provided, and the following as now authorized by law: The officers and enlisted men on the retired list; the additional officers; the professors, the Corps of Cadets, the general Army service detachment, and detachments of Cavalry, Field Artillery, and Engineers, and the band of the United States Military Academy; the post noncommissioned staff officers; the recruiting parties, the recruit depot detachments, and unassigned recruits; the service school detachments; the disciplinary guards; the disciplinary organizations; the Indian Scouts; and such other officers and enlisted men as re now or may be hereafter provided for:Provisos.
Enlisted strength to be kept. Provided, That hereafter the enlisted personnel of all organizations of the Regular Army shall at all times be maintained at a strength not below the minimum strength fixed by law:Maximum for time of peace. Provided further, That the total enlisted force of the line of the Regular Army, excluding Philippine Scouts and the enlisted men of the Quartermaster Corps, of the Medical Department, and of the Signal Corps, and the unassigned recruits, shall not at any one time, except in the event of actual or threatened war or similar emergency in which the public safety demands it, exceed one hundred and seventy-five thousand men:Recruits limited. Provided further, That the unassigned recruits at depots or elsewhere shall at no time, except in time of war, exceed more than seven per centum the total authorized enlisted strength.
Mobile troops.
Tactical units.Sec. 3. Composition of brigades, division, and sor forth—The mobile troops of the Regular Army of the United States shall be organized, as far as practicable, into brigades and divisions.In time of war. The President is authorized, in time of actual or threatened hostilities, or when in his opinion the interests of the public service demand it, to organize the brigades and divisions into such army corps or armies as may be necessary.Brigades. The typical Infantry brigade shall consist of a headquarters and three regiments of Infantry. The typical Cavalry brigade shall consist of a headquarters and three regiments of Cavalry. The typical Field Artillery brigade shall consist of a headquarters and three regiments of Field Artillery.Divisions. The typical Infantry division shall consist of a headquarters, three Infantry brigades, on regiment of Cavalry, one Field Artillery brigades, one regiment of Engineers, one field signal battalion, one aero squadron, one ammunition train, one supply train, one engineer train, and one sanitary train. The typical Cavalry division shall consist of a headquarters, three Cavalry brigades, one regiment of Field Artillery (horse), one battalion of mounted Engineers, one field signal battalion (mounted), one aero
