Engineer Memoirs _____________________________________________________________________
That second year we went over just like the year before. I stood at the end of the table with
General Gribble now on the right, and all of his general officers who were there that day,
three or four, sitting at the table, and we went through the slating process.
Like before, I'd say "Portland District is coming open this year, and I recommend so and so."
The only difference was, the only ones I had on my slate for all districts were those who had
been selected by the command selection board rather than selected by me.
That selection board that first year had five members. We had two engineers on that board.
Following the board, we went through the same slating process. Colonel Tixier, the Chief of
Colonels Division, went with me that year, sat there and watched the process and never said a
word. We went through the whole thing, and there was a lot of discussion. In the end General
Gribble said, "Well, I'll buy the list as presented." So, we didn't change a thing from the
basic recommendation we went in with.
I did not take the troop commanders over to propose those as a slate because the troop
commanders worked for the CINCUSAREUR, and other commands. So, I did not slate those
to the Chief of Engineers. I had met with General Gribble and basically brought him up to
date on what we were doing and who we were going to nominate to those other places, so
he'd have a feel for it and an opportunity to input.
That particular year, as I mentioned, an officer was selected and designated for troop
command or for district. Because they decided you could do both, they had to have two
selection lists. You could not appear on both, but having been on one, later you could be
selected for the other.
So, there were two discrete lists, which meant there was no movement from one to the other.
The thing I described before is a condition now, where there is one list and there is the ability
to put people in the right spot.
That first year, if the people on the board decided an officer should go to troop command,
then he received a troop command. If they decided an officer was to go to be a district
engineer, then he had to go to be a district engineer.
When the day came that the lists were announced to the Army, there was the list of command
selectees. The same day that list was announced, it went to the commanders, like the
CINCUSAREUR, with the names of which officer was nominated for which command in
Germany. There were only three engineer commands there at that time, but many more
infantry, armor, artillery, and others.
So, CINCUSAREUR had a slate, and he had the ability to say, "No, I really want this one up
in Bamberg and this one back in Babenhousen because both are artillery commands. I got
family problems here, and to my knowledge this fellow might be better doing the community
bit." So, CINCUSAREUR had the ability to do that kind of shift around. At the same time,
the Chief of Engineers had his slating session to line his commanders in the right place.
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