New Orders

The Army's first plan for discharging medical officers was obsolete as soon as it came out--it had been drawn up before the Japanese surrender. Last week the Army brought out a new plan. Under it, 13,000 doctors, 25,000 nurses and 3,500 dentists will return to civilian life by January. (By the first schedule, only 4,000 doctors would have been out by then.)

P: Doctors and dentists with 80 points, or who are 48 years old, or who joined up before Pearl Harbor, can get out immediately unless they are in certain specialties (eye, ear, nose & throat work, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, neuropsychiatry, etc.). These specialists (except those who enlisted before 1941) will have to stay in until the Army lets them go. All other doctors who have enough points can be kept in after December 15 only with their consent.

P: Nurses will be eligible for discharge if they have 35 points, are 35 years old, are married or have children under 14.

P: No medic will be sent overseas who is over 40, or has already served abroad.

Of the Army's 45,000 doctors, about 11,000 were in Europe, and 9,000 in the Pacific and Asia on September 1. When the Army is cut to 2,500,000 men, the number of medics needed will drop to 30,000. By mid-1946, the point score for doctors will probably be down to 70 or less.

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