NATIONAL SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 23677, 10 September 1940, Page 2

NATIONAL SERVICE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Being ono who volunteered for service with the armed forces and was ruled unfit, I received a shock when I received an enrolment certificate placing me in the first division of the National Reserve. Others who were unfit had the same experience. Everyone thinks, or did think, that volunteers would not be included in the ballot. If so, why the voluntary system ? Those who were passed fit did not receive an enrolment certificate and will not be included in the ballot. Mr Semple, in last night’s ‘ Star,’ is quoted as saying: “ In this class there will be men who have already volunteered for service, but have not been accepted on account of medical unfitness, etc. Up to the present there has been no authority to exclude such persons from the ballot, but the power has now been taken in the amending regulations to enable a properly-constituted medical board to certify that such a person is permanently unfit for service in the armed forces. Unfortunately it will be impossible to deal with any of thesd cases prior to the first ballot,” Whv is the fit man excluded from the ballot and the unfit man not? Has the unfit man to be medically examined all over again? Is it thought that the doctors did not make a good job of it the first time? If that is the case I for one would not have enlisted. Those who waited for conscription and the volunteers are all in the same boat. It makes the voluntary system laughable.—l am, Ruled Permanently Unfit. September 9.