 The latest weapons, coupled with the fighting skill of the American soldier, stands ready on the alert all over the world to defend this country. View the American people against aggression. This is the Big Picture, an official television report to the nation from the United States Army. Now, to show you part of the Big Picture, here is Sergeant Stuart Queen. Overlooking the busy center of our nation's capital in a quiet and pleasant suburb lies the United States soldiers' home. Here many men who have served faithfully in the United States Army are spending their days of retirement. Let us look in there now. Let us see the soldiers' home through the eyes of one of its residents, First Sergeant Burns. I'm a man in retirement, and I like it. I'm enjoying myself. I have a pretty good life here at the soldier's home. I describe myself as a fairly typical resident, along with a lot of other men here, I go back to World War I. A man of my age spends a good deal of time looking back at his life. For example, the World War, I often wonder about my buddies of those days, how things have turned out for them. I often think of the fighting. The ruined, bombed out towns, mud and slime of France. Some of the memories aren't pleasant. I didn't realize it then, but those days when I began my service were the beginning of a career, a career that has turned out pretty well, because since then I've put in my years of service and I've become a member of the soldier's home. It's a fine place to live. Crawled over 306 acres are several buildings. The latest one is absolutely tops, the new General Winfield Scott Building. It cost over $8 million as air conditioning, a wonderful view of Washington, and has just about everything under its roof. Theater, mess hall, pool room, library, whatever you want. Not many people know it, but this building, and in fact the entire soldier's home, doesn't cost the taxpayer a penny. All members have been at one time in the regular army or air force, and have contributed a dime a month of their pay to the home. Everyone who gives that dime a month is eligible to become a resident in the home when he retires. Or if he becomes disabled in the line of duty and is unable to earn a livelihood. I've got an important session here in the recreation room, the chap I'm going to be the checkers is a veteran of the Spanish American War and World War One. I got to watch myself carefully with this guy. He's wily as a fox. Quite a few of the men here have seen a lot of action in their time. Now, battles seem far away. And the kind of battles that are interesting are small actions like these. I said I could beat this guy, and I have. Well, it's getting on, but I'll give him a return game. A few others after that. This is the library. It's a good one. Even has phonograph records of books that some of our members can listen to if they don't feel like using their eyes. We've got 40,000 books and lots of new ones coming in all the time. We've got plenty of TV sets, but we still do a lot of reading. For those who want to look at television, there's a set on each floor. And on fight nights, there's just one program, and the members really enjoy it. It's getting to be that time of day when soldiers want to know what's on for Chow. The kitchen here is as modern as they come, and the food, real fine. You know as well as I do that soldiers are always pretty quick to grumble about food. Well, they can't do much grumbling here. The food's too darn good. There's a serious minded bunch advancing on their dining room, and they're going to get what they're after quick. 1,200 people are seated and served in 12 minutes. It's a big dining room, and very well run. One thing we've got here which older people don't always have, we've got companionship all around us. It helps to make the meal time enjoyable. What is important to the meal is coffee, and that's vital. Life here is different from army life, but there are many similarities. We have rules and regulations. We do things the army way. That's because we're pretty accustomed to the army way. We like it. It makes us feel at home. At the soldier's home we do insist on a certain amount of neatness, just like in the army. And since I'm one of the first sergeants here, I try to set an example. You're allowed to get extra things for your room if you want to. I have my own TV set, for example. As first sergeant I have the usual duties. I look after my men, see what their problems are, and try to help solve them. Now Fen here, he doesn't have much I can help him with. He's a self-sufficient type. He writes, and what's more, he sells his stuff. Hobbies are very important here. They're a wonderful way of passing time. The men get most of the equipment they need free. Very often they'll put the work up for sale and earn a little extra money. More than the money is the satisfaction the men get from the work they turn out. Some objects are good-looking and practical. We've got some hobbyists whose work goes on display outside the home, like these carvings of circus characters. The man who did these had no formal training. Just picked it up, found out he was pretty good at it. Nothing in the way of work is required of any member. But if we want some extra income, we can take a job, like Mr. Breslin, who's a room clerk. All of this has been just one building, so let's walk around a bit. That's the summer White House of President Lincoln, who used to come out here to beat the heat of downtown Washington. And this is the old Windfield Scott, now called the Sherman Building. The quarters in the older buildings, although they're not the latest, are quite comfortable. When I look around at some of these older buildings and think, this place has been going since 1851. I get the feeling that for years now, men who have served have been cared for afterwards. It's a great tradition. What the men enjoy most here is being with people like themselves. Knowing that everybody here has seen service. That binds the men together. That alone. That makes them feel at home. Yes, in a way, we're all a big family here. We've all been regular army or Air Force men for a good part of our lives. I think we all feel so dissatisfied about having been in service for Uncle Sam. At this stage of life, it seemed as if we've done a job. Now we have a good right to enjoy ourselves. We have our own nine-hole golf course on the premises. Some of the members can do more than talk a good game. I've got to drop in now at the new hospital. This building, too, is absolutely up to date. It's protected against radioactivity and is bomb-proof as well. On the staff, we have some excellent people. Top-notch doctors and wonderful nurses. Sisters of charity of the Order of St. Vincent de Paul. Don't know what we'd do without them. Patients get the best possible care. One thing an army man learns after long years of service. When you're laid up in the hospital, there's nothing better than friends dropping in to see you. I've learned a few things since I've been here. I guess mostly that life can be pretty good if you don't have to worry about food and shelter, which I don't. And if you stay interested in something. One of my interests is flowers. Here at the soldier's home, a man well cared for hot house with plenty of flowers for the enjoyment of the men. Cut flowers for the dining hall, recreation rooms, and the hospital come from here. This is the administration building. The man in charge of the soldier's home is a retired soldier himself. Here is the governor of the home, General Wade H. Haslip, former vice chief of staff, now retired. He's honored and respected by every man and woman on this post. Our deputy governor is Colonel Robert C. Good, also retired, a very fine gentleman indeed. Assisting him is Mr. Paper. I believe he knows every man here by his first and last name. He's just that close to us. Well, this is our home. And it's nice to have. Regular army and Air Force men can count on it. When they want it or need it, it'll be here just as it has been for over a hundred years. And as it will be for a good many years to come. From the United States soldiers' home, let us go now to see some young soldiers in training. Officers from Latin American countries who are attending a U.S. Army school in the Panama Canal Zone. Panama, where North and South America meet, is a meeting ground, too, for the fighting men of two continents. So here, the U.S. Army in the Caribbean, while carrying out a program of military training for its own forces, is making this training available to officers and men of the Latin American armies. The officers who have just arrived here are from Columbia. And at the school to which they are now going, there will be men from Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Chile to name but a few of the countries who send their military to Panama for special training. Julik is the home of the Yusikarib School, which is a consolidation of all U.S. Army schools in the Caribbean area. The new arrivals will join a Latin American student company. The school prefers students who absorb instruction easily, men who can get the most out of a short training program. Each of the men has been screened by his own government, as well as by a U.S. military representative in his country. So when they at last sign in, it's with a feeling of having been trusted to do the job to their utmost. The course ahead won't be easy. For as long as they're here, they'll be getting large amounts of intensive GI training. The new period of military instruction means much to these carefully selected officers. They participate in a brief service before undertaking their assignment. Training starts. The U.S. Rifle M1. The U.S. Carbine. The Browning Automatic. American from the United States. The Pupil. An American from Latin America. One of the basic objectives of the training is the fostering of greater mutual comprehension among the fighting men of America. From the beginning of the course, a respect for one another's abilities develops quickly. Those who take this course learn the principles of operation, the functioning, and the technique of fire of infantry weapons. Officers in the course have previously demonstrated marked aptitude with weapons, and this training is intended mainly to familiarize them with U.S. Army equipment. The recoilless rifle. A weapon of tremendous destructive power. It must be handled by a team of men well trained in working together. The procedure of fire is by the numbers. When the weapon is loaded, it is a rule that it cannot be fired until the signal is given. There is plenty of room on the wide open shores of Panama for anti-aircraft artillery practice. Techniques and equipment are becoming more standardized among the American armies, and the result is greater efficiency and a stronger defense system for America. Artillery practice is soon to be interrupted by Chow. Among the courses offered to the Latin American students is one in mess management, a phase of which is the setting up of a field kitchen. To register for this course, a student must have a substantial background in food handling and cooking. Chow in a foreign country. Although the Latin American students have a definite preference for their own native cooking, the rigorous outdoor training fosters a healthy appetite for ham and other typical stateside dishes. The visitors are interested in what's being served and eat hearty. Many details of this training period will be remembered, including the emphasis upon sterilization of mess equipment after eating. A course is given for military police. Standard traffic control methods can be an aid to future training maneuvers between nations of the Americans and are an important facet of military cooperation. Some classrooms are shared by U.S. Army and Latin American students who speak English. The subject here is company administration. Throughout the course, students are required to spend several hours a week in physical training. A favorite sport of the Latin Americans is soccer, and when they play it, their enthusiasm and spirit is much in evidence. They play it hard, and you can see that they like it because it takes every bit of what they have to play it well. For this game, you need stamina and aggressiveness and a sense of teamwork, all of which these men have. The lengthiest course is in engineering. Water purification of particular importance in the tropics is one phase of the course, which is given over a period of 20 weeks for men who belong to their army's engineer branch. Another engineer activity, mine laying and detection. These student sappers will teach the techniques learned here when they return to their native countries. A mine may be rendered ineffective by removing its fuse or by exploding it. More engineering instruction. A road is to be built. A demolition charge is tied to a tree. The area is cleared of personnel and the signal is given for setting off the charge. The road leads to a river, which must be crossed swiftly. An international group, men from Bolivia, Paraguay and Columbia begin construction of a pontoon foot bridge. The parts are light in weight and the students have learned by practice how to put them together quickly. From start to finish, the construction of the 300 foot span takes a total of only 8 minutes. A helicopter appears on the scene. A board the aircraft is an inspecting officer who will judge the entire bridge operation, including the selection of the bridge site and the efficiency with which the bridge has been constructed. Here at the Yusaka Ribb School, the U.S. Army is helping to bridge differences between the fighting men of Latin America and the United States. He's working harmoniously with neighbors to the south in defense of there and our America. In time again, we are finding brand new uses for television. This time, Army TV cameras help civil defense authorities observe scenes of simulated air attack on the village of Great Neck, Long Island. Throughout the United States, there is an increasing awareness of the steps that must be taken now to prepare the civilian population against possible enemy attack. Here in the town of North Hempstead, Long Island, an active civilian defense program is underway. At the moment, a test air raid is being planned to be centered around the village of Great Neck, where a simulated A-bomb attack will take place. All civil defense services, wardens, auxiliary police, fire, medical, welfare, and radiological units will be utilized. Volunteer workers are giving much of their valuable time and skill to civil defense. Together, their efforts, along with our air force, our ground forces, and our Navy make up a fourth arm of our national defense. Final details of the air raid test are settled on the morning of the alert, and civil defense officials leave headquarters to carry out duties and to observe how their areas and services will respond to the simulated attack. Bound to the siren, vehicles are halted, and occupants, as well as pedestrians, are required to take shelter. Throughout the area, civil defense workers assist the police in shepherding people to protected locations. The streets are now deserted. An enemy attack is staged by an air force reserve unit, and the course of the flight is charted at town headquarters. A small ground bomb is detonated to simulate the A-bomb explosion. Soon, all civil defense services are in action. A police patrol unit leaves for the areas of damage. Firefighters are on the spot with their equipment. Meanwhile, what is the overall picture of disaster in the area? For this test, the Army Signal Corps is cooperating by providing civil defense authorities with a television camera in a light plane above the bombed area. Thus, civil defense authorities in the town hall can immediately recognize the damage and can send aid as required, and in general, can conduct the work of civil defense over the entire area. A tactical unit of the television division of the Signal Corps pictorial center does the televising, and as the plane circles over the area, the pictures continue to give a bird's eye view of the test to officials at headquarters. As a result of the televised views of devastated areas, new directions are communicated to civil defense workers in the field. Headquarters can not only talk with those on the spot, it can see too by merely directing the TV plane to locations in question. With the aid of television, many services can be more efficiently directed to places where they are most needed. The test proceeds with no clicks from the Geiger counter. An aid station has been set up, and volunteers carry out the work to which they have been assigned. Participants are willing and show an understanding of the seriousness of the medical problem. At sector headquarters, a cross-section of the town is on hand. Young people take part. Also, in evidence are clergymen, as well as business and professional members of the community. Townships have recognized their needs and have purchased necessary equipment to carry out the civil defense program. As part of the test, a National Guard plane drops medical supplies to be utilized by the aid station. Hard to hit areas are expected to call upon neighboring communities for help. During such tests as these, each unit is attempting to improve, and teamwork is one of the ways. Each civil defense worker has a job assigned to him or her, and learning how to work together is a fundamental aim stressed by unit leaders. As a result of atomic attack, burns are expected to account for the largest number of injuries. First aid measures of treatment are a part of the demonstration. Other welfare services are required for disaster relief. Children separated from their families must be registered. Those dislocated by the enemy attack must receive food and clothing. In these activities, the aim is a minimum of confusion. As a climax to the demonstration, a National Guard helicopter lands to evacuate the wounded. Exercises such as these are proving that we can do much to help our families, our neighbors, and ourselves in the event of enemy attack. In the enormous amount of civil defense work that lies ahead, television will be one more of the many technical aids that can be used to help us to do all that can be done in case we are attacked. Television, presently a tactical aid being explored and utilized by the United States Army, is an all-seeing eye for carrying out the vast job that confronts each and every one of us. That vast work of ourselves and our country. As you can see, here's another great use of the remarkable medium by which you see me now. This is Sergeant Stuart Queen inviting you to be with us again next week for another look at your United States Army in action on The Big Picture. The Big Picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the Army at home and overseas. Produced by the Signal Corps Pictorial Center. Presented by the United States Army in cooperation with this station. You too can be an important part of The Big Picture. You can proudly serve with the best equipped, the best trained, the best fighting team in the world today, the United States Army.