In June, 1940, the first Area Psychiatrists in the United Kingdom, of whom I was one, were appointed. Although at first we were told that there were not many psychiatric cases, and in spite of the lack of encouragement in some areas, clinics were set up, and very soon the psychiatrists were overwhelmed by the number of patients sent, both officers and men. It became apparent to all of us who were doing the work that many of the men could have been eliminated at the source, for by going into the history of the individual patient, and giving him intelligence tests, one could have foretold fairly accurately his future in the army, i.e. whether he would be able to be trained as a soldier in a particular arm, and his length of service before his breakdown. But the process was that of elimination. The psychiatrist working alone managed to sort out the soldier, but there was at that time no disposal method except to hospital, which was not very useful for the dull and backward, and the chronic anxiety states. At the end of 1940, at the suggestion of a Command Psychiatrist, a Directorate of Officer Selection Personnel was set up, so that men joining the army would have their intelligence tested, and be interviewed by a personnel selection officer, and the dull and backward and the difficult cases interviewed by the psychiatrist, either for rejection from the army or for transfer to the unarmed or armed Pioneer Corps, or to any arm which was considered suitable. This process has continued since then, and has made great strides. At present no man is posted to any particular arm, but he comes into the army to primary training centres, where he is tested and interviewed, and after six weeks' general training is then posted to the arm most suitable for him. This procedure helped the problem of “other ranks,” and it was hoped that the incidence of psychological illnesses in the army would be lowered, and the number of men sent to the psychiatrist brought within reasonable limits. Till then, the psychiatrist in the army had been working very fast, seeing as many as thirty to one hundred men a day.