The White Falcon - 23.01.1976, Page 1

( White FalcoiT)
Volume XXXII. Number 3 Ketlav*, Iceland January 23. 1976
HIDDEN HAZARDS IN THE SNOW range from dangerous projections under the white
blanket...to the sudden loss of control of vehicles attempting to navigate the
deceptively serene landscape. Chains and four-wheel drive may make the going
easy, but stopping and maneuvering capabilities aren't missed until they are
needed--which may be too late.
Alpha limited--Bra\(>”( iharlie
The A B Cs of winter driving
(or the true confessions of a snow person)
Det Vs gain
AF reservists
tour locally
Five Air Force Reservists assigned to
the 79th Airborne Early Warning and Con-
trol Squadron (AEW&C) at Homestead AFB,
Florida, are the first members of their
unit to begin temporary deployments with
the 552nd AEW&C Group to Detachment 3 at
Keflavik. The reservists are: Major
Glen E. Mowl, First Lieutenant Henry L.
Ferrel, Master Sergeant John T. Conlin,
Technical Sergeant Dauphin R. Womak and
Staff Sergeant David R. Bilodeau.
The deployments of the reservist air-
crews are designed to give them practi-
cal experience in North Atlantic airborne
radar surveillance operations. On April
1, with the deactivation of the 552nd
AEW&C Group at McClellan AFB, Cali-
fornia, the 79th AEW&C Group deacti-
vates, many of its resources will be
moved to Homestead AFB and reassigned as
Detachment 1 to the 20th Aerospace
Defense Squadron. The 552nd's Detach-
ment 3 here at Keflavik will be redesig-
nated "Operating Location AA" (OLAA).
At that time the reservists will compli-
ment detachment personnel during opera-
tional missions in Florida and in the
North Atlantic.
EC-121 aircraft have operated in Ice-
land since late 1968 providing airborne
radar surveillance for AFI and NATO.
Navy picks up
CPO alternates
The Chief of Naval Personnel has au-
thorized the selection of a group of E-8
and E-9 alternate candidates from the
March 1975 Selection Board, to be placed
in the selectee status.
The decision to pick up these alter-
nates was based on what the Bureau cal-
led larger than planned losses Ln the
senior enlisted grades.
A total of 159 active E-7's from
ratingg that are presently undermanned
in the senior chief grades are on the
list, and 59 E-8's on active duty are on
the list for nine.
In addition, the Bureau has listed 16
TAR's for the list of E-8 selectees and
two E-8 TAR's for promotion to Master
Chief.
The Bureau points out, however, that
these alternates placed on the selectee
list, will be advanced only after all
the primary candidates in their ratings
have been advanced.
Sailors of the year
screening begins
Screening has- begun for the FY76
"Sailors of the Year" competition. The
program is open to all active duty Navy
Petty Officers Third Class through First
Class. Three individuals will be chosen
for the honor, one each from the Pacific
and Atlantic Fleets, and one from the
Navy shore establishment.
Each "Sailor of the Year" will be
meritoriously promoted to the next high-
er paygrade, provided minimum time in
rate and length of service requirements
are fulfilled.
Winners and their dependents receive
an all-expense paid trip to Washington,
D.C., for the awards ceremony from the
Fleet Reserve Association. An optional
five-day rest and relaxation period in
CONUS also will be offered to the win-
ners .
Fleet winners will be given the
opportunity to serve one year as assis-
tant to their respective Master Chief
Petty Officer of the Fleet, while the
shore establishment winner may serve one
year with the Master Chief Petty Officer
of the Naval Education and Training
Command. Further details on the "Sailor
of the Year" program are contained in
BUPERSNOTE 1700 of Dec. 16, 1975.
b.y JOCS James Johnston
I hadn't been out more than five min-
utes Wednesday morning when my car got
stuck — firmly and embarrassingly — in
less than six inches of snow.
It's frustrating...maddening, espe-
cially for those of us who grew up in
areas where three to four feet of snow
from late November until March is a way
of life. I often wonder what people
from the South think.of snow driving.
Wednesday morning was the fourth time
I'd been stuck in less than three weeks.
One morning I didn't even get out of the
parking lot.
But one of those times it wasn't my
fault I got stuck: You see, we were in
ALPHA LIMITED and most of the roads had
been plowed — sure the wind was up a
little, and visibility was near zero,
with the blowing snow and all...but I
really wanted to go to the laundry. How
was I to know the roads were icy and
slick...and after more than a year here,
surely I know where the roads curve....
No, it wasn't my fault that day...it was
the ice and blowing snow...I didn't see
the curve, and thinking about something
else, I forgot it was there. I didn't
go all the way in the ditch, so four
guys helped me push the car back onto
the road.
Someone is probably thinking, had I
used a little common sense that day, I
probably wouldn't have gotten stuck,
right? Well, everyone knows, we don't
have to think.' That's what the traffic
conditions are for:
ALPHA LIMITED: Traffic proceeds as
required by existing conditions, but
at reduced speed of 20 m.p.h.
BRAVO: Permits movement of emergency
and essential traffic, at reduced
speed. Essential traffic is defined
as official vehicles, service vehi-
cles, buses and private vehicular
traffic necessary to proceed to and
from work. When this condition is in
effect, snow tires or chains are.re-
quired as a safety measure.
CHARLIE: Permits movement of emer-
gency vehicles only, at reduced
speed. In general, emergency vehicles
are defined as ambulances, fire de-
partment vehicles, command and duty
officer cars, private vehicles on
recall and snow removal equipment.
Hmmmm. Maybe I was wrong. After
reading those... I thought the traffic
conditions told us what the weather was
like, but now I see...They don't say
anything at all about weather or road
conditions, do they? Maybe we are sup-
posed to think!
You know what I really think? If we
would think and cooperate, there are
very few days when we need more than an
ALPHA LIMITED traffic condition.
From my point of view, when we think
traffic condition BRAVO should be set,
or when the traffic condition is set,
there is a mass panic. It's similar to
what I've observed in Washington, D. C.,
when the first snowflake falls (an event
which creates a mass exodus of govern-
ment employees in a state of panic).
Recently, the command has set modi-
fied Bravo condition in a vain effort to
clear the roads and parking lots for us.
It was vain, because an effort like that
requires all hands cooperation. It set
off a clamor of phone calls and a state
of panic. Cars jammed roads and parking
lots, and the snow removal crews just
couldn't work.
Now, suppose we had stayed in ALPHA
LIMITED and used our common sense — I
can't imagine anyone who didn't abso-
lutely have to drive, driving on days
like some of the past few have been.
Had we stayed off the road, let the
snow plows do their work, and gone about
our business rather than trying to sec-
ond guess those who must make command
level decisions, things probably would
have run smoothly, and we could have
gone on with our schedules and commit-
ments.
Let's try it. We cooperate very
well on everything else. But if you
must drive, please remember these
points:
- vehicles cannot stop effectively
on ice.
- melting ice is often slicker than
frozen ice.
- chains and studded tires are not
as effective on ice as regular tires
are on dry roads.
- high winds affect braking.
- brakes work better on ice if they
are pumped.
- black ice is almost impossible to
see, and is very dangerous.
- blpwing snow can make vehicles in
front of you disappear.
- drifting snow often makes it impos-
sible for two vehicles to pass.
- pedestrians are sometimes very
hard to see.
- slow and cautious driving can make
the above points academic.
- Snow Removal equipment always has
the right-of-way. It takes more
than one sweep-to clear an area.
- Traffic Condition ALPHA LIMITED
doesn't mean we don't have to think
...in drifting snow or when the roads
are icy, don't go unless you abso-
lutely must.
- Help others if they get stuck.
Thanks for hearing me out. I'm
tired of getting stuck. I'm going to
have to re-think why that happens.
IDF Prayer
breakfast to
be held
The Iceland Defense Force National
Prayer Breakfast will be held at the Top
of the Rock Thursday at 8a.m., in con-
junction with the National Prayer Break-
fast sponsored by the U.S. Senate and
House Prayer Groups.
The breakfast is founded on the idea
that persons in positions of responsibi-
lity can meet together in prayer to re-
dedicate themselves to the moral and
spiritual values upon which our nation
is founded. In Washington, the Presi-
dent, Vice-President, Cabinet and mem-
bers of Congress are expected to attend
along with other dignitaries. In Ice-
land all military and civilian personnel
regardless of rank or rate are invited
to attend and unite themselves in prayer
for our nation and leaders on this 200th
year of our United States. Rear Admiral
Harold G. Rich, Commander ' Iceland De-
fense Force, will be the guest speaker.
Tickets are on sale for $1 by repre-
sentatives of each command or at the
Base Chapel. Personnel are requested to
purchase tickets before Wednesday in or-
der for seating arrangements to be com-
pleted.
Recruiting duty
mandatory for
selected POs
The Chief of Naval Personnel has
authorized the assignment of non-volun-
teers E-6 and above to recruiting duty.
The move was necessitated by critical
manning levels at a number of recruiting
districts. Personnel will be assigned
to the districts by BUPERS, but, in most
cases further assignment to recruiting
stations will be made by district com-
manding officers.
Personnel selected will be screened
in accordance with provisions of the en-
listed transfer manual and must meet the
same standards as volunteer recruiters.
Recruiters are eligible for up to
$150 per month special duty assignment
pay.
Bl'PKRS announces
discharge changes
The Bureau of Naval Personnel has
announced a series of changes to admin-
istrative discharge procedures.
The modifications, effective April 1,
will provide the individual with the
opportunity to obtain legal assistance
during most discharge proceedings.
In cases where individuals are being
involuntarily discharged and their per-
formance marks would warrant a general
discharge, they must be .given the oppor-
tunity to consult with a lawyer. The
processing documents must include infor-
mation as to whether the service member
requested or waived counsel.
Previously, if an individual request-
ed a lawyer and one was not available,
non-lawyer counsel could be substituted.
Under the modified procedures, if legal
counsel is not available the discharge
■'roceedings must be suspended until a
lawyer is available.
In a separate change, the reasons for
discharge for "unfitness" and "miscon-
duct" are being incorporated into a sin-
gle category. All personnel being pro-
cessed under Article 3420220 of the
BUPERS Manual (unfitness) will now be
processed under the new misconduct
article.
Full details on the discharge pro-
cedure changes are contained in BUPERS
Note 1910 of Dec. 9, 1975.