The White Falcon - 05.03.1976, Blaðsíða 1

White Falcon
Ketlavk, Iceland Much 5, W9B
Heed for the hills:
Hvitarbakki opens Saturday
Volume XXXII. Number 9

CHILDREN TAKE IN the scenery at Hvitarbakki as they fish and play in the Navy
Lodpe area there.
CHAMPUS revises charges
A revised formula for determining
prevailing charges has been put into
effect according to the NATO CHAMPUS ad-
visor, HM1 Charles Lesher. This move
brings these changes in line with those
of other federal health care programs
such as Medicare.
A prevailing charge is one of three
factors used by CHAMPUS in setting a
reasonable charge for a health care ser-
vice or supply. The others are the
actual charge. The reasonable charge is
the closest of the three. It includes
both the beneficiary's share and the
government's share.
Reasonable charge
All CHAMPUS payments for outpatient
service for supplies and for maternity
care benefits are based on a reasonable
charge. Also, CHAMPUS payments for in-
patient services and supplies are not
included in hospital bills and based on
a reasonable charge.
According to the CHAMPUS advisor, the
revision could affect the amount that
the program pays for any specific serv-
ice or supply.
Under the revised formula, the pre-
vailing charge is now set at an amount
which is high enough to cover the
customary charges for three out of every
four bills from all doctors or other
health care providers in a geographic
area during the preceding calendar year
for a service or supply. In technical
terms, this means that the prevailing
charge is set at the 75th percentile
profile.
A customary charge is generally the
one most frequently made by a doctor or
other health care provider for a service
or supply.
No reduction
The change from setting prevailing
Navy
Twelve of the Navy's older ships, in-
cluding the aircraft carrier, Franklin
D. Roosevelt, will be retired from duty
with the fleet during Fiscal Year 1977
according to the Secretary of the Navy,
J. William Middendorf.
Eleven of the ships will be leaving
the active fleet while one will be re-
tired from the Naval Reserve Force.
Although 11 of the ships will be
leaving the active fleet during the
period, 20 newly-constructed ships
will enter the fleet during the FY 76
transition period and fiscal year 1977.
The average age of the ships to be
retired is more than 30 years. The
Secretary indicated that additional re-
tirements can be anticipated in succeed-
ing years since more than 60 ships will
be 30 years old at the end of FY 77.
charges on the basis of the 90th per-
centile profile has created misunder-
standing on the part of some beneficiar-
ies who believe that CHAMPUS benefits
have been reduced from 90 percent to 75
percent. CHAMPUS officials emphasize
that this is not an accurate statement.
Since prevailing charges are set by
geographic area, they may vary from one
area to another.
Petty Officer Lesher points out that
other federal health care programs have
been setting the prevailing charge at an
amount which is high enough to cover the
customary charges for three out of every
four bills. Lesher said that the charge
in the CHAMPUS formula makes the pro-
gram's payment policy more consistent
with those of other federal health care
programs.
Participating doctors
Because the change could affect the
amount paid by the government for a
particular service or supply, CHAMPUS
officials urge that all beneficiaries
make a special effort to use a doctor or
other health care provider who partici-
pates in the program.
A participating provider agrees to
accept the reasonable charge set by
CHAMPUS as payment in full. Thus, a
beneficiary is protected against respon-
sibility for costs above his share of
the reasonable charge.
A doctor or other health care provid-
er who does not participate in CHAMPUS
does not agree to accept the charge as
payment in full. The nonparticipating
provider's fee may be more than the rea-
sonable charge set by CHAMPUS. A bene-
ficiary is then responsible for his
share of the reasonable charge and the
actual fee.
While the net gain in ships during
Fiscal Year 77 is only nine, the Sec-
retary said the long range shipbuilding
program must provide about 18 ships per
year to replace those which will drop
from active inventory due to the end of
their normal service life. This must be
done to maintain the size of today's
fleet of 477 ships.
Of the 11 active ships to be re-
tired, five are assigned to the Atlantic
Fleet and six to the Pacific. Five of
the units will join the Naval Reserve
Force; five will be striken from the
Naval Register and one, the USS Franklin
D. Roosevelt, will be changed from ac-
tive to inactive service, commonly known
as the "Mothball Fleet."
The reserve unit to be retired is
homeported on the east coast. It will
One hundred miles northeast of the
NATO base is a quiet hideaway called
Hvitarbakki.
This guest lodge, located on a work-
ing farm, has eight bedrooms, a large
kitchen for guests' use, lounge, and
sauna. ATCS Larry Sutherland, the mana-
ger, lives in the house for the 10
months of the year Hvitarbakki is open.
The farm is located in a peaceful and
picturesque farming area that offers
many opportunities for sightseeing in
short day trips. Some of the points of
interest include hot springs, and many
hiking and mountain climbing areas.
Twenty miles away, the pleasant town of
Borganes has shopping facilities
and a hotel with a very fine restaurant.
For the more adventuresome, there is
fishing available in the Hvita River on
the lodge grounds and arrangements can
be made to fish in the rivers and lakes
in the area. Horseback riding is avail-
able through the neighbor farmers.
Hunting is in season August through
March for all members of the Base Rod
and Gun Club. For the camper there are
camp sites in abundance, and for the
swimmer, heated pools in the area are
Most military personnel and their
dependents have received their W-2 In-
come Tax forms and now are preparing to
file their Federal Tax Return. But one
would be wise not to stop there.
This year states are making a con-
certed effort to locate delinquent tax-
payers in the military and they are pre-
pared to impose penalties for failing to
file. It is the personal responsibility
of each member of the military to obtain
the necessary forms and information on
state taxes and above all to pay taxes
in those states that require military
members to do so.
If you have been avoiding state
income taxes in the past, you may not be
so lucky this time around. This year
your home of record state, or the state
The Department of Defense has re-
leased tentative figures on the total
numerical strength of the Armed Forces
as of Jan. 31, 1976.
According to preliminary reports,
there was a total of 2,091,794 men and
women on the defense rolls. This figure
was an increase of 7,488 over the number
serving at the end of December, 1975.
But, it was 53,093 below the total for
the end of January, 1975.
A breakdown by service shows:
The Army had 771,335 troops as of the
end of January, up 4,298 over the pre-
be striken from the Naval Register.
The approximately 4,100 officers and
men affected by this action will be re-
assigned.
The ships included on the list are:
destroyers G.K. MacKenzie, DD-836, and
L.F. Mason, DD-852, both homeported at
San Diego, and Edson, DD-946, homeported
in Long Beach. Edson will be transfered
to the Reserve Force.
The submarine rescue ships Tringa,
ASR-16, homeported at New London; and
Coucal, ASR-8 homeported at Pearl Harbor
will both be stricken. Fleet ocean tugs
Paiute, AFT-159 out of Mayport, Fla.
Moctobi, ATF-105 and Quapaw, ATF-110,
both out of Pearl Harbor, and Papago,
ATF-160 at Little Creek, Va. will go to
the Reserve Force.
The store ship, Denebola, AF-56 home-
ported at Norfolk, Va. will be stricken.
open during the summer months.
Last year over 1,000 NATO base per-
sonnel and dependents utilized this most
beautiful facility, most of whom left
with a much greater appreciation of the
host country.
The rates for this snug hideaway are
very reasonable. Campers are charged
only 50c per person a night, while in
the lodge bedrooms the charge is only
$3 per person per night. Children may
sleep in their sleeping bags in their
parent's room for only $1 per night per
child. Reservations may be made at the
Recreation Office in Building T-170,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
One does not have to drive the whole
distance to the lodge. One alternate
route is to catch the ferry leaving from
Reykjavik harbor, right in front of the
customs house and go by boat to
Akranes, then travel the customary route
the last 20 miles to the lodge.
For those who do not have a car, bus
service is available from the bus term-
inal in Reykjavik at a cost of Kr875
More information is available at the
Recreation Office on travel arrangements
and reservations at 4393 or 7500.
of your legal domicile will be getting a
copy of your W-2 form from the service.
Laws pertaining to state income tax
vary from state to state and many states
have made some changes in their laws
over those imposed on earnings claimed
during 1974.
WF corrects error
In last week's White Falcon story
on advancement requirements, it was
incorrectly stated that 24 months was
required for Time in Rate for E-4.
The correct TIR is six months.
vious month, but down 7,457 from the
number a year earlier.
The Navy reported a total of 526,399
on board at the end of January up 2,112
over the December figure, but, 21,191
fewer than were on Navy rolls at the end
of January 1975.
There were 195,094 Marines counted on
January 31, up 1,745 from December and
up 364 over the previous year's figure.
And finally, the Air Force counted
only 598,399 personnel in January, down
667 over the final December figure and
down 24,810 over the previous year's
January figure.
MC schedules NCO boeida
Headquarters Marine Corps has an-
nounced the tentative schedule for
the 1977 Staff NCO Selection and Re-
view Boards.
The board to select sergeants ma-
jor, master gunnery sergeants, first
sergeants and master sergeants will
meet on July 13, 1976.
The Gunnery Sergeant Board will
convene on Oct. 13, 1976 and the
staff sergeant selections will begin
on Jan. 11, 1977. Each board will be
in session for approximately eight
and one-half weeks.
The official announcement of each
board will be published in the Marine
Corps . -lletin 1400 series approxi-
mately 80 days before the convening
of each board.
DOD shows military strength
to retire 12 ships in f77
W-2 important to you