The White Falcon - 07.05.1976, Blaðsíða 1

■ ( White
Volume XXXII Number 18
Falcon
Keilavk, Iceland
May 7, 1976
»
Armed Forces
Week 1976
Traditionally, Armed Forces Day is
the third Saturday in May, but this
year in recognition of the Bicenten-
nial anniversary, Armed Forces Day
has been extended into a week-long
observance, May 8-15. The theme for
Armed Forces Week is "Honor America."
Three of the military services are
older than the Nation. When the
American Revolution began, the Con-
tinental Congress had to create armed
forces: the Army was established on
June 14, 1775. the Navy on Oct. 13,
1775 and the Marine Corps on Nov. 10,
1775. It was not until the aftermath
of another war 172 years later that
the Air Force was established.
Throughout 200 years of American
history, men and women of the Armed
Forces have protected our heritage of
freedom with courage and devotion.
Today more than two million men and
women in the military service stand
ready, as always, to defend freedom.
"As we begin the observance of
Armsd Forces Week let us pause for a
few minutes to reflect upon the mean-
ing of the uniform you wear. It is
my firm belief that the men and women
1n uniform are the true people of
peace. It 1s you who are making the
personal sacrifices for this great
country of ours in order to provide-
for its defense. During the past.200
years there have been times when the
■uniform was not too popular even with
our own countrymen, yet, you con-
tinued to serve them. Armed Forces
Week occurs this year when Americ-.i
military people are . fighting
nowhere, but remain as ready as ever
to confront those who would challenge
our freedom. For the period of May
8-15, 1976, let us Honor America, let
us honor ourselves."
J. William Middendorf II
Secretary of the Navy
Blasting in progress
Rock blasting will be in progress for
the next several weeks in the new hous-
ing area, under construction near the
Bunker Hill/Coral Sea Enlisted Housing
Area.
Parents should warn their children to
stay out of this area, because of the
rock blasting and because heavy equip-
ment traffic and open excavation work
continues.
Children should not play in construc-
tion areas at any time, but the next few
weeks in the Bunker Hill/Coral Sea area
will be particularly dangerous.
‘Working khaki' okayed
If you're a Navyman wondering what to
do with your working khaki and service
dress white uniforms this year, the an-
swer is—go ahead and wear them. Regu-
lations announced last week extended the
authorization for both the khakis and
whites. Also approved, was a modifica-
tion of the winter working blue uniform.
If worn with tie and ribbons, it will be
designated winter blue, and will be
authorized for leave and liberty.
In addition to these specific uniform
announcements, a new procedure for re-
view of upcoming uniform changes has
been established.
Military members may pay higher taxes
Military personnel may have to begin
paying taxes on their permanent change
of station (PCS) moving costs that are
now paid by the individual ser-
vices unless officials are successful in
their attempt to reverse an Internal
Revenue Service ruling. Moving costs
are not now considered as income and
therefore not taxable. -However, begin-
ning this summer unless the ruling can
be changed, moving costs will be in-
cluded in the W-2 Form.
For the average military member mak-'
ing a normal PCS move from one location
to another it may not have much effect.
The costs will be reported as income and
then the member can deduct those expen-
ses when paying taxes. However, there
are several conditions which could prove
very costly to a member who is attending
school in PCS status for less than 39
weeks, making a PCS move of less than 50
miles or moving dependents during a
short tour.
The Tax Reform Act of 1969 stated
that moving expenses were not deduct-
ible under those conditions but the IRS
declared a moratorium which exempted
service members. There is currently
legislation before Congress to correct
the problem but it is not expected to be
acted upon before the current morator-
ium runs out on June 30.
If legislation is not passed and the
moratorium is not extended the military
services will be forced to include the
moving costs in this year's W-2 Forms.
In an extreme example, a member re-
turning from overseas to a career course
in PCS status and then PCS to another
state-side installation will have to
pay over $1,000 in taxes. The
tax would be the result of the move from
overseas to the course of less than 39
weeks. Such a move is not deductible.
The cost of the move, over $4,000,
will be included in the W-2 as income
for which state and federal taxes must
be paid.
In another example, if a PCS move is
from Washington, D.C. to a neighboring
facility less than 50 miles away the
costs are not deductible and taxes must
be paid.
Stereo purchases limited
A limit on the amount of stereo
gear that can be purchased at the Stereo
Shop went into effect this week.
The limit was imposed to protect the
Icelandic economy because the equipment
sold in the Stereo Shop is not subject
to Icelandic duty.
From now on, tuners and amplifiers
can only be sold to military members of
the Defense Force and adult non-depend-
ents accompaning the Defense Force pos-
essing both a valid military ID card and
current ration card in their own name
As the result of an out-of-court set-
tlement the Civilian Health and Medical
Program of the Uniformed Services
( CHAMPUS ) will develop specific stand-
ards which must be met by individuals
other than medical doctors or clinical
psychologists to qualify for CHAMPUS
support of marriage or family counsel-
ing. While the standards are being de-
veloped, CHAMPUS has lifted prohibition
on payments for the services of pastor-
al, family, child and marital counse-
lors, The new standards are expected to
be developed in 90 days.
This out-of-court settlement resulted
from a legal action brought against De-
partment of Defense last year by the A-
merican Association of Marriage and
Family Counselors. The settlement was
approved on March 25, 1976, by Judge
Joseph C. Waddy of the U. S. District
Court for the District of Columbia. The
association instituted legal action last
year after DOD deleted services of pas-
toral, family, child and marital coun-
selors as CHAMPUS benefits. A temporary
court injunction had ordered CHAMPUS to
continue sharing the cost for marriage
and family counseling from these sources
until the matter could be settled.
CHAMPUS will not share the cost of
marriage or family counseling by any af-
fected counselor who does not meet the
new standards, after they are adopted.
DOD officials view this as a vital
step in assuring high quality counseling
for all CHAMPUS beneficiaries.
CHAMPUS will also establish a pro-
cedure to provide for reviewing those
claims for marriage and family counsel-
ing where there are questions of neces-
sity for or appropriateness of the coun-
seling services. Mental health care
professionals from outside of DOD will
assist in conducting the reviews.
All counseling by marriage and family
counselors who are not physicians or
clinical psychologists will require a
medical determination and referral.
A survey of marriage and family
counseling services available at mili-
tary installations will be conducted to
at the time of the sale. Both cards
must be shown at the time of purchase.
In the event that a person not eligi-
ble to purchase a tuner or amplifier,
such as a dependant wife, wishes to do
so, she must get special permission from
the Naval Station Legal Officer. Permis-
sion must also be obtained by a military
member to purchase more than one tuner
or amplifier.
The ration card of a person purchas-
ing a tuner, amplifier or tuner-amp
combination will be marked with a stamp
device.
identify those areas where qualified
counselors are located. The 1976/77
Defense Appropriations Act requires that
a beneficiary obtain a nonavailability
statement (DD Form 1251) before CHAMPUS
will share the cost of marriage or
family counseling from civilian sources
which was being contested in court.
CHAMPUS beneficiaries who desire mar-
riage or family counseling should call
HM1 Charles Lesher at 3216. He can pro-
vide details of all requirements which
must be met before CHAMPUS can share the
cost of such counseling. Also, informa-
tion is available from CHAMPUS, Denver,
Colo. 802A0
Military inspection slated
The Commanding Officer of the
Naval Station, Captain John R.
Farrell, will hold a personnel
inspection of all Naval Station
personnel at 9 a.m. next Friday in
Hangar 885, southeast bay. Uniform
will be Service Dress Blues with rib-
bons. No peacoats or overcoats will
be worn.
Tickets on sale
for AF dinner
The sale of tickets for the Air
Forces Iceland Officer/Enlisted "Dining
Out" on May 29 at the Officers' Club
will continue through May 21.
The dining out will begin with a
social hour at 6 p.m. followed by a
dinner featuring Veal Cordon Bleu at 7
p.m.
Appropriate dress for the occasion is
winter mess dress, formal military uni-
form, tuxedo or gown.
Only Air Force personnel may purchase
tickets. However, guests may be invited
from other services.
Only 250 people can attend the dining
out and tickets are expected to be ex-
hausted early. The cost of the dinner
is $6 per person.
Tickets can be purchased from:
Captain Greenaway bldg. 869A Ext. 7428
Captain Mace bldg. 885 4315
Captain Sniteman bldg. 827 7192
MSgt. Young bldg. 2040 5142
ICELANDIC REPRESENTATIVES of the International Plastic Modelers Society meet with
RADM Harold G. Rich, Commander Iceland Defense Force to present him a copy of the
first Issue of ismo, the Icelandic plastic modeler magazine. From left RADM Rich,
Baldur Svelnsson, Eythor Arnarson and Gudmundur Runar Jonsson.
CHAMPUS lifts prohibition on counseling payments