The White Falcon - 28.05.1976, Page 1

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White Falcon
Volume XXXII Number 21
Keflavk. Iceland
May 28, 1976
COs can ID
new strikers
The Bureau of Naval Personnel is
changing its rules so that Commanding
Officers can assign Striker Identifica-
tion to E-3's who have been working in a
rating. They must meet all other
E-4 exam eligibilities except for time
in service and time in grade.
Up to now, striker desigration could
be achieved only by passing the E-4 exam
for a particular rating and not being
advanced, or by graduating from an "A"
School.
The new guidelines, spelled out in
Bupers Note 1440 dated April 28th, allow
a Commanding Officer to recognize sus-
tained on-the-job performance in the
rating.
Commanding Officers may not assign
striker identification, however, for ra-
tings which require completion of "A
School.
PAO sponsors
Bicentennial Contest
In conjunction with the NATO Base
Bicentennial celebration, the Naval Sta-
tion Public Affairs Office will sponsor
a literature contest. Winning entries
will be published in the July 2 issue of
the White Falcon.
Topic for the contest is America.
Writers are not limited to a particular
period of American history, nor a speci-
fic social, government or economic era.
Winners will be named in two cate-
gories for two age groups, and will re-
ceive engraved trophies or ribbons. The
contest will be divided into two age
brackets: (1) ages 15 and below; and
(2) ages 15 and above.
Writing styles for the contest are
essay and poetry. Entries must not ex-
ceed 500 words, and should be carefully
handwritten or typed, double spaced.
The staff of AFRTS and the Naval
Station public affairs office, military
information specialists and their fam-
ilies, are not eligible to participate.
Deadline for entries is June 25.
Entries should be delivered to AFRTS,
Bldg. T-44, and marked "Bicentennial
Literature Contest."
The decision of the judges shall be
final.
The Class of 76^ 'We’ve only just begun’
The A. T. Mahan High School Class of
1976 received their diplomas Sunday
afternoon in an impressive hour-long
graduation ceremony at the Base Chapel.
The eighteen seniors, dressed in
royal blue gowns and caps with red,
white and blue tassels, walked into the
chapel to the traditional "Pomp and
Circumstance" played by organist Joe
Derrick.
The Senior Thoughts, a series of
philosophical ideas and words of wisdom.
were read by Sherry Allen, Sheryl Row-
land, Lisa Velez and Tekla Skowronski.
Valedictorian Shannon Wood, express-
ing hopeful feelings of the future,
challenged the adult world to receive
the Class of '76 and accept their new
ideals saying, "We have only just be-
gun."
Margaret King, in her salutatory ad-
dress, urged her classmates to think
about what they had learned in the past
12 years and to always remember and ap-
preciate the sacrifices and hard work
given by their teachers.
Mr. Doyle Martin, deputy chief of
mission, American Embassy, delivered the
commencement address and presented the
graduates with their diplomas.
Representatives from various base
clubs and organizations were present to
award scholarships to the most deserving
graduates: Gary Ansell $1000, CPO Ad-
visory Board and CPO Wives’ Club; Shan-
non Wood $400, Bob Bohannan $200, Wanda
Smith $200, Fil-Am Association; Shannon
Wood $150, Fleet Reserve Association;
Jon Heinrich $100, Greg Freebum $100,
Gary Ansell. $100, Keflavik Officials’
Association; Sheryl Rowland $200, Mid-
night Sundowners; Bob Bohannan $200, NCO
Wives’ Club; Karen Bourque $500, Offi-
cers' Wives’ Club; Shannon Wood $1000,
Karen Bourque $700, Parent-Teacher Or-
ganization .
Story and photos by J01 Jim Miller
TEKLA SKOWRONSKI (left photo) leaves the
graduation ceremony. Eighteen A. T.
Mahan High School seniors received their
diplomas Sunday in the Base Chapel.
Tekla will begin studies at Springfield
Technical Community College, Spring-
field, Mass, majorinq in cosmetology.
AT LEFT, families and friends gather
outside the chapel to congratulate the
graduates.
Memorial Day is a traditional time
for Americans to remember with pride and
appreciation the more than one million
fellow citizens who have died in the de-
fense of our country.
As we pay tribute to our military
dead, we must do more than applaud their
legendary courage; we must rededicate
ourselves to the heritage of freedom for
which they gave their lives.
By acting in a way that reflects
credit on their patriotism, we can honor
their memory and extend that heritage to
future generations.
On this Memorial Day our defenses are
strong, and we are more determined than
ever to keep them strong; not strong for
the sake of war—but strong for the sake
of peace.
A grateful nation, rejoicing in two
hundred years of freedom and independ-
ence, we salute our armed forces—past
and present—and acknowledge their in-
s' 4 ring contribution to our national
se urity and way of life.
Gerald R. Ford
Memorial Day-started from peoples’ feelings
There are several stories of the origin of Memorial Day. All are humane
stories—of a people’s desire to honor their war dead with ceremonies, flowers
and processionals.
One recounts how widows, mothers and children of the Confederate dead went
out and decorated their graves with flowers; and that at many places, they
also impartially placed flowers on unknown and unmarked graves of Union soldi-
ers. As the news of this touching tribute spread throughout the North, it
helped to reduce sectional bitterness. From sorrow common to the North and
South came this beautiful custom of decorating the graves of our Armed Forces.
In a more formal manner, 108 years ago, Decoration Day, or Memorial Day, as
it is now called, was so designated by General John A. Logan, commander-in
chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans of
the Civil War. However, Gen. Logan along did not create Memorial Day. No one
person began it. The day grew out of the feelings of the people. The Nation
needed the day to speak its grief after a war that had torn the country
apart. In its way, Memorial Day helped reunite the United States.
The exact date has undergone several changes, The first Memorial Day was
observed on May 30, 1868. Today, it is a legal holiday observed by most
states on the last Monday in May, which was made a Federal holiday by law in
1971. Several states have chosen other days for their observances.
On Memorial Day 1976, America pays
tribute to the members of our armed
forces who have given their lives to
secure our country's independence and
freedom.
We recall their valor and their cour-
age, and we honor them for their total
commitment to our nation.
This time of reflection, however,
should also be a time of resolve.
The freedom for which more than one
million Americans have sacrificed their
lives in battle can endure only as long
as we cherish and defend it. By main-
taining unquestioned strength and dedi-
cation in our national and international
endeavors, America will preserve the
freedom and peace which those whom we
honor on Memorial Day valued more than
lif e.
The defense of freedom is a sacred
trust bequeathed to all Americans, es-
pecially Americans in uniform.
As we pay homage to our defenders of
the past, we also salute the vigilant
men and women of today's armed forces
who safeguard our freedom of the present
and the future.
Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense