The White Falcon - 02.12.1977, Síða 1

Better services
with a 20 per
improve base personnel’s banking
cent increase in savings, checking
Savings and checking accounts have
increased approximately 20 per cent over
the last year, indicating better service
has been provided to base personnel at
the American Express Military Banking
Facility, Commander B. E. Maxon, comp-
troller and bank liaison office, states.
Just over one year ago, Captain Jack
T. Weir, Commander Naval Forces Iceland/
Commanding Officer, Naval Station, Kef-
lavik; CDR Maxon and Ralph Hutchinson,
bank manager, conducted a basewide sur-
vey about the services provided by the
military banking facility.
As a result of the survey, operating
hours were changed and posting equipment
was installed to provide an easier ac-
cess to accounts and to enable the bank
staff to answer customer problems more
readily.
A night depository safe is soon to
be installed to further help base needs.
Treasury Dept, releases control
The United States Treasury Depart-
ment has relinquished its responsibili-
ties for overseas military banking fa-
cilities, and a new Department of De-
fense contract has recently been signed
between military banking facilities
throughout the world and DoD.
Reportedly in the first year, DoD's
goals include reducing customer waiting
lines, increasing service hours (where
this can be done without boosting
costs), and lessening account statement
posting and delivery times.
All of these goals are being studied
by your bank management and Naval Sta-
tion representatives.
With the signing of the contracts
also comes various changes to the
charges now levied at military banks
to bring them in line with the economics
of the military banking industry over-
seas .
Charges for writing checks against
insufficient funds is now $7.50 per
check on military banking accounts.and
$10 per check on stateside accounts.
This closely parallels charges by
stateside banks.
Savings accounts are now charged 25
cents per withdrawal in excess of two
per calendar month.
Money orders will cost 50 cents in
the future for the first $100 and 25
cents for each additional $100 or
fraction thereof.
Less than $300 stateside balancp
Local account holders who present
checks from stateside banks that exceed
the balance of their local checking or
savings account—but not by more than
$300—will be charged 25 cents per $100
for the entire amount of the check.
Persons who .present stateside checks
but do not have an account locally will
be charged 25 cents per $100 and the
check will not be cashed if it is more
than $300.
No charge will be made for checks
deposited to either local checking
or savings accounts.
Maintenance charges on checking ac-
counts held locally remain unaffected,
being 40 cents per month and 10 cents
per check presented against the ac-
count.
These charges are waived if the
customer has his paycheck sent direct-
ly to fhe bank of if the balance of
the account remains over $300 through-
out the statement month.
Further information on the bank/s
services or charges may be obtained
at the American Express Bank at 4270
or from CDR Maxon at 6110.
18-month contract in Keflavik
TO CELEBRATE Thanksgiving, a family begins their special meal at the En-
listed Dining Facility (above). INVITED GUESTS anticipate a Thanksgiv-
ing dinner at the home of Captain M. C. Clegg and his wife, Mary Ellen
(below), (photo by PH2 Ernest A. Myette)
December brings
to Iceland with
December is the month of maximum
snowfall and minimum sunlight. During
this period, two major patterns occur:
Fair and cold under the influence of
a strong Greenland high cell or stormy
with temperatures near freezing under
the influence of a strong low pressure
center, moving from the southwest.
The average temperature falls to
near freezing, 33.1 degrees, a drop of
3.2 degrees from November.
Prevailing winds continue to pre-
dominate from the northeast quadrant,
34.5 per cent and the southwest quad-
rant, 30.8 per cent with a mean wind
speed of 13.9 knots. The peak gust was
73 knots from the westsouthwest.
colder weather
little sunlight
Chill Index II becomes the standard
condition with frequent occurrences of
Chill Index III and the slight possi-
bility of Chill Index IV.
Overall, the precipitation amounts
for December make it the second wettest
month, however, more than one fourth of
this total falls as snow. Rain or
drizzle may be expected on 56 per cent
of the days, while snow is recorded on
58.5 per cent of the days. Snowfall
reaches its annual mean of 17.3 inches
and blowing snow becomes very common.
The winter solstice occurs about
Dec. 22 when only four hours and 12
minutes of daylight may be expected.
Joan E. Gibbons-USO Director
Describing herself as a world tra-
veler, new USO director Joan E.
Gibbons will lead the Keflavik USO
operation on an 18-month contract.
The former elementary school teacher
and social worker lists a particular in-
terest in recreation work and working
with people.
Within the past two months since
coming to Keflavik she has journeyed to
Gullfoss, Geyser and Krusivik on USO
tours.
In the recreation field, she worked
as a Department of the Army Special
Services program director at Stuttgart,
Germany. She also served three and a
half years with the American Red Cross
in South Korea.
At one time, she was employed as
recreation director at the Oakland
Naval Hospital, Oakland, CA.
Calling Arroyo Grande, (Big Ditch)
CA her home, she holds a California
teaching certificate. She graduated
from San Jose State University, San
Jose, CA with a bachelor of science
in marketing. In addition, she
earned a bachelor of arts in liberal
studies from California Polytechnic
State University, San Luis Obispo,
CA.
An avid square dancer, she enjoys
swimming, reading, recreational
games and bicycling.
During her career, she has tra-
veled to centraL Europe, the Far
East, Japan, Thailand and Hong
Kong. On her own, she visited
Hawaii three times and toured
Mexico.
First lighting of a candle
will be to celebrate the holiday :
Hannukah
Monday will mark the first night of
Hannukah which is traditionally cele-
brated by lighting the first candles of
the holiday. An additional candle is
added to the menorah every day until the
eighth night. The holiday is also
marked by the giving of small gifts to
children, the eating of potato pancakes
(latkes) or donuts, and playing the
dreydel (tops) game.
This holiday marks the 2141st an-
niversary of the reopening of the
Temple in Jerusalem after its desecra-
tion in the year 168 B.C. Antiochus
sought to tie Judea to his polyglot
empire by imposing upon it the rule of a
politically favored minority backed by a
military garrison. Angered by their
loss of freedom and the crass violation
of their holiest site, the Jews allied
around Judah Maccabee and recaptured
Jerusalem in the year 165 B.C.
On the third anniversary of its
desecration the Temple was reopened for
Divine service. It soon became
customary to "proclaim the miracle" by
lighting the Hannukah lamp, a tradition
which lasted to this day.
REHEARSING for’their "South
Pacific" performances, Ice
and Fire Theater Group cast
members prepare for shows
at the Officers' Club to-
morrow night and Top of the
Rock Dec. 9 and 11.