The White Falcon - 27.01.1978, Blaðsíða 2

Page 2
White Falcon
January 27, 1978
towrs &
TRAVEL
by Madeleine Grimsley
Navy Exchange news
by Darlene Johnson
Just a reminder to all you "ski
buff,"the Tour Office is still of-
fering package tours to Kitzbuhel and
St. Anton. The one-week tour to
Kitzbuhel or St. Anton will run
through March 25. The two-week tours at
these same resorts will end March 18;
the combination one week at each resort
will also end March 18.
St. Anton favors the advanced or in-
termediate skier. The St. Anton ski
school is the largest in the world.
Kitzbuhel has more than 100 runs,
ranging from beginners’ slopes to ad-
vanced runs. Other sports, such as:
skating, curling, sleighing and tobog-
ganing are also included. A heated in-
door swimming pool with Finnish sauna
is located there.
The fun does not stop when the sun
goes down—there are tea dances, dis-
cotheques, cozy cafes and delicious
food to make your day complete.
For more information, stop by the
Tour Office or call 4200.
If you want to ski closer to home,
the Ski Lodge at Akureyri is now open.
The slopes are excellent for begin-
ners and advanced skiers. T-bars and
modern chair lifts are available. Con-
tact the Tour Office for more informa-
their first enlistment add officers be-
yond their initial service obligation."
"With regard to the retirement
plan," Secretary Claytor said, "it is
essential, in my judgment, that we
draw a distinction between the retire-
ment plan we provide to the careerist
in our current military force and the
one we offer in the future to new re-
cruits and officer candidates.
"I feel quite strongly, as do many of
my uniformed colleagues in the Navy and
Marine Corps, that we must fulfill the
basic commitments we have implicitly
made to our current members when they
entered the military service. Thus, if
we 'promised' our recruits of five, 10,
and 15 years ago that, in principle,
they could retire at 20 years with the
equivalent of 50 per cent of their base
pay, then we are obligated to meet those
commitments.
"Accordingly, I strongly recommend
that this commission advocate 'grand-
fathering' our career members under the
basic principles of the retirement sys-
tem in effect for so many years.
"I believe that the time has come
for some movement to a fairer and more
flexible retirement policy—subject, of
course, to a liberal 'grandfathering'
provision, along the lines suggested
above, to protect those present career
officers and enlisted personnel who
prefer to forego new benefits for con-
tinuation of the existing system."
SecNav calls for vesting
Secretary Claytor indicated that
some vesting of retirement benefits at
a much earlier point than 20 years is
called for: "Ten years seems a rea-
sonable point for this, since this
would occur during the term of a third
reenlistment and is the usual vesting
period for civilian pension and retire-
ment systems.
"Another additional benefit that is
badly needed is a reasonably liberal
severance pay arrangement for both en-
listed personnel and officers where
early termination, including refusal
of a request for reenlistment, is re-
quired for the convenience of the
service.
"With these, and other added bene-
fits," Secretary Claytor said, "the pre-
sent automatic right to retire volun-
tarily at 20 years could be extended to
30 years for both officers and enlisted
personnel.
"It would seem appropriate and, from
the standpoint of retention of key
mid-career personnel, highly desirable
to authorize the services to institute
a point system for those enlisted per-
tion.
Car-passenger ferry information
The Tour Office has just received
the timetable and rates for the summer
season on the car-passenger ferry,
Smyrill. This ferry goes to the Faroe
Islands, Scrabster in Scotland and
Bergen, Norway.
Accommodations aboard the ferry vary
from deck space to cabin for six to 12
persons, two and four-berth cabins.
This is an excellent way to take your
car and tour Europe. Call 4200 for
more information.
Icelandic Symphony concert tickets
Concert tickets for the second half
of the Icelandic Symphony season are
now on sale at the Tour Office. If you
wish to retain the same seats that you
had for the first half of the season,
contact the Tour Office as soon as pos-
sible.
Those who did not have season tickets
for the first half of the season, but
wish to have these for the second half,
now is the time to make arrangements
for these.
There will be eight concerts in the
second half of the season, starting
Feb. 9.
sonnel with particularly arduous duty
experience, or in occupations in short
supply. That would entitle them to
earlier retirement, with maximum
credits permitting retirement at 20
years."
Dependent support programs
Admiral Holloway stated that the
retirement question is not the only
issue of concern to Navy personnel in
the consideration of compensation
changes.
"While the 20-year retirement op-
tion may clearly be categorized as the
most important motivational facet of
the compensation system to the career
sailor," he said, "it would be totally
insignificant to our preponderantly
married careerists if not backed up
by a strong package of dependent sup-
port programs.
"Most essential, however, is the
availability of complete quality
medical care; and unfortunately, this
one, singularly-vital benefit appears
to me and most members of our Navy
family to have been steadily, eroding
in recent years."
The CNO added that there are five ad-
ditional issues of concern to Navy
people which he urged the commission to
give careful consideration: The in-
creasing difficulty of obtaining ade-
quate housing; the present inequitable
treatment of Navy junior enlisted mem-
bers; non-payment of a basic allowance
for quarters without dependents assigned
to sea or field duty; the urgent need to
modernize the sea pay entitlement; and
concern over the future of the Navy com-
missary and exchange systems.
The need to maintain and improve
these kinds of benefits rather than
shift to a salary-type compensation
program for military personnel was
emphasized by Secretary Claytor.
"I do not favor shifting to a salary
or other single cash compensation sys-
tem," Secretary Claytor said, "the uni-
que nature of military service empha-
sizes the desirability of continuing
to be made available 'in kind.'' For
example, the availability of commissary,
exchange, recreational and other facili-
ties available only to the military com-
munity is a morale-enhancing factor out
of proportion to its actual cost or com-
puted dollar value."
Assessment necessary
Secretary Claytor concluded that
we must subject all change proposals
to a detailed and balanced assessment
to assure compatibility with our criti-
cal force management needs.
Tired of the same old breakfast every
day? Why not stop at the Viking or
Driftwood Cafeteria. The Navy Exchange
will offer breakfast specials, starting
Sunday and lasting until March 4.
The specials will be as follows:
Sunday—Feb. 4—steak with two eggs,
home fries, juice of your choice and
coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Feb. 5—Feb. 11—buckwheat pancakes
with breakfast sausage, juice of your
choice and coffee, tea or hot choco-
late.
Feb. 12—Feb. 18—corned beef hash
with two eggs, home fries, juice of
your choice and coffee, tea or hot
chocolate.
Feb. 19—Feb. 25—buttermilk pan-
cakes with breakfast sausage, juice of
your choice and coffee, tea or hot
chocolate.
Feb. 26—March 4—ham and cheese
omelet, home fries, juice of your
choice and coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Stop in and take advantage of these
breakfast specials at the Viking or
Driftwood Cafeteria.
Bowling Alley snack bar additions
The long-awaited Bowling Alley
snack bar tables and chairs are sched-
uled to arrive shortly. These will be
placed tentatively in the Bowling Alley
during the first week of February.
NEX has just received and installed
a new hot dog steaming unit in the
Bowling Alley snack bar. Prepared
like those which are offered at the
Mini-Mart, try one soon to please
that hungry appetite you receive from
your active bowling game.
NEX Catalog prices increase
The price on your next purchase from
the Navy Exchange Catalog will be in-
creased.
All Japanese merchandise has been
increased 10 per cent and all German
merchandise has been increased five per
cent. Be sure to include these increases
on your next order to prevent a delay in
your purchase.
Valentine's Day ideas
Are you in a dilemma about what to
get your sweetheart for Valentine's
Having 25 years of federal service,
J. C. Wiltse, Resident Officer in Charge
of Construction supervisory civil en-
gineer, received an award for his length
of employment last week.
Presented on behalf of Rear Admiral
C. C. Held, Commander, Atlantic Divi-
sion, Naval Facilities Engineering Com-
mand, the Certificate of Award read, in
part..."I commend you on the signifi-
cant contribution you have made to earn
AFI gets day
off for safe
performance
Air Forces Iceland recently implemen-
ted a new safety program for all members
of the command.
Units that complete a two month cycle
without incurring a lost work day because
of an accident or a mishap, exceeding
$250 property damage, will be awarded a
day off—the Safety Accomplishment Day.
The day off will normally be slated
on a Friday or Monday to enable squad-
ron members to enjoy a three day weekend.
The new program is being monitored by
the AFI Safety Office.
Master Sergeant Paul Fawcett, NCOIC
Ground Safety, reports that the program
is being well received by personnel at-
tached to AFI. People look forward
to the day off as well as thinking about
accident reduction, MSgt. Fawcett states.
The first two month cycle will end
Feb. 28, 1978.
Day? Check out the many items that the
Navy Exchange has to offer.
For "her" NEX has rocking chairs
from England, wooden vases, wooden lazy
susans, Ship N Shore blouses, makeup
mirrors and rings.
For "him" NEX has stocked Cannon
movie cameras with cases and accessories,
Concept 2000 television games and black
fur-lined capeskin gloves.
Icelandic items from Rammajerdin are
also available for both him and her.
Ice-Wool sweaters, cardigans, socks,
scarves and jackets may also complement
your wardrobe.
Runic necklaces and earrings, bearing
your initial in the Icelandic alphabet,
make unique gifts.
Check out NEX departments and put
your mind at rest about buying Valentine
presents.
Boys' shoes
A selection of boys* shoes is now at
the Shoe Store. These shoes are from
the Mother Goose collection and come in
a variety of styles and sizes. Stop by
the Shoe Store and save.
Luncheon special
The Viking Cafeteria is offering a
luncheon special every Tuesday. This
special will consist of one slice from
the 15-inch combination or pepperoni
pizza and a salad with your choice of
dressing. The price is right and, if
one slice won't satisfy your appetite,
you may order additional slices. Come
by the Viking and try out this luncheon
special.
New Party Ready Platters offered
NEX now has the new Party Ready
Platter forms available, with a slight
change from the previous PRP forms.
The new form offers a "Mini Platter",
designed to serve eight to 10 persons;
a great idea for those small weekend
get-togethers.
Each platter is designed to serve a
specific number of people.
The prices are still super. Call
5273 or 2149 or pick up a brochure at
your Navy Exchange cafeteria. Let
NEX put Pert to work for your next
party.
this award and extend to you my sincere
appreciation for your work."
Mr. Wiltse has been assigned to the
ROICC office since January 1976, after
coming from the Atlantic Division of
the Naval Facilities Engineering Com-
mand at Norfolk, VA, where he served
three years. Mr. Wiltse's quarter cen-
tury includes five years with the Navy,
five years with the Air Force and 15
years with the Army.
Commanding Officer
Capt. Jack T. Weir
Public Affairs Officer
JOCS James E. Dewater
Editor
J02 Jerry Foster
Staff
J02 Ray D. Oosterman
SA Don Chinners Jr.
Gerald Hansen
The White Falcon is published
every Friday in accordance with
SECNAVINST 5720.44 for distribution
to U.S. military personnel, Naval
Station, Keflavik, Iceland, and their
dependents, and to military and
civilian employees of the Iceland
Defense force and their families. It
is printed in the Naval Station Print
Shop from appropriated funds in ac-
cordance with NAVEXOS P-35. The
opinions and statements made herein
are not to be construed as official
views of the Department of Defense or
the U.S. Government.
News items, questions, suggestions
and comments may be submitted by
calling 4612 or by visiting AFRTS,
building T-44.
Benefits
Continued from Page 1
------------ Keflavik notes
After 25 years
Civilian receives time-in-service award