The White Falcon - 10.02.1978, Qupperneq 1

Receives medal
Canadian serviceman honored by Queen Elizabeth
by J01 B. A. Cornfeld
Last year marked the Silver Anniver-
sary of Queen Elizabeth's succession to
the throne. To commemorate this 25th
year, a one-time Silver Jubilee Medal
was struck and presented to the most
outstanding officers and enlisted per-
sonnel of the British Commonwealth
Forces.
One such man—Canadian Air Element
Major Robert C. Vinnedge, a man whose
main interest is men, not medals, was
honored with the award recently.
Of 5,500 Regular (Canadian) Force
members to receive the medal (a 1:14
ratio), the 40-year-old Ft. St. James,
British Columbia, native was selected
primarily on merit of past service,
with length of service and prestige of
current appointment as secondary fac-
tors, according to the Canadian Armed
Forces Personnel Newsletter (10/1977).
Measuring one and a fourth inches,
the sterling silver piece portrays the
queen on one side and a maple leaf and
the dates of her reign (1952-1977) on
the reverse. The medal is extended on
a white ribbon with red and blue verti-
cal stripes.
As the Canadian Forces liaison offi-
cer at Fleet Air Keflavik, Major
Vinnedge is also the NATO plans offi-
cer. Although Iceland is his first
overseas assignment and ComFairKef is
his first foreign command, he explained
that he has had "a lot of exposure on
exercises with foreign services."
Since his commissioning in 1963 after
being graduated from the two-year Air
Navigation School at Winnipeg, Manitoba,
he has almost continually worked in
Maritime Command Aviation. His one ex-
ception was a tour with Maritime Intel-
ligence at Halifax.
The quiet, reserved major has been in
Iceland for nearly two years. He feels
that his job "gets better every day."
"It's enjoyable to note the closeness
of operation and the people in it," he
said.
The major, once an enlisted man, has
not let his promotions get in the way of
what he likes best: "I enjoy working
with the men, being close to them.
Having been one (an enlisted) has been
a real boon," he explained.
He feels that people should do the
best with what they've got and try to
make it better. In comparing any diffi-
culties in working with a foreign ser-
vice, he said, "You must recognize the
service with which you're working and
remain within its guidelines."
The major hopes to continue working
in NATO areas. When he leaves Iceland
in May, he will be attending the Command
Staff College in Toronto, Ontario. In
the meantime, he plans to continue
being involved in the Boy Scout group
committee and Kiwanis, and generally
enjoying Iceland with his family.
I Keflavik notes I
Fil-Am to host party
An evening of fun and fellowship
awaits those who have purchased
tickets for • the Filipino- American
Association of Keflavik Valentine's
Party tomorrow at the Glacier House.
Cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m.
with a buffet style dinner following
at 7 p.m. Dancing music will be
provided from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The dinner menu will consist of
lumpia (Filipino egg roll), pansit
(egg noodles) beef steamboat round,
fried chicken, sweet and sour pork,
Filipino fried rice, salad and
Valentine cake.
As in the past prizes will be
awarded. Semi-formal dress will
be appropriate for the evening.
No tickets will be sold at
the door.
Management classes
Two management instructors are cur-
rently visiting Keflavik.
Senior Chief Aviation Electrician's
Mate W. M. Morrissey, Naval Air Station
Brunswick, MA and Chief Aviation Machin-
ist's Mate C. E. Peterson, Naval Air
Station Norfolk, VA, presently conduct
the Commander Naval Air Atlantic manage-
ment skills course.
The course is designed to provide in-
formation, stimulus and challenge for
development of leadership management
skills at the middle management level.
Individual classes for first class,
chief and junior officer personnel are
running one week each for a three-week
period which began last week.
February 10,1978
Volume 34 Number 6 Keflavik, Iceland
Supply celebrates 183 years
Navy Supply Corps personnel will
celebrate their 183rd year in the Navy
at the traditional annual Supply Corps
Birthday Ball Feb. 17 at the Top of
the Rock.
Although the present day Supply
Corps was officially begun in 1795,
navies throughout history have depen-
ded on specialized personnel to supply
their ships and men with the necessary
items required for the long periods
away from port. In the United States
Navy in the early 17th century,
"clerks" were modeled after those in
the British Navy.
Essentially civilians, their pay
depended upon a mark-up of items sold
aboard ship.
Then came pursers who received war-
rant officer status, $40 a month and
two daily rations.
Now supply personnel are in all
grades, and their range of service ex-
tends to all areas of naval activities.
Wherever a Supply type finds himself,
the main thrust of the Supply Corps
remains now, as it always has been, the
outfitting and support of a strong
United States Navy----In the air and at
sea.
Cocktails will begin at 6:30 p.m.
and dinner will be served at 7:15. The
menu will include tossed salad, steam-
boat round, baked or mashed potatoes,
peas, carrots and corn, cake and ice
cream.
Together with the traditional cake-
cutting by the youngest and the oldest
supply personnel, the history of the
Supply Corps will be presented in a
skit.
Musical entertainment for dancing
will be furnished.
Janice Brown and Fern Arendell are
in charge of arrangements.
Each lady who attends will receive a
corsage courtesy of Supply Corps Wives
and Women in Supply, who are in charge
of the annual ball.
HANK THOMPSON and the Brazos Valley Boys
are scheduled to perform on the NATO
base in March (see story on Page 3).
Stateside weather still
delaying local mail
- AFI
Comptroller division
MSgt.
receives
Medal
Master Sergeant Richard B. Branch,
Air Forces Iceland- Transportation
division, received the Air Force Com-
mendation Medal, for his outstanding
performance while attached to the
4787th Material Squadron at Duluth,
MN, International Airport.
He also received $200 for his sug-
gestion which he made to Dodge Motor
Inc. for suggesting a better way to
fix a wheel bearing.
MSgt. Branch was presented this
second award also by Major Larry W.
Curl, AFI Executive Officer.
SMSgt. Earns degree
Air Forces Iceland Security Police
Superintendent Senior Master Sergeant
James D. Owen was presented an asso-
ciate in applied science degree last
week from the Community College of
the Air Force.
Colonel Leon W. Babcock Jr., Com-
mander Air Forces Iceland, made the
presentation.
A native of Lewisburg, TN, SMSgt
Owen is a 23-year Air Force veteran.
A large volume of backlogged mail at
the Fleet Post Office at New York is the
result of the severe weather conditions
in the northeastern United States and
the closure of John F. Kennedy Inter-
national Airport the weekend of Jan. 20.
According to message from Commander
U. S. Atlantic Fleet on Feb. 1 and 2,
there were approximately 142,000 Navy
letters plus 200 bags of letters and
flats to be worked for outgoing dispatch
to the Atlantic Fleet commands. An es-
timated 97,250 pounds of incoming mall
was to be processed by the United States
Postal Service Gateway, NY.
The USPS has taken action to relieve
the mail congestion at the New York
Auto inspection ;
Auto inspections will continue
through March 16 at the Car Wash.
Just a reminder that auto inspect-
ions are a must for all "J" and "JO"
vehicles here on the NATO base.
Auto inspections are scheduled
as follows:
Mon--JO-5562—JO-5688
Tue- -JO-5689—JO-5815
Wed. -JO-5816—JO-5942
Thu. -JO-5943—JO-6069
If your vehicle tag starts with
the letters "JO" or"J" you can have
your car inspected at the car wash
located behind Public Works. This
is mandatory for all vehicles with
Gateway.
The Air Mail Facility at Kennedy
hired 75 temporary employees, and regu-
lar USPS employees were asked to volun-
teer for overtime work. FPO New York
also assigned senior postal clerks to
annex 179 personnel at JFK for 92 hours
per week to expedite the movement of
incoming/outgoing mail.
Since Jan. 28, USPS has expended more
than 5,000 hours of overtime, moving
backlogged mail, and every effort is
being made to correct the situation.
Earlier this week, however, severe
snowstorms in the northeast interrupted
commercial flights and other delays
could result.
"J" or "JO" numbers. There are re-
quirements that must be made before
you bring your car for inspection.
1. Vehicle must be ready for in-
spection.
2. Have a valid headlight inspect-
ion.
3. Have vehicle registration (Ice-
landic and Military) and Insur-
ance papers .
The following days are left for
stragglers and reinspections: March
20, 21 and 22.
Defense Force members will be able
to get their cars inspected from 1:15
to 4:30 p.m. at Bldg. 507, Naval Sta-
tion Car Wash.
highly rated
Air Forces Iceland Comptroller Divi-
sion Accounting Section has won an award
in the Air Defense Command Fiscal Year
1977 Quality Assurance Program. The
Quality Assurance Program is a complex
system of performance standards which
the Air Force Accounting and Finance
Center uses to rate all Air Force ac-
counting and finance offices.
After being notified of their winning
entry in October 1977, Captain Tom Ross,
AFI Comptroller, and his accounting sec-
tion received the award from Colonel
Leon W. Babcock Jr., Commander Air Forces
Iceland.
Accounting section personnel attending
the ceremony included: Staff Sergeant
Bob White, Staff Sergeant Tom Magner,
Senior Airman Tim Johnson, Staff Sergeant
Sally Pitre, Master Sergeant Harry
Truslow and Staff Sergeant Marty Noble.
The award recognizes the excellence
with which AFI exceeded command and Air
Force standards in submitting accurate
and timely reports to HQ ADCOM and the
Air Force Accounting and Finance Center.
Under the Quality Assurance Program,
Reports Control Symbol (RCS) reports are
rated in both accuracy and timeliness
of submission on a scale of 1.00 to
2.00.
The ADCOM and Air Force standard
superior performance on this scale is
1.25. The AFI accounting section ex-
ceeded this standard by attaining a
perfect record of 1.00, bringing AFI
from last place in ADCOM for fiscal
year 1976 to first place for fiscal
year 1977.