The White Falcon - 24.02.1978, Blaðsíða 2

Page 3
White Falcon
February 24, 1978
Spotlight:
YNCM Gerald Hansen
Iceland Defense Force
By J02
Judy Johns
PREPARING--and reading correspondence is a routine
part of Yeoman Master Chief Gerald L. Hansen's job
as the assistant personnel officer of the IDF Staff.
(Photo by PHAN Kirk M. Fasking)
An almost-Marine in 1956, today
Gerald L. Hansen is a Master Chief Yeo-
man on the Commander Iceland Defense
Force staff.
Late in registering for the draft,
he decided the Marine Corps would be
more to his liking than the Army. How-
ever, he wasn't destined to become a
leatherneck. The Marine Corps recruit-
ing office was closed when he went to
see the recruiter, and a chief petty
officer in the Navy recruiting office
took advantage of the opportunity.
After graduating from airman "prep"
school, trying his hand at aviation
electronics, and then serving three
years as a fire control technician a-
board the USS Hand (DD 702), the mas-
ter chief was finnally able to get the
job that he wanted. "I knew I wanted
to be a yeoman," he explained, "but I
seemed to be the only one who knew
this. When the gunnery yeoman left, X
was put into that billet. The first
time I took the YN3 test I made it."
Since then he has attended every
school associated with the yeoman rate
which the Navy offered. He has also
completed many USAFE and officer corre-
spondence courses.
Over his 22-year career, YNCM Han-
sen has served with almost every part
of the Navy community in the United
States and overseas : aboard ship,
with the Seabees, at naval air stations,
and communications stations, including
joint-command duty at Jusmae, Thailand,
and Headquarters, U.S. European
Command, Germany.
YNCM Hansen now has a full day's
work and sometimes more in his two-
hatted job as the IDF assistant per-
sonnel officer and command master
chief petty officer, in the J-l
Admin/personnel division.
His appearance fits right in with
his position: an immaculste uniform
smartly worn, glossy shoes, and neatly
trimmed mustache and beard, His bearing
and posture reveal a confident and
self-assured man, one who is comfort-
able in any situation.
Looked up to and respected by the
people he works with, he is admired
for his "ability to get things done."
Even though there is a lot of paper-
work involved as assistant personnel
officer, which some people
would find tedious, YNCM Hansen
likes his job. The majority of this
paperwork is correspondence: letters,
reports, instructions, and notices.
The Master Chief ensures that the
flow of paperwork moves in a smooth
and timely manner.
"One of my main responsibilities is
the Joint Table of Distribution, a man-
power document on the manning strengths
for the Iceland Defence Force. It's
prepared annually and sent to the Com-
mander In Chief U.S. Atlantic and
the Joint Chiefs of Staff for ap-
proval. From there it goes to the Navy,
Air Force, and Army personnel centers,
which then assign the necessary per-
sonnel to the IDF command," he said.
Showing concern for the effective
utilization of manpower and using the
IDF staff as an example, he explain-
ed, "Everyone on this staff has a full
time job; some have more that that,
but they put forth the extra time and
effort and get their jobs done. Over-
all, it's fairly well balanced."
Since the IDF staff is small, it
doesn't call for a full time Master
Chief Petty Officer of the Command.
YNCM Hansen doesn't have the time to
fully devote himself to the MCPOC job,
but he directs his attention to some
of the matters affecting enlisted per-
sonnel: living conditions, the monthly
staff call, future duty assignments,
and assigning sponsors to incoming
staff personnel. His office door is
always open to anyone who needs advice
or guidance, be it officer or enlist-
ed.
"Sometime in the near future it will
be a full time job, working on projects
of a critical nature," he explained.
One of these projects will be the
Headquarters Procedures Manual. The
current IDF instructions will be incorp-
orated into one manual. Any questions
which arise as to how or what to do in
a given situation should be answered
by the IDF manual.
In addition. YNCM Hansen is a member
of the IDF Staff Awards Board and a
member, on a rotation basis, of the
Commander Naval Forces Iceland Military
Personnel of the Quarter Board
His philosophy of life is strongly
felt and expressed in a direct,
straightforward manner, -"Don't create
waves; don't make changes for the sake
of change."
Looking thoughtful, he continued,
"By the same token there's no reason
things shouldn't be changed if there's
need for it. For instance, if the
current method of doing a job isn't
the most effective way of accomplish-
ing the goal, then change the method
so it is effective."
His formula for success is based on
two premises: making sure the person
preparing your evaluation is aware of
your accomplishments, and self-improve-
ment through education.
Expanding on the importance of
evaluations, he said, " A person's
evals give a total picture of himself.
You must provide inputs to the person
writing your evals to ensure the com-
plete history of what you have done is
reflected. A lot of people who deserve
to be promoted are not because an eval
was hurridly written. Just checking an
"X" in a box won' thack it."
"Furthering yourself through educa-
tion is vital for today's Navy men and
women. Military correspondence courses
and off-duty education on the college
level contribute considerably to per-
sonal and professional growth," he
said.
Taking time to relax, YNCM Hansen is
a member of IDF's bowling team and
also the Friday night mixed doubles
league.
An avid fisherman, the Master Chief
related his experience in Iceland,
"The fishing here is great. I've caught
some really nice trout and I'm look-
ing forward to the start of fishing
season in April." He went fishing
every weekend after his arrival in July
until his family joined him in August.
He and his wife, Ginger, have
three children: Greg, Gerald II and
Erin Colleen.
YNCM Hansen plans on a 30-year Navy
career, and then he will
retire in Ireland, where his wife is
from.
"I'm not looking forward to retiring
yet; there are still too many things
I want to do in the Navy," he said
with a smile.
YNCM HANSEN--and YNC Curry discuss a procedural matter
referred to in one of the IDF manuals. (Photo by PHAN
Kirk M. Fasking)
Bupers announces
1978 advancements
The following advancements for petty
officers have been anounced by the Bureau
of Naval Personnel. Advancements are
effective on the 16th day of the month
indicated.
April 1978
PAY- GRADE USN/R CVR TAR TEM TOTAL
E-5 4736 * 159 * 4895
E-6 2086 * 114 * 2200
E-7 991 6 29 1 1027
E-5 1658 May * 1978 55 * 1713
E-6 989 * 60 * 1049
E-7 522 3 16 1 542
E-6 216 June * 1978 7 * 223
E-7 686 4 21 * 711
E-7 512 July 3 1978 16 * 531
NATO exercise slated
Seven North Atlantic Treaty Organ-
ization countries will participate in
exercise Arctic Express Feb. 14 to Mar.
14 in northern Norway.
Arctic Express is designed to
exercise the deployment of the Allied
Command Europe mobile force to conduct
operations in an arctic environment and
the defense of northern Norway.
More than 15,000 troops from Canada,
the Federal Republic of Germany,
Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Unit-
ed Kingdom and the United States will
participate in the exercise.
Arctic Express has a three-fold pur-
pose: to deploy both allied and Nor-
wegian forces under winter conditions;
to exercise command and control and
coordination between forces of the
countries involved and to exercise
Norway's support for the participating
forces.
Participation by the United States
Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) will in-
clude F-4 Phantoms and F-15 Eagles.
The exercise marks the first time the
F-15s have deployed to an arctic en-
vironment. The USAFE aircraft will
operate from Bodo, Norway, some 50 miles
above the Arctic Circle.
MSI Exam status
Results of the January 19 MSI (CS)
replacement exam are currently in
processing at the Naval Examination
Center in Pensacola FL. Pending pub-
lication of these results, all MSI (CS)
candidates who participated in the
January exam should plan to take a March
1978 MSI exam if qualified and
recommended by their commanding officer.
N«w films
Library provides film service
The station library has just received
39 educational films, reported Mrs. Son-
ia Allen, Base Librarian.
"These films are for viewing by the
NATO Base personnel. They cover a wide
variety of subjects."
The films may be viewed at the Li-
brary Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to
noon, by appointment.
A partial list of the new films in-
cludes: Alaska - Selling A New Fron-
tier
Andrew Carnegie - Gospel Of
Wealth
Black Genesis
Immigration
Lincoln's Last Day
Witches Of Salem
Scandinavia - Rewards Of Ex-
cellence
Richard II - How To Kill The
King
Home Country, USA
"This is only a partial list," said
Mrs. Allen. "If you're interested in
viewing any of these films, please stop
by the library or call 4510 from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. One days notice is needed
prior to viewing the films."
a
NATO
Birth
nnouncements
There were two births on the NATO
base last week.
Janece Dawn Foster was born on Feb.
16, at 3:44 p.m. She is the Daughter
of Journalist Second Class Jerry L.
and Patricia A. Foster. J02 Foster
is attached to the Naval Station
Administration Department.
Stephen Paul Donovan was born on
Feb. 17 at 1:36 a.m. He is the son of
Ocean Systems Technician Second Class
James M. and Linda A. Donovan. 0T2
Donovan is attached to NavFac.