The White Falcon - 22.04.1983, Blaðsíða 6

6 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT Keflavik, Iceland
The towering spire of the Hallgrim's
Church in Reykjavik presents a majes-
tic appearance.
Checking over his inventory of .45
caliber pistols is the Marine Barracks
armorer.
An Icelandic Adventure
Only one-sixth of Iceland is habitable which
means this is one of the few places in the world
where you can get away from the stresses of
everyday life and enjoy nature with no one
around to bother you. At the same time, even
when you are doing your own thing you will still
be close to civilization. The feeling of adventure
in Iceland is heightened by magnificent nature
where you can see recently active volcanoes
side by side with vast glaciers and ice caps. Hot
springs, geysers and lava fields add their own
character to a landscape unmatched elsewhere.
In this unique environment of fire and ice,
roaring rivers, tumbling waterfalls, glittering
lakes, stark mountain ranges, deep fjords, harsh
deserts and lush green valleys, the Icelanders
have lived for over 1,100 years. Their history is
one of natural calamities: plagues, famine, star-
vation and disasterous volcanic eruptions all
having shaped their character. Some people
find Icelanders stubborn yet fatalistic, others
think of them as fiercely individualistic, competi-
tive and independent, yet others notice how
proud they are of their country and its cultural
heritage. What most people agree on is that Ice-
landers tend to be generous and hospitable
once friendships have been made.
Icelanders like to boast of a class-less society,

HHH

*&•_
where the carpenter rubs elbows with the indus-
trialist. On the whole this is true for they attend
the same schools, associations, swimming pools
and night spots. Most people aspire to build
theirown homes to suittheirdreams—and most
of those homes will have libraries as Iceland is
one of the most literate nations in the world.
Their health care and education system are the
envy of many countries. Yet many make their
living the hardway,by goingout into the stormy
Atlantic to catch fish.
The climate is milderthan can be expected for
such a northernly latitude. Winter snow rarely
stays for long in the southern lowlands where
the average temperature for January, the cold-
est month, is higher than that of New York or
Vienna. The contrast comes in the summer
when the country enjoys continuous daylight—
the famed ‘Midnight Sun.’
If you like physical activity, unlimited space,
clear unpolluted air, silence and solitude—or
conversely the company of lively, articulate,
inquisitive and sociable people—the adventure
starts here. If you like riding, fishing, birdwatch-
ing, walking, climbing, camping or swimming—
or if you just want to do your own thing at your
own pace—Iceland is waiting for you.
A moment frozen in Iceland's history. Farming has always been important in Iceland.
Joint service—Joint pride
The NATO Base is manned by a little over
3,000 service people representing all branches
of America’s armed forces. The largest group at
Keflavik is Navy, followed closely by the Air
Force. Marines—a few good men—outnumber
the Army by a ratio of 60:1 (there are two Army
officers on the IDF staff). In addition, there are
two representatives of the United States Coast
Guard, one liaison officer from the Icelandic
Coast Guard and one NATO liaison officer from
Canada.
The Navy is in overall command. Operational
requirements are set by Commander Iceland
Defense Force and the Commander Fleet Air,
Keflavik, both jobs being held by Rear Admiral
Ronald F. Marryott. The Naval Station is under
the command of Captain Eric A. McVadon, who
is Commander Naval Forces Iceland. The Naval
Station maintains all the support facilities which
make the job of defense possible. That encom-
passes everything from the laundry to communi-
cations—and firefighting facilities to road-work-
ing crews.
Captain McVadon's counterpart is Command-
er Air Forces Iceland, a position currently held
by Colonel Jerry E. Smith, who is responsible for
the organization and operation of all USAF units
charged with the air defense of Iceland. Included
in his task, Colonel Smith controls training, sup-
port, supply and security for Air Force property
and equipment.
The flag, our nation's symbol for pride and professionalism, is saluted by senior and
master chiefs in the naval service.
The Marines are charged with maintaining
security for Navy buildings and equipment, as
well as supplying an ever-ready security team
for action as needed.
As a self-contained entity the NATO Base has
to be able to meet the defense requirements of
an area of supreme strategic importance. To do
the job depends on the contributions of many
people—not only service people. Over 1,000 Ice-
landers work directly for the Defense Force.
Their positions range from managing director of
a department to beginning bookkeeper. Ameri-
can civilians also have a major part to play in
such positions as teachers and technical repre-
sentatives. Without both of these groups the job
at Keflavik could not be done.
No community would be complete without its
resident families. While some family members
might hold jobs, many more are involved in
community projects. It is due to their large con-
tribution that a start has been made on a park
where people can picnic in the summer.
The Keflavik NATO Base has been honored
by many awards. Hardly a command or unit has
not been commended on its superior perfor-
mance. None of this would have been possible
without dedicated professionals, a great deal of
pride in service and a well developed sense of
community involvement.
Keflavik, Iceland SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 7
A door where your Icelandic adventure
could start. Whatever sport or leisure
time activity you like, Iceland could
be the place for you.
Two sentries on watch, the E-3As AWACS
aircraft in the background with USAF
airman on guard with his M-16.