The White Falcon - 09.01.1987, Síða 3

"BUDGET* continued from front page
stability it would bring to defense programs as well
as relief from time -consuming budget process.
Such a system, he said, will:
□ provide longer-term identification of national
priorities with an earlier determination of the tax
dollars available to support those priorities;
□ encourage Congress to focus on broader
policies, reducing the temptation to micromanage
defense programs;
□ free DoD managers from demands of an annual
budget cycle so they can concentrate their energies
on oversight and management;
□ give managers more time to incorporate plans
and priorities into efficient and worthwhile
programs;
□ allow managers to carry out programs with
more security from fluctuations in quantity or
funding levels;
□ allow DoD to procure items for more than one
year, based on a more stable funding commitment;
and
□ eliminate the need for DoD to operate under
continuing resolution authority, common at the
beginning of each fiscal year.
Weinberger admitted the biennial budget could
have drawbacks. For example, longer-term cost
estimates could make them less accurate. The
two-year process might also give DoD less
flexibility to react to unforeseen world changes.
And the second year of the budget cycle could
evolve Into a period of congressional review that
undermines any benefit of a two-year budget.
But Weinberger said the benefits of a two-year
Awards
and
Recognition
The following is a list of personnel who have
recently received a medal or commendation:
Cmdr. James V. Whatley Navy Commendation Medal
AMCS JonMello Navy Commendation Medal
AK1 Paul Zielinski Navy Achievement Medal
ADI Andrew Padilione Navy Achievement Medal
YN2 Frances Levis Navy Achievement Medal
HM2 Cheryl Johnson Navy Achievement Medal
AMH2 Freddie Davis Navy Achievement Medal
PCI Michael Hogan Meritorious Unit Commendation
HM1 Kathryn King (3rd) Good Conduct Medal
MM2 Charles Hensleg (1 st) Good Conduct Medal
HM2 Norman Dale (1st) Good Conduct Medal
BM3 Jeffrey Counts (1 st) Good Conduct Medal
BU3 Ross Kraemer (1st) Good Conduct Medal
ADI Andrew Padfltone (1st) Good Conduct Medal
LtJCmdr. Dennis Manko Letter of Appreciation
ETCS Bruce Hicks Letter of Appreciation
AC1 Kenneth Pfahler Letter of Appreciation
AT AN Frank Cobb Letter of Appriciation
ABH2 Karl Adebahr Letter of Commendation
AZAN Michael Rodgers Letter of Commendation
ACAN Charles Lumia Letter of Commendation
ACAA Sheppard Rag bin Letter of Commendation
budget far outweigh the risks.
What is needed if the biennial budget is to be a
success, he said, is flexibility. This is particularly
important during the second year of a budget cycle.
VP-44 participates in Christmas rescue
While most of us were enjoying a silent night
several Defense Force people were wide awake
Christmas Eve assisting the survivors of the
Icelandic ship Suderland which sunk between
Iceland and Norway just after midnight.
The rescue was an international effort involving
people, ships and aircraft from Iceland, the U.S.,
Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom.
At 11:15 p.m. the 11-man crew of the 1000-ton
cargo vessel abandoned their ship. Only eight of
them made it to life rafts.
The Icelandic Lifesaving Association called the
Defense Force and a P-3 from VP-44 was sent to the
area. The aircraft kept the survivors in sight for
eight hours before being relieved by another P-3
which stayed on station four more hours.
A British Nimrod in the area dropped a liferaft to
the survivors to replace the one they were in which
was half full of water.
The surveillance aircraft continued to mark the
survivors position until a Danish frigate, HDMS
Vaedderen, was close enough to send a helicopter
to pick up the survivors. By this time three of the
eight men in the raft had died. Those three bodies
were picked up by a Norwegian ship, Polar Front.
The survivors were transferred to Vaedderen and
then to the Faeroe Islands.
Weather in the area was extremely bad: wind and
snow showers with 9-12 foot seas. A Det. 14
helicopter flying to the east coast of Iceland to
assist the rescue was turned back by bad weather.
The Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid said It
was a miracle there were survivors at all,
considering the bad weather conditions at sea when
the accident took place.
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