The White Falcon - 26.02.1988, Blaðsíða 3

14,000 affected
ft,
avy members in a few pay grades will be
ayed from being advanced this year due to fiscal
year 88's congressional budget cuts and others may
find themselves being separated from the military
early.
According to the Chief of Naval Operations, "The
Navy, along with other services, must tighten its
belt as the nation faces the difficult task of
balancing the budget. These necessary savings
should be placed in the broader perspective of the
many gains we have made in recent years to
improve military pay, compensation and bonus
programs.
‘Fiscal year 88 Military Personnel Navy (MPN)
appropriations did include important actions
essential to the retention of our quality people,
including continued and enhanced sea pay, and a
healthy selective reenlistment bonus program with
program authority for five years.
“Our main objective has been to ensure that the
Navy has the personnel to man the operating
forces. After considering all alternatives, the
following actions have been selected to achieve
required budget reductions this fiscal year.”
Delay in pay-grades
kThe new instruction will show that some officers,
tenant junior grade (0-2) through captain
-6), may experience a delay from April 1 to
September before being advanced.
In the enlisted community there will be a change
«
by early-outs
to the time-in-rate requirements for advancement
for seamen recruit (E-l) to seamen apprentice
(E—2). Three months will be added to the
time-in-rate for advancement to E-2 and E-3
(seamen) commencing March 1. And there will be
no grandfathering.
Reenlistment/Separotion
It seems that the new program will supersede
the current Voluntary Early Release program. With
the exception of a few rates, personnel with an
Expiration of Active Obligated Service (EAOS)
between April 1 and September 30 will now have an
earlier EAOS. It is estimated approximately 14,000
personnel will be affected. Exemptions to this
program will include nuclear personnel and
selected CREO "A" and "B‘ ratings.
“These expenditure reductions were approved
following a rigorous review of all options", said the
CNO. “They allow us to obtain needed savings to
remain within budget while achieving necessary end
strength growth to man new ships and squadrons.
At a time when our national security commitments
have not diminished, these actions represent the
most prudent approach to deal with the reality of a
smaller personnel budget. Let there be no mistake:
Navy leadership remains committed to protecting
our hard earned personnel gains and we will
continue our efforts to ensure that future military
pay, compensation and bonus programs will provide
for the needs of all our people."
500 base personnel involved in GDFEX 2-88
by J03 Scott Johnson
Over 500 Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and
Army personnel recently survived the cold, snow,
wind and rain while participating in Ground Defense
Force Exercise 2-88 (GDFEX 2-88).
The exercise objective was to test the
augmentees knowledge in weapons, weapon safety,
posting and challenging procedures that they were
taught during their monthly Ground Defense Force
(GDF) class.
According to Ground Defense Force Commander
and Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Security
Force Company, Maj. Robert Weimann,“Inspite of
the inclement weather, the augmentees did an
exceptional job.'
“I was especially impressed with the augmentees
from Rockville and the Naval Facility," Maj.
Weimann said. ‘They were highly motivated and
Ilayed the game well, despite the fact that many of
fern had been awake for over 48 hours.'
fTwo new operations were initiated during GDFEX
-88.
“This year, we activated the augmentees from
Grindavik," Maj. Weimann said, “and inserted the
Marine Security Squad into Whale Bay by helicopter.
Both actions were new to the exercise.'
Even though the exercise was successful, new
lessons were learned.
“We found that more training was needed in
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) defense,'
Maj. Weimann said. “Many of the augmentees had
problems donning the protective suits and masks.
The more training the Defense Force has in NBC
procedures, the more proficient they will become
in NBC defense."
"Another problem,' he said, “is that augmentees
turnover so frequent. We train someone for 12
months, get them ready for the exercise and then
they rotate outl But, there is nothing we can do
about that."
Fifty U.S. Army Reserve soldiers of the 3rd
Battalion, 18th Infantry, Headquarters 187th
Separate Infantry Brigade participated in this year's
exercise. The unit serves as part of U.S. Army
Forces Iceland (ARICE) and is based out of Ft.
Bevens, Mass.
February 26, 1988
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