The White Falcon - 26.02.1988, Blaðsíða 7

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important to pilots and is a newer system than the
one presently in use.
All of this new equipment will eventually help the
personnel at NOCF, but until that time comes they
ve to rely on what equipment they have now and
what they've been taught.
Chief Garman said, "This is where you learn it
all. You can read all of your manuals and do the
typical cases in meteorology found in them, but you
really don't understand it until you come to a place
like this and experience it firsthand.” The difficulty
in forecasting the weather here comes from a
number of problems. “One of the major problems is
the lack of data, as mentioned previously, and a
second problem, especially for a new forecaster,
is that southern Iceland's weather is modified by
warm ocean currents that flow near the island."
These warm currents, called imerigers, cause a
difficulty in forecasting the weather because of the
lack of data coming in over the ocean. That's why
we'll experience rain when the forecaster has
predicted snow. Remember, the forecaster's not at
fault.
A third problem encountered here is common one
found throughout the armed services — an
extremely heavy workload. The 20 AG's at NOCF are
put into duty sections consisting of at least one duty
forecaster, a watch section supervisor, a meteor-
ological technician, and an oceanographic fore-
caster. They work 12 hour shifts and put together
ilot briefings, weathervision briefs for a lot of the
TO Base activities, and compile data for their
’urface weather charts and forecast charts, and
then they have to plot this data.
"People come here from school and learn to
adjust rapidly," said AGC Garman. "They have to.
The second they walk in, they're busy. When these
people are off their watch that's the time they work
on their collateral duties and what not. They're
constantly moving because several things are
always happening at the same time.”
So, the next time you hear a local weather report
on the radio or television, or see Weathervision on
Channel 2, you can rest assured that the personnel
at NOCF are doing their best to help serve the
people of NAS Keflavik and the Fleet.
Maintenance Professionals of the Year for AFI
and 960th AWCS honored at awards banquet
by J03 Andrew I. Karalis
Recently, an awards banquet was held in honor of
Air Forces Iceland and 960th Airborne Warning and
Control Squadron (AWCS) personnel who were
named the Maintenance Professionals of the Year
for 1987.
Maj. Gen. Jimmie V. Adams, Commander, 1st
Air Force, Tactical Air Command, and Commander
of the Continental United States North American
Aerospace Defense Region, was the guest speaker
at the banquet and presented the trophies to the
award winners.
The TAC commander sponsors an annual trophy
for personnel selected by designated units as their
Maintenance Professionals of the Year. The trophy
is then awarded in recognition of the maintenance
professionals who have made the most outstanding
ontributions to readiness throughout the year.
There were four winners recognized this year in
omparison to only two winners last year. Last
year only one Airman and one Non-commissioned
officer award were given out to AFI personnel. This
year, however, both AFI and the 960th AWCS had
nominated personnel in the two categories.
The award winners in the NCO category were
Tech. Sgt. Robert W. Babington, the NCOIC of
Telephone Maintenance with the 932nd Air Defense
Squadron, and Tech. Sgt. Jack F. Marshall, an
Aircraft Jet Engine Specialist with the 960th AWCS.
The award winners in the Airman category were
Senior Airman William G. Blake, an Aircraft
Electrical Systems Specialist with the 960th AWCS,
and Airman 1st Class Joseph T. Drexler, an
Electronic Warfare Specialist with the 57th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron.
Other nominees for the NCO Maintenance
Professional of the Year award were: Staff Sgt.
Joseph E. Johnson (57th FIS); Tech. Sgt. Walter J.
Keen III (57th FIS); Sgt. Terry A. Reding (960th
AWCS); and Staff Sgt. Jorge L. Rosa (960th AWCS).
The other nominees for the Airman Maintenance
Professional of the Year award included: Airman 1st
Class Claude R. Huff (960th AWCS); Senior Airman
Phillip L. Love (960th AWCS); and Airman 1st Class
James A. Shaw (932nd Air Defense Squadron).
February 26, 1988
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