The White Falcon - 28.10.1988, Page 4

Thanks to Navy Broadcasting's 1485 radio
by Chaplain Larry Hicks
The song reached out and grabbed me. I pulled
my car to the side of the road to listen. 1 wanted
no disturbances. It was a lengthy inspired version
of 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' by Brook Benton
being played on the Don Tracy Show on our own 1485
AM station. I had never heard it before, and now I
can’t get this wonderful soulful treatment of the
classic Jimmy Webb song out of my mind, thanks to
1485 AM.
'You Were Always On My Mind' was coming from
one of the barrack’s radios. Willie Nelson, his
mellow, craggy voice hitting every note with Just
the right inflection, was filling the passageway with
his sweet country beat. Two young men, one black
and one white, were singing out Willie's words
through an open door. I was raised in Locust
Grove, Virginia, and country music sounded forth
on Warrenton’s Big K radio 18 hours-a-day on our
Philco, so we loved Willie long before he struck it
rich with "Red-Headed Stranger." We lived on the
poetry and sounds of Hank, Ferlin, an E.T. (Ernest
Tubbs, that is), but to see those two young men
enjoying Willie happily surprised me, thanks to
1485 AM.
Thanks to 1485 AM, our AFRTS station that may
bring country one hour, soul another, and rock
another, I find myself listening to all kinds of
music. I must confess, I seldom ever heard a soul
song until 1 was sent to Okinawa in 1980 and began
listening to 648 AM, the AFRTS station there. Oh, I
knew that James Brown was a singer and not the
famous ex-football player, and I knew that Aretha
Franklin was the 'queen of soul,' but 1 had never
really listened to them before. But, thanks to
AFRTS, Whitney Houston and even Michael Jackso
don't sound so bad to this old country boy’s ea "
now.
I know that I complain sometimes about our
station not giving us enough good country sounds. I
seem to only catch a little of Dwight and Randy when
I happen to be in the car at the right time or am
around the house to hear the Saturday afternoon
‘Country Countdown.' However, I sincerely
express my gratitude to our folks at the radio
station for opening my ears, mind and soul to a
variety of music, and thus to all types of people.
That’s one of the great things I enjoy about the
military experience, being opened to people from
various ethnic groups, racial backgrounds and
cultural interests.
Paul says: 'There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free, there is neither
male nor female, for you all are one in Christ
Jesus.' (Galatlons 3:28) Paul addressed these
words to the church at Galatia hundreds of years
ago at a time when people in the Christian church
were not getting along very well. His message to
them was that at the foot of the cross, we are one.
Christ died for one and all, and all are made one in
Him and His love. All we have to do is come to Him,
'red and yellow, black and white, they are precious
in his sight," as the children’s song says. If w
like country or rock or soul, in all o
differences, we can come to the Lord.
Thanks 1485 AM for reminding me of the
closeness of the human family through the music
you play. You’ve got me singing the words of Brook
Benton, and that's quite a feat for a country boy who
thought Glen Campbell was sacred. My prayer is
that we would even go beyond that closeness to an
even greater oneness in the Lord.

uw
#
Tips to aid in making
Recently, questions have been raised concerning
Interlining luggage from a commercial airline Into
the Military Airlift Command (MAC) system and the
effect of leave extensions on Space Available
(Space "A") travel.
Since the transfer of luggage from a commercial
airline to the MAC system Is time consuming, a
person should consider the amount of time they
have between flights.
If the layover between a commercial flight and a
MAC flight is minimal, it is recommended that a
person collect their luggage upon arrival and check
it in at the MAC counter in person. This is to
ensure that the luggage is properly transferred.
If the layover between flights is going to be
substantial, there should be plenty of time for
luggage to be transferred into the MAC system,
but, this is not guaranteed.
MAC travel easier
To ensure minimal problems, arrive at the
airport early to allow for luggage to be transferred
or to be collected and checked into the MAC
system.
If the situation arises and an individual has to
extend their leave, they should immediately call
the MAC terminal in which they signed up for Space
'A' travel.
By calling the MAC terminal and informing them
of a leave extension, a person can ensure that their
name remains on the standby list until the new
leave ending date.
This is not a reservation for a later flight. When
flying in Space "A' status, a person is not on a^^
flight until after a seat has been made available. I^^A
is also recommended to have reservations on
commercial airline as a back up, in case space is
not available on a MAC flight.
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The White Falcon