The White Falcon - 12.10.1990, Blaðsíða 5

Armed Forces News Briefs
Sailors/Marines to Contribute to Naval Home
WASHINGTON (NNS) — As a result of a provision in the fiscal
year 1990 defense authorization act, Navy and Marine Corps enlisted
personnel and Warrant Officers will begin contributing 50 cents a
month from their pay starting Oct. 1 to support the operation of the
Naval Home in Gulfport, Miss.
Formerly located in Philadelphia, the Naval Home has a 166-year
tradition of service as a residence for retired Navy and Marine Corps
people and for other sea service veterans who earned campaign ribbons
during wartime service. Residence criteria require applicants to be age
65 or older, ambulatory and in good physical and mental health. The
home is a modem 11-story, carpeted, air-conditioned building with
580 rooms. Services for residents include limited medical and dental
care, recreational facilities and personal services.
Congress last year directed that the Navy and Marine Corps make
the Naval Home self-supporting through a combination of users fees,
deductions from the pay of eligible sailors and Marines, and proceeds
from fines and forfeitures collected by the Navy. The Soldiers’ and
Aiimen's Home, serving former Army and Air Force personnel,
already is supported in this way.
The Naval Home previously relied on appropriated (tax) funds for
its operations.
Chenev talks Operation Desert Shield
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WASHINGTON (AFNS) —Defense Secretary Richard B. Cheney
credits the success of Operation Desert Shield to decisions made in
years past about U.S. military build ups.
“The reason we’ve got high quality forces, first-rate professionals —
the desert today to deal with the current contingency —: is because
of decisions that were made by my predecessor several times re-
moved,” Mr. Cheney said.
His assessment, delivered in a speech at a conference of business
economists in Washington Sept. 26, focused on the on-going crisis in
the Middle East, and thousands of American military men and women
in that region today.
There have been times in the past when it’s alleged the United States
deployed military forces without a “clear-cut objective in mind” in
terms of what was expected, he said.
“We are there specifically to deter any further aggression by Saddam
Hussein against our friends in the region. Should deterrence fail, we
are there to defend them against that aggression.”
The secretary said Americans are also in the Persian Gulf region to
see to it that the sanctions voted by the United Nations on Iraq are
enforce.
As Americans begin to adapt to the “New World,” Mr. Cheney
credits changes in superpower relations to a reduced Soviet threat.
The Middle East is a reminder of the enormous importance of U.S.
military capability, he said.
A DoD report to congress says events triggered by Iraq’s invasion
of Kuwait have provided the first opportunity to observe a large-scale
deployment of forces.
The Document, titled Total Force Policy,” examines active-re-
serve force mix, and military force structure.
The report said Operation Desert Shield is now testing many
assumptions and is offering lessons that will provide new insights
about the ‘Total Force Policy.”
Total force is described as active forces, reserve forces, host nation
pport, DoD civilians, and defense contractors.
ocal Red Cross Book Drive
The Keflavlk Chapter of the American Red Cross is soliciting paper
back books to send to Rhein Main Air Base in Germany for the military
troops en route to Saudia Arabia.
Books can be dropped off at the Red Cross office located in the
Family Service Center.
For more information call the Red Cross office at 6210.
Class gets response from Desert Shield
Mrs. Miller’s third grade class at the A. T. Mahan Elementary School
recently received a response following a project that provided moral
support to military personnel deployed to Saudi Arabia.
As reported in the September 28 issue of The White Falcon, Mrs.
Miller’s class collected a variety of donations such as pencils, pens,
books, candy, gum, cookies and letters from each student in the class
which were packaged up and sent to military personnel deployed to
Saudi Arabia.
The following response was written September 26 by Senior Airman
John Snyder, deployed with the 552 Airborne Early Warning and
Control Squdaron (AWACS).
Dear friends,
On behalf of the men and women whose hearts were gladdened
by your generous care package, please accept a resounding
“thank you!”
Speaking as one who has been to Keflavlk (three times with the
965 AW ACS) believe me when I say I know the wonderful sense
of community you share — so far from friends and families. All
the books and magazines were snatched up almost immediately
and are cherished as though personal property! As many of your
students obviously know, a gift of a book is a true gift, one that
provides the reader a chance to get away from stress, and (if only
for a little while), relax and get a new perspective on life. Many
of us here in the desert could use such a break and again, we thank
you.
We’re all doing our best here, and let me tell you, our best is
impressive! People are working together to get this important job
done. From my unique airborne position, I get to see the Air
Force, Navy, Marines and Army working together to reach
common objectives. I’m sure you would be as proud of us as we
are of ourselves. Of course, no one enjoys the harsh arid climate,
the ever-present dust or the separation from home... So moments
when we can sit back and open a care package helps to bring us
closer to you — to home. In this way, you’re as much a part of
Operation Desert Shield as we are! We’re all in this together.
Best wishes,
John
tonight
First show — 6 p.m.
Second show — 8 p.m.
See your command rep for tickets.
October 12,1990
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