The White Falcon - 10.09.1993, Page 3

p
avy modifies sea-shore rotation for sailors
Washington (NNS) - Based on the first comprehensive review of sea-shore rotation since
1990, sailors in nearly half of the Navy’s ratings or skill areas will have tour lengths modified
for sea, shore or both types of duty.
Sea-shore rotation is established by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) based on
fleet manning requirements and the number of billets, both at sea and ashore, available for a
specific skill area. The pattern varies from 36 months of sea duty and 36 months of shore duty
for Chief Boiler Technician, to 60 months and 24 months for third class Hull Technicians.
With the new sea-shore rotation announced in NAVADMIN 149/93, the average sea tour
will increase slightly from 3.5 years at sea, to 3.7 years at sea, or an average increase of two
months. The average shore tour increases by approximately a half month.
A complete list of old and new sea-shore rotation tour lengths is available in the
NAV ADMIN, or through BUPERS access at 1 -800-762-8567, (703) 695-6900 or (DSN) 225-
6900. More information is available from command career counselors and detailers. Anyone
unable to reach a detailer during normal working hours can take advantage of night detailing
Sept. 22.
Refinancing of VA Home Loans suggested
Houston (AFNS) - The Department of Veterans Affairs is urging people to consider
refinancing their VA-guaranteed home loans to take advantage of today’s lower interest rates.
Veterans can refinance their loans with private lending agencies by either regular refi-
nancing or through an interest rate reduction refinancing loan. The latter requires no out-of-
pocket expenses, providing the lender absorbs all closing cost, say VA officials here.
Closing costs on VA-guaranteed loans are lower than rates on regular loans because the VA
doesn’t require credit checks or appraisals, officials said. For more information, contact
MMC Steve Dack at FSC, ext. 4401.
T)utch liaison officer retires, moves on
September 10,1993
Happy Jewish New Year
By Chaplain Joel R. Schwartzman
Jewish High Holy Days begin this
year on Wednesday evening. As the
Jewish calender is based on the rotation
of both the sun and the moon, Jewish
days begin and end with the setting of
the sun. In many homes, Rosh Hasha-
nah, the celebration of the Jewish New
Year, will be ushered in by festive din-
ners followed by attendance at Syna-
gogue services. Following worship,
many congregations partake in the dip-
ping of apple slices and holiday bread,
(challah) in honey, in the hopes that the
coming year will be a sweet and healthy
one.
Services resume Thursday morning.
A highlight of this service is the sound-
ing of the shofar, the hom, usually from
a ram, that reminds Jews the world over
to return to God and to the kind of lives
God wants us to live.
The 10 day period from the New
Year through Yom Kippur, the Day of
Atonement, is the most sacred in the
Jewish calender. Because there are no
equivalents occuring in the secular or
Christian calenders at this time of year,
it is often difficult for Jewish personnel
to explain just how important these
days actually are. Tradition holds that
one’s very life and fate are judged for
life or death for the coming death dur-
ing these Days of Awe. Every one in the
Jewish world understands that these are
days of deep introspection, prayer and
repentance. Therefore, it is customary
to send holiday greeting cards to wish
friends and family a happy, healthy and
prosperous New Year.
Observances
Wednesday 6:30 to 7:30p.m.-
Rosh Hashanah service followed
by dinner
Friday 6:30 to 8 p.m.-
Shabbat (Sabbath)
Fri. 24 Sept. 6:30 to 8 p.m.-
Kol Nidne (Eve of Yom Kippur)
Sat. 25 Sept. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.-
Yom Kippur followed by Break
the Fast Dinner
Story and photo by
JQ3 (SW) Andreas Walter
As a young naval officer, CDR Teunis A.
Kruis, NATO Plans and Exercises Officer for
the Iceland Defense Force, spent many weeks
out to sea on a Dutch destroyer. Years later,
he flew countless missions to Iceland with
Dutch Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) air-
craft. This week, the 54-year old Kruis re-
tired from the Royal Netherlands Navy and
handed his job over to his successor, CDR
Frits Hellendoom.
His retirement in Iceland marks
what he calls, “a very enjoyable tour,
both professionally and socially.”
Kruis and wife, Conny, started
their first assignment to Iceland in
July of 1986. “Around the same
time, the first permanent Nether-
lands Maritime Patrol Aircraft de-
tachment was started on the base, in
I accordance with a U.S./Netherlands
cement with permission from the
Bovemment of Iceland,” he said.
This signaled an end to the con-
stant ASW flights to and from Ice-
land, and the beginning of a concrete CDR Kruis (l) and successor, CDR Hellendoorn (r).
relationship with the patrol squadrons serv-
ing at NAS, Keflavfk.
Kruis left to serve as the commanding
officer of a squadron in his native country,
but leaped at the opportunity to return to
Iceland as the Plans Officer in May, 1991.
Reflecting on his last two years here, Kruis
marveled at the interoperability displayed by
the U.S. and Dutch forces.
For now, he hints of spending some time
traveling throughout Europe, visiting friends
and generally enjoying the freedoms of re-
tirement.
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