The White Falcon - 15.10.1993, Blaðsíða 1

Icelandic Comer
Drive Carefully
Akid Varlega
(Ah-kith Var-lay-ga)
\Shining stars
Rebecca Schwarting,
above, was one of 10
acts who performed in
Countdown to Stardom
(Photo by PH3 Don Kolb)
Commissary to
open extra day
Due to customer demands
and to assist personnel arriv-
ing on the Saturday rotator,
the Commissary announces
new hours of operation:
Mondays- closed
Tuesday- 11a.m.-7 p.m.
Wednesday-11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Thursday- 11a.m.-6 p.m.
priday- 11a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday- 10a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday- Noon-4 p.m.
NEX plastic makes shopping easier
By J03 (SW) Andreas Walter
The Navy Exchange (NEX)
has now made it easier to pur-
chase goods at its main store.
Starting Nov. 1, the Exchange
will put the first of its newly
unveiled NEX Credit Cards
through its paces. The move will
allow shoppers to employ the
cards at Navy installations world-
wide.
According to W. A. Pena, Dep-
uty Exchange Manager, the card
will be handled by Citicorp of
America, and is designed to be
“an evolution of the Home Lay-
away program.”
“On or about Oct. 25, we will
have a table for applications set
up in the NEX main store. Appli-
cants will be issued a card on the
spot with a pre-assigned number.
Their real card will be mailed
later,” Pena remarked. Personnel
interested are reminded that pay-
grades E-4 and below need the
approval of an E-7 or higher on
the application.
The card is another move on
the part of the Exchange system
to streamline its operations and
cut down on needless, time-con-
suming and wasteful paperwork.
The primary purpose of the
card will be to allow people to
purchase items priced in the $200
and higher price range. Credit
limits range from $500 for E-ls
to $2000 for E-7s and above. By
describing the card as an “evolu-
tion” of the Home Layaway pro-
gram, Pena stresses that the credit
card ends the paperwork woes
that came with a purchase of $200
or more. In the past, patrons
wishing to purchase an item with
this program were required to fill
out forms at one of two dedicated
spots in the NEX. “This at times
became a rather drawn-out proc-
ess and quite frequently, people
were spending an hour or so
engaged in the buying of a stereo
or home appliance,” he stated.
Now the proven efficiency of a
credit card is here, ending those
long waits and lines.
Credit card holders will be re-
quired to pay either ten percent of
the balance up front, or $35. The
billing process is identical to any
other major credit card; holders
receive their monthly statements
per mail and have a 30-day inter-
est-free period to pay their re-
quired amounts. The APR or
Annual Percentage Rate for the
NEX/Citicorp card is 12 percent
As the old ways get swept out
the door and the modem, effi-
cient instrument of purchasing
starts its life, the NEX is still re-
sponsible for cleaning up the
remnants of the past Beginning
Oct. 31, no more Home Layaway
purchases will be authorized. The
other purchasing method, De-
ferred Payment Program (DPP)
ends today. In the past, DPP was
only available overseas.
Those personnel delinquent
with paying under either of the
two aforementioned programs do
not qualify for the card. In addi-
tion, persons whose layaway
privileges have been suspended
are not authorized to apply.
Pena added that once person-
nel have cleared up their finan-
cial problems, they are welcome
to re-apply.
The card can rally be used for
in-store purchases. Orders
through the AAFES catalogue
are not allowed since this is part
of the Army/ Air Force Exchange
System. The NEX credit card is
specific to Navy-only installa-
tions.
Rescue squadron saves another life at sea
By J03 (SW) Andreas Walter
The 56th Rescue Squadron and
a tanker from the 301st Rescue
Squadron, Patrick AFB, Fla.,
teamed up to save the life of a
severly injured fisherman at sea,
after receiving an emergency call
from the Icelandic Coast guard
early Wednesday morning.
The 56th RQS had just returned
from a mission when they re-
ceived the call. The alert crew,
headed by Col. James Sills,
Commander, 56th RQS, imme-
diately set off with their HH-60G
Pavehawk helicopter. The HC-
130 refueling tanker accompa-
nied the helicopter to a bay west
of Akureyri, about 250 miles
north of Keflavfk.
Reaching the scene at 2:55
a.m., Sills and co-pilot Capt.
Keith Sullivan hovered above the
vessel, allowing Pararescueman
SSgt. Lynn Grabill to be lowered
to the ship’s deck. Grabill stabi-
lized the victim who was suffer-
ing from severe abdominal inju-
ries, inflicted by a snapped line.
Following an hour of care, the
victim was hoisted aboard the
helicopter. The decision was
made to refuel enroute to
Reykjavik City Hospital, where
the victim was listed in serious
condition. This is the seventh
rescue by the RQS in 1993.
The Fall Carnival starts at 11 a.m. Saturday in Hangar 885 with free admissioi i
for all. Live entertaii iment, rides, games and food will be available..