The White Falcon - 12.11.1993, Blaðsíða 4

armed forces news briefs
Maternity clothing vouchers available
Washington (AFNS) — A maternity clothing issue voucher will
replace the cash allowance given to pregnant Air Force enlisted
woman starting Nov. 1 .
Air Force uniform division officials said the fiscal 1994 maternity
clothing allowance is $231.25 and mandatory items will cost $ 117.60.
The remaining $113.65 can be spent on optional maternity clothing.
Looking at different combinations, officials said woman may incur
a “slight” out-of-pocket expense. Also, if a woman chooses clothing
that costs less than the voucher amount, she forfeits the balance of the
voucher, officials said.
To obtain a voucher, a woman should take her Air Force form 422,
physical profile serial report, to her orderly room after it is signed by
a doctor or certified practitioner.
The orderly room will issue an Air Force form 656 on which
maternity items to be issued by the military clothing sales store must
be indicated. First Sergeants will verify that mandatory items are
checked on the form.
The member may then choose any maternity uniform conductive
to her job. Items not available will be ordered and charged to her
account. Partial issues will not be allowed on the voucher when items
are backordered, officials said.
A copy of the form 656 will be placed in the member’s military
pay records and she will not be eligible for another maternity clothing
allowance for three years.
VA offers benefits handbook
Washington (NNS) — Each year, the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) publishes a book entitled “Federal Benefits for Veterans
and Dependents.”
This year’s 105-page handbook describes benefits such as medical
care, education, disability compensation, pension, life insurance,
home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and burial assistance.
It explains requirements for eligibility and outlines claims proce-
dures, and includes a state-by-state directory of all VA offices,
medical centers and other VA facilities.
For copies, request GPO stock number 051 -000-00-200-8 from the
superintendent of documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402, and enclose a check or money order for
$3.25 per copy. To order with VISA or Mastercard, call (202) 783-
3238.
submitted as early as 18 months prior. Requests to withdraw or defer
fleet reserve applications are not normally approved and are limiti
to special circumstances (Humanitarian, readiness, extremely
fill billet, arduous assignment). For more information, see NAV.
MIN 045/93).
-ICICI
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ESWS qualification program revised
Washington (CNO) — As a result of decisions made by surface
community leadership, the ESWS qualification program has been re-
vised.
Members must have completed 24 months time in service and 12
months accumulated sea duty aboard a surface ship before being
eligible to qualify. Members may commence working on the Personal
Qualification Standards (PQS) at any time.
Active duty members must be permanently assigned to a commis-
sioned or Military Sealift Command surface ship or afloat staff. There
are no longer any provisions for TAD assignment.
Active duty members have 48 months to attain ESWS qualification
after commencement of the qualification process. Commanding
officers may extend this time period for up to 12 months under certain
circumstances.
Members who began the ESWS qualification process prior to Oct.
5, 1993 may continue to qualify under the old provisions until Dec.
31, 1993. See NAV ADMIN 197/93 for further details.
New specialty codes
Kelly Air Force Base, TX (AFNEWS) — Air Force members will
have received new Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) now that tl^
Air Force has overhauled its classification system.
The new system provides better career path visibility, reduces^B
number of AFSCs, and is better aligned with the restructured Air
Force. Officers and enlisted members in the same career fields will
have similar AFSCs since Air Force re-grouped skills that had
become fragmented over the years. Currently, there are 216 officer
and 203 enlisted AFSCs. Those figures will drop to 120 and 180,
respectively, under the new system. Having fewer AFSCs will allow
members to become skilled in a wider variety of duties, making them
more widely assignable throughout the Air Force.
1-hour developing to start soon
All Hands begins “Shipmates” page
Washington (NNS) — The Navy’s monthly magazine All Hands
is beginning a “Shipmates” page that will promote the accomplish-
ments and feature the photographs of five or six Navy-Marine Corps
team members (active, reserve, family members and Navy civilians).
When a person assigned to your command does something espe-
cially noteworthy, contact the Public Affairs Office at ext. 4552 and
arrange to have the individual’s picture and story sent to All Hands.
High Year Tenure limits announced
The 18-month implementation of revised High Year Tenure (HYT)
limits for E-6, E-7 and E-8 personnel is complete. No further changes
to HYT policy are anticipated. Sailors at HYT must request transfer
to the fleet reserve effective the last day of the month in which they
reach HYT. Requests for transfer to the fleet reserve should reach
BUPERS at least six months prior to the effective date and may be
By J03 (SW) Andreas Walter
The Navy Exchange (NEX)
recently began installation of a
fully-automated film processing
machine in its main store. The
service will allow customers to
drop off their film in the morning
and pick up the completed prints
in one hour, 24- hours or seven
days.
According to W.A. Pena,
Deputy Exchange Manager, the
prices for one- hour service will
be slightly higher than the other
services. “Yet customers can
expect to pay between 20 and 30
percent less than if they had taken
their film off base or had sent it
for processing.”
Although the actual machine
is in place, the store is waiting on
final work to be completed, in-
cluding provisions for exhaust
routing. Pena expects the ma-
chine to be fully operational by
the end of the month. “The ma-
chine has a capacity of process-
ing up to 225 rolls of film per
day,” he added.
Currently, both the NEX
Craftech offer film drop-off
ice which takes a few days.

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The White Falcon