The White Falcon - 10.12.1993, Blaðsíða 3

armed forces news briefs
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2.2 percent pay raise approved
^Washington (NNS) — The fiscal 1994 Defense Authorization and
ropriations Bills passed by Congress proposed a 2.2 percent
crease in pay and allowances for Navy officer and enlisted person-
nel.
When signed by President Clinton, Navy members can expect to
see the increase in their Jan. 15 payday. For example, a third class
petty officer (E-4), with dependents and four years of service, will see
a total increase (before taxes) of $34.34 each month.
Congress also fully funded the Navy’s proposal for bonus and
incentive programs for '94, including the extension of the selective
reenlistment bonus/enlistment bonus and aviation officer candidate
pay, and the deletion of the six-year cut-off date of Dec. 5, 1991, for
eligibility for variable separation incentive/special separation bonus,
allowing programs to be offered to a greater population.
Quality of life issues included in Defense Bill
Washington (NNS) — The fiscal 94 Defense Authorization Bill
passed by Congress includes additional benefits for sailors and their
families in the area of quality of life (QOL).
Two of the biggest QOL initiatives were $370.2 million designated
for construction and acquistion of Navy family housing and $819.9
million designated for the leasing of military family housing units
worldwide. In addition, $61.9 million was designated for the im-
provement of military retirement homes, including the Naval Retire-
ment Home in Gulfport, Miss. Another $65 million was earmarked
for Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities.
These allocations demonstrate clear and continuing support for
vy people and their families.
Under secretary of the Navy sworn in
Washington (NNS) — In a formal ceremony held at the Pentagon
Nov. 30, Richard Danzig was sworn in as the under secretary of the
Navy by Supreme Court Justice Byron White.
Danzig has been a partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm of
Lathan and Watkins. During the Carter administration, he served as
principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for manpower, reserve
affairs and logistics. He had previously taught law at Stanford and
Harvard universities and served as a law clerk to Justice White.
Health care costs debated
Washington (AFNS) — As Congress prepares to debate the Na-
tional Health Care Reform Bill, the issue of free medical care for
retirees and dependents continues to surface on Capitol Hill.
Although lawmakers and Pentagon officials say they want to
protect medical benefits for all military beneficiaries, they are also
calling for reforms that place some of the responsibility for health
care costs on those receiving the care.
Under the proposed National Health Security Act, family members
of active-duty personnel and retirees under the age of 65 will have to
choose a military or civilian health care plan and pay an annual fee for
medical care.
Also under the act, the Veteran's Administration will either organ-
ize its health center and hospitals into health plans or allow them to
ct as health providers and contract with health plans to deliver
•ct as ne
■vices.
Third Pilot Program begins in California
Castle AFB, Calif. (AFNS) — A new program designed to balance
the Air Force’s navigator shortage and pilot surplus commenced last
month with five student pilots at Castle Air Force Base.
Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) Third Pilot Program will train
new pilots to handle limited navigator duties while giving veteran
navigators a chance to broaden their careers.
“The whole idea behing this program is to match up the pilot and
navigators resources in the near term to do things better in both cases,”
said Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman, AMC commander, who visited Castle
to usher in the new program.
According to Fogleman, the navigator shortage resulted from a
combinatin of reductions in force, early-out options and a lull in
navigator production when navigator training moved from California
to Texas.
AMC currently has about 900 banked pilots, Fogleman said. It will
take about three years to get them back to doing “what we trained
them to do,” he said.
During that time, AMC is planning to upgrade KC-135 avionics
systems which would eliminate the need for navigators on most
missions.
Fogleman said AMC wants to put navigators where they are needed
most — in the C-130, F-15E, F-l 11, B-l and B-52 aircraft. “At the
same time, we’ll create an opportunity for navigators to go to some
good staff jobs and get some career broadening that they otherwise
wouldn’t get”
Most of the third pilot students will receive initial aviation, aca-
demic, simulator and flight training at Castle. Students will then
report to their units to fly as a third pilot.
Christmas is a delightful season: sentimental carols,
brilliant colored lights, fanciful decorations, shoppers
seeking treasures to give others, and children patiently
waiting to open presents they found in Mom or Dad’s
Christmas is also an anxious time. All of us haveex-
pcrienced the agony of trying to find just the right gift
for our loved ones. Each year most of us gel involved
in the frenzy of last minute shopping, though we man-
age to survive the anxious moments, commercialism
and the crash of the crowd The great moments of
giving and receiving make it all worthwhile.
While we are hustling and bustling this Christmas
season, I encourage you to remember the gifts that
really matter and really last. These gifts were described
by an unknown author in the folllowing poem:
Give strength, give thought, give deeds, give wealth;
Give love, give tears and give thyself;
Give, give be always sharing.
Who gives not is not living,
The more you give, the more you live.
December 10,1993
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