Navy News Service 02/95 - 11 Jan 95

[Navy News Service]

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NAVY NEWS SERVICE - 11 JAN 95 - NAVNEWS 002/95
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR NAVNEWS 002/95
Top News and Policy Stories
NNS017. VSI/SSB Offered to Select Enlisted Ratings
Personnel Notes
NNS018. Enlisted Personnel Offered Early Retirement
NNS019. IRS Confirms Military Moving Allowances Non-Taxable
NNS020. Tax Information Available for Military Taxpayers
Salute to Excellence
NNS021. Navy Helps Rescue Missing Boy Christmas Day
NNS022. USS Yorktown Aids Men on Capsized Vessel
Around the Fleet
NNS023. Notable Quotable: ADM Mike Boorda
NNS024. F/A-18 Sub-contractor Guilty of Making False Statements
NNS025. USS NASSAU Finds Fun Formula to Fight FOD
NNS026. Pearl Harbor Marine Gets Hollywood Acting Role
NNS027. NAS Pax River Facility Honors Challenger Astronaut
NNS028. Two Naval Academy Officers Promoted to General
NNS029. This Week in the Navy: Jan. 15, 1815
Short Splices
NNS030. ECP Selections Announced for FY95
NNS031. CINCUSNAVEUR Picks Leadership Award Winners
NNS032. Newport News Receives Lucrative Seawolf Contract
NNS033. Navy-Marine Corps News
-USN-
Top News and Policy Stories
NNS017. VSI/SSB Offered to Select Enlisted Ratings
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- As the Navy fine tunes the shape of the
force, a limited offering of Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI)
and Special Separation Benefit (SSB) programs is available to
Sailors. This tool is being used to fine-tune the force in a few
selected areas.
The programs are being offered only to Sailors with between
nine and 15 years of service in 10 ratings. The eligible ratings
include Boiler Technician (BT), Interior Communications Electrician
- Surface (IC), Instrumentman (IM), Opticalman (OM), Molder (ML),
Machinist's Mate (MM), Missile Technician (MT), Ocean Systems
Technician - Maintainer and Analyst (OTA and OTM), Patternmaker
(PM) and Weapons Technician (WT).
Applications will be accepted immediately, and must be
submitted by March 1. Separation will occur not earlier than Oct.
1 and not later than Oct. 31, 1995. Programs have quota
limitations and once limits are reached, additional requests will
be disapproved.
VSI is an annual payment equal to 2.5 percent times the final
monthly pay, times 12, times years of service. SSB is a lump-sum
payment equal to 15 percent times the final monthly base pay, times
12, times years of service.
More information, including a complete list of eligible
ratings, years of service and ranks is available in NAVADMIN
002/95.
by LT Dan Bates, BUPERS Public Affairs
-USN-
Personnel Notes
NNS018. Enlisted Personnel Offered Early Retirement
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Enlisted personnel in select ratings who
have between 15 and 20 years of service may be eligible for early
retirement.
Early retirement allows Sailors to leave the service with less
than 20 years and receive a reduced monthly retirement payment.
Applications must be submitted by Feb. 18, 1995. More
information is available in NAVADMIN 240/94.
by LT Dan Bates, BUPERS Public Affairs
-USN-
NNS019. IRS Confirms Military Moving Allowances Non-Taxable
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Temporary regulations published in the
Dec. 21 Federal Register by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
confirm that certain military moving allowances are not taxable
income.
Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA), Temporary Lodging Expense
(TLE), Dislocation Allowance (DLA), and Move in Housing Allowance
(MIHA) potentially were affected by new tax laws that went into
effect on Jan. 1, 1994.
In May however, the IRS clarified the tax law, and ruled that
the allowances were not taxable income. The temporary regulation
published in the Federal Register for public comment is the next
step toward making the regulation final.
The allowances compensate service members for expenses they
incur in connection with transfers to new permanent duty stations.
by LT Dan Bates, BUPERS Public Affairs
-USN-
NNS020. Tax Information Available for Military Taxpayers
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Two publications containing federal tax
information are available from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
for military personnel.
Publication 3, "Tax Information for Military Personnel,"
covers general tax information for the military. It contains types
of income included in gross income for tax purposes, such as
bonuses for reenlistment and hazardous duty pay. It also notes
those types of income not included in gross income, such as moving
and travel expenses.
Publication 945 covers the tax benefits available to those
still involved in Operation Desert Storm.
Both publications are available by writing to the IRS, Forms
Distribution Center, P.O. Box 25866, Richmond, VA 23289.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA115)
-USN-
Salute to Excellence
NNS021. Navy Helps Rescue Missing Boy Christmas Day
FALLON, Nev. (NNS) -- Naval Air Station Fallon's search and
rescue (SAR) team brought holiday joy to the family of a lost
8-year-old boy when they spotted his footprints in the snowy woods
southeast of Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Christmas Day. The boy had
been missing for close to 30 hours when he was rescued by the Navy.
The pilot, LT Preston Spahr, was notified Christmas morning
that the Navy's SAR team was needed to search for a boy missing
from his relatives' home. The team included Spahr; co-pilot LT
Mark Winter; crew chief Aviation Structural Mechanic (Structures)
2nd Class Sam Cox; Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class Tom
Lacey; and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class John Warfield launching in a
UH-1 Huey helicopter.
According to Spahr, "The weather cooperated perfectly." There
was concern that a winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains the
night before would hamper the team's ability to launch the rescue.
After searching for 45 minutes, Cox spotted a child's footprints.
The SAR crew flew to the nearby on-scene command post, picked up a
search dog team and returned to the area where the footprints were
sighted.
Warfield and the dog team departed the aircraft to conduct a
ground search for the child, while the SAR crew continued scouring
the area by air and coordinating with ground crews. A short time
later, the air crew saw the boy's stepfather running across a ridge
line, and through radio contact determined that the child had been
found. The SAR helicopter landed on the ridge line, picked up
father and child and transported them directly to a nearby medical
facility for treatment.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA095)
-USN-
NNS022. USS Yorktown Aids Men on Capsized Vessel
ABOARD USS YORKTOWN (NNS) -- While on patrol in the Adriatic
Sea Dec. 26, USS Yorktown's crew sighted two men on a capsized
vessel. A rescue team was immediately called away and the cruiser
maneuvered toward the distressed vessel. The two men were having
difficulty staying on their overturned boat and fell into the water
as Yorktown approached.
They were hoisted aboard Yorktown and received first aid from
the ship's corpsmen. Both men were determined to be suffering from
severe hypothermia and were transported to medical facilities
ashore by helicopters from Yorktown and USS Cape St. George. At
last report from Italian authorities, both men were in stable
condition.
-USN-
Around the Fleet
NNS023. Notable Quotable: "Last week I sent a message to all
hands that looks out to the year ahead. I talked about promotions,
the seaman to admiral program, quality of life issues, and several
other things which I think indicate the Navy's on the move -- a
Navy that is: (1) dedicated to doing its mission, and (2) dedicated
to the people who make the sacrifices to do that mission. I feel
real good about our ability to accomplish our mission, although I
hope we have fewer missions like Haiti and Cuba to do in '95. I
want to let Navy people know where we are, what we've accomplished
and, most importantly, where I think we should go in 1995." --
Chief of Naval Operations ADM Mike Boorda commenting on NAVOP
001/95, a message to all hands at the start of 1995.
-USN-
NNS024. F/A-18 Sub-contractor Guilty of Making False Statements
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The largest criminal fine ever imposed
against a defense contractor was levied Jan 10. against the maker
of the airframe mounted accessory drive (AMAD) gearbox for the
Navy's F/A-18 aircraft.
Lucas Western, Inc., a British corporation, pleaded guilty to
37 counts of submitting false statements to the Department of
Defense, and paid a criminal fine of $18.5 million, according to
U.S. Attorney Nora Manella.
Lucas falsely certified to the Defense Department that
gearboxes it manufactured had been fully inspected, when, in fact,
many required inspections had not been performed. The charges
focus on faulty gearboxes for two military programs: the airframe
mounted accessory drive (AMAD) gearbox for the Navy's F/A-18
aircraft; and the azimuth drive unit (ADU) gearbox for the Army's
multiple launch rocket system.
According to VADM William Bowes, Commander, Naval Air Systems
Command, the charges are viewed by the Navy with concern. At the
same time, he feels that the situation does not jeopardize the
overall safety or flight of the F/A-18, because fleet maintenance,
overhaul, and Navy production inspection procedures are already in
place to address the AMAD problem.
"Aggressive maintenance actions on the AMAD have been underway
since mid-1993," said Bowes. "These actions will remain in place
until all AMAD units are fully in compliance with Navy
specifications."
Bowes called the Hornet "the safest tactical aircraft in the
Navy inventory" and pointed out that the Hornet is designed and
built with numerous redundant safety systems, including two AMAD
units per aircraft. During more than 15 years and nearly 2.5
million flight hours, the Hornet's accident rate of 4.07 per
100,000 flight hours makes it the most reliable of any tactical
Navy aircraft ever fielded.
-USN-
NNS025. USS Nassau Finds Fun Formula to Fight FOD
ABOARD USS NASSAU (NNS) -- The smallest piece of debris sucked
into an aircraft engine can cause catastrophic damage and put lives
at risk. Such foreign object damage (FOD) can be reduced by
"FOD-walkdowns." Aboard USS Nassau (LHA 4), as on all Navy ships
which carry aircraft, Sailors and Marines scan the decks to collect
elusive screws, nuts or other loose items on the flight deck and
hangar bay. It's a tedious job to prevent FOD from happening, but
Nassau makes this crucial task fun.
"As an incentive to boost interest in the program, Nassau's
Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Quality Assurance Division has
introduced the `Golden FOD' program," said Aviation Machinist's
Mate First Class Alberto Ramirez. "The Golden FOD is a brass tag
that is placed in a different location on the flight deck or hangar
bay each day. The fod-walker that comes across the Golden FOD
turns it in to flight deck control or hangar deck control for
verification, and reaps the benefits that come from diligence and
support of a vital safety program."
The benefits are many. "The Golden FOD finder gets head of
the line privileges throughout the day, a 24-hour holiday routine
period while the ship is underway, free movie rental from the
ship's MWR office, their picture taken at the helm on the bridge
and special liberty when Nassau reaches it's next liberty port,"
said Ramirez. Of course, the most important benefit to the Sailors
of the Nassau is the continued safety of the air crews and the
protection of the aircraft.
To date, Nassau Sailors and Marines have found the Golden FOD
every time and have ensured that the people and machines that fly
off the Nassau's deck do so in maximum safety.
-USN-
NNS026. Pearl Harbor Marine Gets Hollywood Acting Role
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Pearl Harbor-based Marine SGT
Matthew Lackey's life got more exciting recently after a call from
Hollywood.
"About a year ago, I met a former Marine who had done bit
parts in shows like 'One West Waikiki' and 'The Birds of Paradise,'
which were filmed on the island," said Lackey. The ex-Marine
suggested Lackey send in a resume to the TV production company.
"They were casting for a 'military-type' guy for a new show so
I went to read for them," said Lackey. "They gave me that famous
'Don't call us, we'll call you' line, and that same night I got a
call from the director saying that not only did I get a part, it
was a speaking role as well." Lackey was asked to play "Agent
Buck," and took a few days leave to do so.
The show, "Marker," which stars Richard Grieco of "21 Jump
Street" and "Booker" fame, begins with a pilot episode Jan. 17, and
will be shown weekly.
By JO2 Margarita Bargeloh, Pacific Fleet Public Affairs.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSB025)
-USN-
NNS027. NAS Pax River Facility Honors Challenger Astronaut
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- A newly renovated Combined
Bachelor Quarters (CBQ) was dedicated at Naval Air Station Patuxent
River, Md., recently, in memory of CAPT Michael Smith who perished
aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1986.
Smith, a graduate of the Naval Academy and the U.S. Test Pilot
School, was assigned to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate from
1976 to 1977, and selected by NASA to join the astronaut program in
1980.
In his remarks, CAPT Roger Hill, commanding officer of NAS
Patuxent described Smith as, "...a truly talented aviator, a great
teacher and a man who touched many lives here at Pax River. There
are still a lot of pilots here today who flew with him and learned
a lot from Mike, who was also an instructor at the test pilot
school."
The new 74-suite CBQ renovation project began in July 1992.
The building, originally built during World War II as a temporary
facility, withstood 50 years of use before the start of the
renovation project.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA110)
-USN-
NNS028. Two Naval Academy Officers Promoted to General
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Two U.S. Naval Academy officers have been
selected for promotion to general officer. Marine Corps COL
Charles Bolden Jr., the academy's deputy commandant, and Marine
Corps COL Michael Hagee, the academy's character development
officer, are among 14 officers selected for promotion to brigadier
general.
A 1968 Naval Academy graduate, Bolden distinguished himself as
a Marine Corps aviator, flying more than 100 missions into North
and South Vietnam. Later he piloted four space shuttle missions as
a NASA astronaut. In February 1994, he commanded the first joint
U.S./Russian Space Shuttle mission.
COL Hagee also graduated from the Naval Academy in 1968. He
commanded various ground combat units that helped with relief
operations in Northern Africa and Somalia. One of his units
provided security for President Bush during the Bush - Gorbachev
Summit at Malta in December 1989 and helped with several relief
operations in Northern Africa, rebuilding railroads and providing
humanitarian relief.
-USN-
NNS029. This Week in the Navy: Jan. 15, 1815 -- The frigate
President (44) was run-down and captured by a British four-ship
squadron. She was the only American heavy frigate ever lost to an
enemy.
-USN-
Short Splices
NNS030. ECP Selections Announced for FY95
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP)
selection results for FY95 were announced recently by the Chief of
Naval Education and Training (CNET).
The 148 selectees, based on their past performance and
accomplishments, have earned an opportunity to attend college
full-time and complete baccalaureate degree requirements and be
commissioned in the Navy. For further information and names of
selectees see NAVADMIN 003/95.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA116)
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NNS031. CINCUSNAVEUR Picks Leadership Award Winners
LONDON (NNS) -- Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe
(CINCUSNAVEUR) ADM Leighton Smith recently announced the winners of
the 1994 CINCUSNAVEUR Leadership Awards. This year's competition
was extremely keen with superb candidates nominated in all three
categories.
The winners in their respective categories are:
Officer: LT W. Eich, Navy Computer and Telecommuica-
tions Area Master Station; Naples, Italy
Enlisted (E7-E9): JOC D. Gabos, Naval Support Activity; Naples,
Italy
Enlisted (E6): ABH1 T. Cutrer, Fleet Air Reconaissance
Squadron Two (VQ-2); Rota, Spain
These individuals were selected from a highly competitive
group of Navy and Marine Corps men and women nominated by virtually
every command in the European theater.
-USN-
NNS032. Newport News Receives Lucrative Seawolf Contract
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock
Company, Newport News, Va., was awarded a $33,512,250
cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development studies
in support of the Advanced Submarine Project Office and the Seawolf
Submarine Program. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va.,
and is expected to be completed by October 1997.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA112)
-USN-
NNS033. Navy-Marine Corps News
The Jan. 13 edition of Navy-Marine Corps News -- a videotaped
newscast generated for broadcast to Navy-Marine Corps fleet and
shore units -- includes the following stories:
-- The CNO gives the Navy some New Year's resolutions
-- Marine Corps drill instructors turn recruits into Marines
-- UNITAS brings U.S. and South American Sailors together
-- USS O'Brien Sailors save big bucks repairing equipment
-- Norfolk Sailor gives an inside view to HIV/AIDS awareness
-- Female Human Research Volunteers make contribution to science
-- How to avoid used car scams on your next purchase
-- WCBD-TV in Charleston, S.C., reports on helo detachment
-- USS Blue Ridge Sailors work up a sweat
We need your input on the show, so call our HOTLINE
at (202) 433-6108 or DSN 288-6108 and leave a message or send us an
E-Mail at: nm...@smtp.mediacen.navy.mil
If you have distribution questions contact Mr. John Morrissey
at (202) 433-5844 or DSN 288-5844, or write him at the address
mentioned below. Navy/Marine Corps News tapes must be returned each
week. Please use the enclosed return label.
Input from Fleet units ensures our most complete coverage of
global events affecting the Navy and Marine Corps. If you have
items that would be of interest to the Navy or Marine Corps
worldwide, please submit your original video contributions on
Betacam, Hi-8, Super VHS, or 3/4 inch videotape to the nearest
Navy Broadcasting Fleet Support Detachment or send by fastest means
possible to our Field Producer at:
Navy/Marine Corps News
Naval Media Center, Bldg. 168
2701 South Capitol St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20374-5081
(202) 433-6275, DSN 288-6275
E-Mail: nm...@smtp.mediacen.navy.mil
-USN-
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Please help pass the word. NAVNEWS is available:
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-USN-
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