The Hourglass 9-20-02
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Friday September 20, 2002 Kwajalein Hourglass THE KWAJALEIN HOURGLASS Volume 42, Number 75 Friday, September 20, 2002 U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands Aeromet wins new contract to March 2012 By Peter Rejcek Associate Editor Aeromet weathered a minor chal- lenge to its 17-year sovereignty at USAKA by winning a new contract that will likely keep it here through March 2012. The new deal is a $31.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for me- teorological support services, ac- cording to Mark Fair, Aeromet site manager. Aeromet has been at USAKA since 1985. There was one other company in (Photo by Jim Bennett) the bidding, according to an an- nouncement by the U.S. Army Pit stop to OZ Space and Missile Defense Com- Squadron Leader Glen Ferguson of the Royal Australian Air Force examines an mand Public Affairs office. No fur- external fuel tank on his F-111C as USAKA airfield worker Peter Patrick stands by to ther information was immediately refuel and repower the fighter-bomber. The six-plane squadron landed on Kwajalein available about the competition. Wednesday and left Thursday morning on their way back to Amberly RAAF near Fair said the new contract con- Brisbane. Six C-130s with more than 150 personnel will follow later this month. The tains no surprises, explaining it’s Aussies recently participated in Red Flag exercises near Nellis Air Force Base in (See AEROMET, page 5) Nevada. Tripler military docs put medical skills to work at Ebeye By KW Hillis Feature Writer For the first time in years Tolon Loeak’s left eye is not milky-white and nearly opaque from a debilitating cataract. The 75-year-old had her vision restored by Dr. Karl Holzinger, a U.S. Navy captain, last week during an operation at the Ebeye hospital. Over the last week Holzinger performed many such surgeries, including one on Loeak’s husband that same day, as part of a team from Tripler Medical Center under a program funded by the Department of Defense Humanitar- ian Civic Assistance. The team, led by Dr. (Lt. Col.) David Finger, visited Majuro for five days and then moved to Ebeye last Friday to screen patients for cataracts, eye complications from diabetes and orthopedic problems. Finger led an HCA team to Majuro and Ebeye last September. Two things are different this time, he said. First, the team was assembled at the last minute when money was found to support the mission. Second, the HCA mission follows a July visit by another team of eye special- (Photo by KW Hillis) ists, the Canvasback medical team. Dr. (Lt. Col.) David Finger, left, examines Helson Lakjan for signs “But there is still plenty to do,” Finger said. “I’m glad we were of gout Saturday morning at the Ebeye hospital. Finger and other able to get a group down here … we were able to get year-end physicians from Tripler Medical Center in Honolulu attended to (See TRIPLER, page 4) various medical needs on Ebeye and Majuro this month. www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html Friday Page 2 Kwajalein Hourglass September 20, 2002 Editorial Growing old is culturally relative, but it hurts all the same I turned 30 this month. I only mention pound frame in those leather pants any the fact to make a couple of points. longer without getting sick. And, man, First, a lot of you have yet to submit does he look old.) birthday gifts. After all, I invited everyone Can you imagine what Madonna is to my wedding, the least you could do is going to look like in another 20 years? I shower me with expensive gifts. (On a just hope she stops showing her related note, cash is king when it comes bellybutton at some point. to wedding gifts as well.) Speaking of Madonna, as our lifespans The second point is materially less grow increasingly longer, the struggle to important, but could have major ramifica- Has the warranty run out yet? Such remain looking (if not feeling) younger tions in that esoteric body of study known questions obviously imply that its all seems to become more varied and com- as numerology. Or am I thinking of downhill from here. plex. Theres almost nothing that you Scientology? Others insist on a little more optimism cant get sucked out, stapled down, Anyway, my hypothesis is thus: Its not as our cells begin to deteriorate and die. straightened up, enlarged or reduced. (I how old you feel in your mind, its how old They say, Age is all in your mind or Im just cant wait for the day when theyll everybody else around you makes you feel. 50 years young. start doing add-ons like an extra arm or There are those (usually older than But the messages about aging are additional ears.) yourself), who delight in comments such mixed and varied. Im still told, Do it while I suppose Im one of those people who as Hows the view from the top of hill? or youre young, while in other realms of are nostalgic for the past, when age 50 performance its reported by medical au- was considered wizened and old. You Want to voice an opinion? thorities that Im well past my peak. had to be more concerned about living life The media itself seems to be about aging than how you looked while living it. If you have a communitywide issue to more than anything else. In what other Someone of my age was the lord of his raise and no other outlet, perhaps you should write a letter to the editor. Keep epoch of human history have we been able own manor, had read all the classics of your verbage to less than 300 words, and to watch perfect strangers go from child his age and had penned a few minor keep your comments to the issues. This stars to beautiful adults to old and wrinkled? treatises of note, such as something on would be a no-libel zone. Letters must be When you see a performance of the Rolling the socialistic behavior of lice in a 16th signed. We will edit for AP Style and, if Stones, whats the first thing you think? you exceed the word limit, space. Please century prison. Today, Ive got a BQ limit yourself to one letter every 30 days, Wow, these guys still rock or Dang, Mick room, hardly have time to scan the pic- to give other readers a chance to write. Jagger is looking old. tures of Maxim magazine and my most Send your letter to: Maybe thats why the good die young. significant cultural contribution to the race The Hourglass, P.O. Box 23, Local; or Elvis lived a little too long, in retrospect. was the ear wax collection I forced a [email protected]. Stars like Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and fraternity pledge to keep in 1993. James Dean had the decency to check Maybe we should simply turn to the The Kwajalein Hourglass out early, or we would have had to see wisdom of a man who has aged quite Commanding Officer.............Col. Jerry Brown those grim reminders of mortality every gracefully over the years Indiana Jones, Public Affairs Officer..........LuAnne Fantasia Editor..........................................Jim Bennett week on TV for years. (Gee, I dont think a.k.a., Harrison Ford: Its not the years, Associate Editor...............................Peter Rejcek I can watch Morrison wiggle his 280- but the mileage. Feature Writers....................Barbara Johnson KW Hillis Graphics Designer ...........................Dan Adler USAKA makes right call on telephone, porn I would like to address a couple of I think were lucky to just have to pay 7 issues that were brought up in the Roi cents a minute instead of possible inter- The Hourglass is named for the insignia town hall meeting [Sept. 12]. national toll charges. of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, which First, the issue of the 7 cents per Second was the issue that we are an liberated the island from the forces of Impe- minute charged for off-island phone calls. adult island and dont need Internet fil- rial Japan on Feb 4, 1944. Whenever there is a military base on ters on our computers. The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized foreign soil, the United States is bound, I dont care what people do in the publication for military personnel, federal em- ployees, contractor workers and their families by agreement, to buy the services of the privacy of their homes, but the United assigned to USAKA. Contents of the Hour- utilities they need. States government does not owe them glass are not necessarily official views of, or The Marshallese government had no free access to it. endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Depart- services for us to buy until about 10 years The Internet is a free service paid for by ment of Defense, Department of the Army or ago, when they put into place a telephone the government, and my tax-paying fam- USAKA. It is published Tuesdays and Fridays system. At that time, Kwajalein residents ily in the states doesnt need to pay for using a network printer by Raytheon Range paid $1.40 per off-island phone call, there anyones adult entertainment. Find a Systems Engineering editorial staff, P.O. Box was no direct dial and you had to have a carrier, pay the monthly fee and, yes, 23, APO AP 96555. Phone: Autovon 254- calling card to place a call. youll have to pay the 7 cents a minute.