For the First Time the Platoon First Performed At' CPAO Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., in 1948

Vol. 23 no. 32 Serving Marine Forces Pacific, MCB Hawaii, III Marine Expeditionary Forces, Hawaii and 1st Radio Battalion August 17, 1995 Silent drill team will perform in Hawaii for the first time The platoon first performed at' CPAO Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., in 1948. Their performance was The 50th anniversary of the end of received with such tremendous ova- World War II commemoration in tion it became a part of the routine Hawaii will be complimented by the parades. The 24-man rifle platoon Members of the Gurkhas recently first-ever appearance by the United executes a series of calculated drill trained with Marines from States Marine Corps Silent Drill movements accompanied by precise 2/3...See A-11. Platoon in Hawaii Sept. 3. handling of their hand-polished, 10- The world-famous marching unit pound rifles. will perform at 1 p.m. during Air Each Marine in the drill platoon is Motorcycle safety Expo 95 at Naval Air Station, Barbers hand-selected from the Schools of Point, and at 4 p.m. at Dewey Square Infantry. Once selected for the team, courses to resume at at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the Marines are assigned to Marine MCB Hawaii Kaneohe Bay. Barracks, Washington D.C., to serve The Silent Drill Platoon will perform a two-year ceremonial tour. During The Motorcycle Safety Course a dazzling exhibition of precision drill this tour, these Marines continue to will be resuming classes aboard unlike any other. With shiny bayonets sharpen their infantry skills at the MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. All fixed atop their brilliantly finished M- Marine Corps Combat Development Cpl. Wanda Compton individuals, military and civilian, 1 rifles, these Marines excite their Command in Quantico, Va are required to complete this audiences with intricate drill routines The Silent Drill Platoon performs at Pier Inspection course in order to drive their performed without verbal commands. Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. Sgt. Gary Mokuau holds the safety line for lstSgt. Duke Speed of the 4th Force motorcycles aboard a DoD instal- The Silent Drill Platoon's performance during the summer and in numerous Reconnaissance Co. Speed was inspecting the ropes attached to the cables which send electrical charges to the base pier's support beams to help slow down corro- lation. The next course begins is highlighted by an elaborate and events across the United States and sion. Aug. 23-25. To enroll, contact the captivating rifle inspection. abroad. Base Safety Center at 257-3408. Inside MCB Hawaii Marines deploy to Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens across the U.S.. A pri- Hawaii would be very fields" throughout South Korea and MarForPac Public Affairs mary Marine Corps busy. Augmented by the United States. Airing next week on "Inside MCB objective is to exercise reservists and active As the computer-simulated battles Hawaii" is an interview with the More than 400 Pacific-based the command and con- duty personnel, the staff begin, the staff will plan and coordi- vice principal of Mokapu Marines and Sailors are deploying to trol of U.S. and ROK would work furiously to nate logistics support, report intelli- Elementary School. Tune in at the Korean peninsula to participate. Marines into the provide U.S. Marine gence, determine supply procedures 8:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., in Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens 95, CMFC. forces in Korea with and requirements, track fiersonnel Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays which will be conducted until early If Korea is attacked, a personnel, supplies, and shortfalls, and develop personnel on base cable Channel 2, to get September. major part of the equipment. replacement plans to support the answers to your concerns about UFL is used to exercise and improve MarForPac staff would The UFL series of combined force. the 1995-96 school year. For more plans for the defense of the Republic augment the CMFC exercises has been con- The computers used in the simula- details, call Public Affairs at 257- of Korea and will be conducted at var- staff. CMFC includes ducted for the past 20 tion process will transmit about 108 2728. See related story on A-12. ious sites throughout the country the entire ROK Marine Corps and years. UFL 95 has long been sched- million instructions per second - the For the Marine Corps, this is an units from other services. uled, and is not being conducted in equivalent of an entire encyclopedia especially important exercise because One of CMFC's many tasks would be response to current tensions there. set per second - throughout the Band concert it provides the only opportunity each to form a "Combined Marine Approximately 16,000 U.S. military exercise. year to fully form and train the Expeditionary Force," an air-ground- personnel from units all over the The computer warriors plan and The Marine Forces Pacific Band Combined Marine Forces Command logistics task force. CMFC would also world will be participating in this execute mock combat actions, portray will be performing a concert with staffs. CMFC is a unique United coordinate plans for amphibious oper- year's exercise. unit movements, use supplies and the Honolulu Community Concert Nations Command component estab- ations and devise plans for sustained The UFL series of exercises are incur casualties. Band at the Hale Koa Hotel lished in 1992 that would play a crit- air and ground operations to both called "command post exercises." A Around-the-clock operations at the Sunday at 7 p.m. The band will ical role in winning a war in Korea if defeat the enemy and keep CMEF CPX is designed to train staffs and command center will end in early performing concert band selec- be deterrence fails. supplied and reinforced. commanders no forces deploy to September and the focus of the action tions. The concert is free and open - Marines from Hawaii, California, Although focus of the world's atten- the fields, and no live ammunition is shifts to the return of personnel and to the public. For more informa- and Okinawa will deploy to Korea, tion would be on CMFC operations in fired. UFL 95 will be conducted on equipment to Hawaii, Okinawa and tion concerning the concert, con- along with Marine reservists from Korea, the MarForPac staff left in dozens of computer screen "battle- southern California. tact Sgt. Jensen at 257-7440. JROTC instructor Congress considering cut in military retirement pay needed for Castle $1,914 monthly (65 percent of $2,945). by remaining on active duty longer, Quality of Life issues as a whole have High School Sgt. Yvonne Reed Headquarters Marine Corps Under the proposed plan, "base pay" the estimated savings would be lost in come under attack from critics citing Castle High School will be begin- would be computed based on the aver- paying allowances for that additional DoD is spending too much on Quality ning a JROTC program in Congressional budget committees age of the last 12 months of basic pay. time. of Life and readiness and not enough September. The senior Marine are currently examining a proposal to High-12 Month would reduce the same Finally, White said, "It's unfair to the on modernization. Deputy Secretary instructor position is available cut military retirement pay in an master sergeant's monthly retirement people in terms of their lives. It White, however, explained there are now. The applicant must be a effort to reduce the national defecit. check to $1,753 - an 8.4 percent makes them disrupt their plans as three separate priorities - quality of retired Marine Corps officer. The recommended plan, called High- reduction. well, because the government's forced life, readiness and modernization. Duties include supervising the 12 Month Averaging, would save an White explained there are a number them to behave in a different way "You can't have good quality of life for operation of the MCJROTC unit, estimated $649 million. of reasons High-12 Month is being when they shouldn't have to do that." professional people who take pride in classroom instruction, JROTC If approved, the proposed plan would opposed by the Department of The proposal is still in the early what they're doing unless they're advisor, drill, counselor, etc. affect approximately 600,000 service Defense. "The most important reason phases, but DOD is taking steps to ready, trained, and well-equipped - Applicants must meet current members who entered the service is it is strictly designed as a part of a convince Congress High-12 Month that's modernization," he said. height and weight standards, fill before Sept. 8,1980. device to save more money in terms of should not become law. White said the "Clearly there are budget allocations out applications, conduct inter- This proposal means that service deficit reduc- Secretary of that we have to do... these are not views, and be certified by the members now eligible for retirement tion. Deficit Defense, the either/or choices," White continued. Marine certification board. would suffer an immediate reduction reduction is 'That's just unfair Chairman and "Quite the contrary I think you need Interested applicants should con- in the value of their retired pay. important, but Joint Chiefs of to find a balance." tact SgtMaj. John Ah Chick at Deputy Secretary of Defense John P. it shouldn't be Staff all have In addition to the $150 million 233-5600 White explained that past changes to done at the and not the way sent letters to already budgeted for existing quality the retirement system have always expense of Congress of life programs, DoD has earmarked been grandfathered, or affected people people who we ought to treat stressing Don's an additional $300 million a year for not yet in the force.

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