Kwajalein Hourglass THE KWAJALEIN HOURGLASS Volume 41, Number 59 Friday, July 27, 2001 U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands Johnson assumes command of Reagan Test Site By Barbara Johnson more than 200 residents, represent- Feature Writer ing the Army, DA civilians and con- Lt. Col. Clarence E. Johnson as- tractors, watched the traditional sumed command of the Ronald change of command. Botlang Loeak, Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense RMI representative, attended on Test Site at Kwajalein Tuesday behalf of the RMI. morning in a ceremony at Island The ceremony began with the in- Memorial Chapel. vocation, given by the Rev. John Dorr, Im Proud to Be an American, and national anthems of the RMI lyrics of the song that preceded the and U.S., followed by the change of ceremony, set the tone of pride ech- command flag ceremony. oed in the remarks that followed, as (See RTS, page 5) New range commander hopes to bring ‘CNN effect’ to customers By Peter Rejcek the news networks. Associate Editor We dont want them to beat us Lt. Col. Clarence E. Johnson to the punch, he said during an knows that in an age when interview this week with the information cruises the super Hourglass. I know how highways at ever increasing speeds, important the data is to [our the need to provide fast and customers]. accurate data to customers becomes Johnson arrives at RTS during invaluable. Thats his major priority a period of transition and (Photo by Larry Allen) as the new commander of the opportunity. The range is about Col. Curtis L. Wrenn Jr., USAKA commander, foreground Reagan Test Site. halfway through a major right, hands over the Reagan Test Site flag to new range commander Lt. Col. Clarence E. Johnson at Tuesday’s change I call it the CNN effect, he modernization that will see much of command ceremony at Island Memorial Chapel. Former said, explaining that the range, in of its operation remoted to range commander Lt. Col. Raymond D. Jones, right, and some ways, is in competition with (See JOHNSON, page 4) former 1st Sgt. Billy Jarrell look on. Marshallese pilots 1st Sgt. Paul Balag, center, training to take flight gets his new stripes from his on UH-1 helicopters wife, Barbara, and By Barbara Johnson Col. Curtis L. Wrenn Jr., Feature Writer USAKA com- ts a win, win, win situation. When mander, during a three Marshallese fixed-wing pilots lateral promotion at Kwajalein receive their licenses ceremony Wednesday Ifor rotary-wing aircraft as well, the morning at pilots, Raytheon and the RMI all end USAKA head- up winners. quarters. Under a jointly funded program, the three pilots, Helbert Alfred, Scott Davis (Photo by Peter Rejcek) and Jeff Wase, all currently 1900D captains, will be dual-rated for both Balag, Alicea step up to new roles helicopters and fixed-wing airplanes by the end of this year, said Roy Howard, By Peter Rejcek During a lateral promotion ceremony at rotary wing training officer for Aviation. Associate Editor USAKA headquarters Wednesday after- (See WIA, page 9) Two USAKA soldiers stepped into lead- noon, Master Sgt. Paul Balag officially became ership roles this week. (See NEW, page 4) www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html Friday Page 2 Kwajalein Hourglass July 27, 2001 Editorial Shopping in Hono is Hawaiis best entertainment bargain Kwajers are a funny lot. out during the year, and Macys may or A lady I know relayed the story of how may not always have your size or favorite she and a friend got off the plane in Hono style, though if you talk to them, they one evening, dropped off their bags at the might order it. And who couldnt use a hotel and headed straight for the Wal- new CD or DVD every so often? Mart. It was 1 a.m. But theres more to binge shopping. There wasnt anyone there but us, she Is it the disposable income we enjoy said. because we dont pay rent, car loans or I guess not. utilities? So the ladies, like all good Kwaj shop- Ward Center and Aloha Tower both offer Or is it that we dont have a million- pers visiting a stateside retailer, loaded a touristy blend of specialty shops, as square-foot shopping mall with every gad- up on every item they might need this well. get known to man and blue-light specials, week and for the next year. On arriving at Now if youd rather shop with the locals, to boot? the check-out counter, the Wal-Mart as- head out towards Pearl Harbor and check Maybe we feel like weve denied our- sociate asked, Are you ladies from Kwa- out Pearl Ridge Mall and an outlet mall at selves basics that all our stateside friends jalein? Waikele beyond Aloha Stadium. If you possess, and we have only hours to catch Perhaps we have an OPSEC issue happen to be in town on Saturday and up? here. Sunday mornings, stop by the Aloha For myself, I most enjoyed simply ob- I first heard this story after experiencing stadium, where the parking lot fills with serving other people, people I didnt know a shop-til-you-drop adventure in Hono flea marketers. and who didnt know me like a gaggle of myself. Rather than sit at the hotel by I once ran into a lady selling Marshall- boy and girl teeny-boppers making googly myself, I accompanied another fellow (I ese handicrafts there. eyes at each other while admiring the figured hed need back-up) and three Along the way, towards Waikele, you lastest CD by some new, weird performer. women on a tour of the numerous shop- find K-Marts, Wal-Marts, Sams Ware- I think they went for sodas later. I hope the ping facilities Hono has to offer and houses and other budget retailers. Dont boys were gentlemen. Then there was the there are many. be afraid to venture outside the tourist lovable elderly couple holding hands as Many Kwajers like Ala Moana Mall. sphere to find the deals, especially when they walked through Toys-R-Us. Maybe CPN DJ Rich Feagler calls it our local buying in bulk for a year, to last between the Lego set was for him, but Ill bet they mall, and hes right. Its not uncommon annual leaves. had a grandkid or even great-grandkid. to run into other Kwajers while shopping So what is it with shopping that cap- In any case, the human race is pretty the open-air facility. The mall features tures the Kwajer psyche? entertaining, and as much as you shop, upscale department stores and specialty Naturally, theres the basic requirements you wont find a ticket to that show for any shops. of living shoes, shorts and shirts wear price. Its all around you. The Kwajalein Hourglass Jest for Fun By Ron Tsubamoto Commanding Officer...Col. Curtis L. Wrenn Jr. Public Affairs Officer..............Preston Lockridge Editor..........................................Jim Bennett Associate Editor...............................Peter Rejcek Feature Writers....................Barbara Johnson KW Hillis Graphics Designer ...........................Dan Adler Sports Writer ............................Bruce Sinkula The Hourglass is named for the insignia of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, which liberated the island from the forces of Impe- rial Japan on Feb 4, 1944. The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized publication for military personnel, federal em- ployees, contractor workers and their families assigned to USAKA/KMR. Contents of the Hourglass are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, De- partment of Defense, Department of the Army or USAKA/KMR. It is published Tuesdays and Fridays using a network printer by Raytheon Range Systems Engineering edito- rial staff, P.O. Box 23, APO AP 96555. Phone: Autovon 254-3539; local 53539. Printed circulation: 2,000 Friday July 27, 2001 Kwajalein Hourglass Page 3 Army News Medal of Honor recipient says Obituary Levurne Carter Batts Jr., 51, of Daleville, ‘fear will get you killed — quicker’ Ala., formerly of Kwajalein, died at his home By Rudi Williams Saturday, July 21, 2001. American Forces Press Service Batts was a native of Ocala, Fla., the Ed W. Freeman know what its like to be son of Levurne afraid. And he knows you cant be afraid of fear. Batts Sr. and Murvine Pringley. I was frightened, but youve got to He was a master ser- control fear, or fear will get you killed quicker, Medal of Honor recipient geant in the U.S. Army, receiving the Freeman said as he described flying his Overseas Service Huey helicopter in and out of a hot landing zone in Vietnam on Nov. 14, 1965. Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Naturally, I had a certain degree of (Photo by Rudi Williams) Cross, Meritorious fear, said the retired Army major, who also Medal of Honor recipient retired Army Levurne C. Batts wears three Distinguished Flying Crosses. Maj. Ed W. Freeman, left, chats with Gen. Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. But after awhile, I just accepted the fact that Eric Shinseki, Army chief of staff, after He worked at Supply and Transportation it was coming sooner or later. I figured it being inducted into the Pentagon’s “Hall of Heroes.” would be sooner than later, but it didnt. as a Fuel Farm superintendent at Kwajalein from 1991 through 1998. Freeman said it was hot for the grunts on back. I said, Good. Batts is survived by his wife, Kathleen Batts, the ground and hot for him in the air at He said he probably would have contin- Landing Zone X-Ray in South Vietnams Ia ued to fly all night had that been necessary.