Station Receives Conservation Award Drigot Explained That the Station and Historical Resources, Cultural by Sgt

HAWAI I rine Vol. 22 No. 15 !Having MCAS Kaneohe Bay, 1st MEB, Camp H.M. Smith and Marine Barracks. April 15, 1993 Station receives conservation award Drigot explained that the station and historical resources, cultural By Sgt. Paul Schneider had to prepare a 50 page report, resources, unique native flora and Skil Wier printed on 100 percent recycled diverse marine flora/fauna. paper, detailing the natural Drigot explained that military resources program of the use and natural resource Marine Corps Air Station installation. management don't have to conflict Kaneohe Bay received the 1992 Some of the criteria used to Secretary of Navy Award for with each other. "If you overuse the judge the natural resource award a training area, it will lose its Natural Resources Conservation was installation interest and value as a training area." Monday at the Pentagon. attention; planning and Three representatives from the One unique arrangement the Environmental Department achievement in the areas of Marines have with the wildlife on forestry, fish and wildlife, outdoor the peninsula is in the Ulapa'u received the award for the station recreation, endangered species, and from Adm. Frank Kelso, chief of Crater where the rifle range and land management; and innovation one of state's two major Red-footed naval operations and acting in the management of the natural secretary of the Navy. Booby bird colonies coexist. resources management. Much work has been done to Tuesday the station represented During the period of the award, the Marine Corps for the ensure the safety of the birds after the station took several important fire the crater in August Department of Defense award. Dr. to and improve a swept steps maintain 1990, killing about 100 birds. Diane Drigot, senior station the station resources. environmental specialist, gave a The award is important for the Between 1990 and 1992, more 25 minute presentation and air station, but can also be looked than $1 million was invested in answered questions by the panel at with pride by people off-base. range improvements to minimize judging for the DoD award. The award reflects the efforts of the fire risk in the crater, Drigot At press time it was unknown Marines, civilian employees and explained. how the station compared against numerous volunteers from on-and In addition, the staff, in the top representatives from the off-base organizations who have cooperation with state and federal other services in natural resource donated their time to work on agencies, as well as civilian clubs, management. conservation projects. worked to move nesting areas The other nominees for the DoD further away from the range. Natural Resources Conservation Although many might take the natural resources here for granted, Drigot explained that nobody Award were: Twin Cities Army the seven-member staff of the had ever moved booby birds Ammunition Plant, New Brighton, before didn't know if the Minn.; Naval Air Station Whidbey Environmental Department has a and they Island, Oak Harbor, Wash.; and challenge meeting the needs of birds would take to their new the military and wildlife -- but nesting sites. In addition, several Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest artificial City, Okla. that doesn't mean the two are nesting sites were erected m nflicting. -- another first. Both projects Drigot explained that being able were very successful. to have the opportunity to present " We are a small island state the station's environmental and have to solve our problems; Of course the most visible program in front of a panel of you can't run away from them programs the department is experts in natural resources was here," Drigot said. "We cooperate involved in are in the Nu'upia a great honor. with units, state agencies and Ponds complex. In addition to The DoD panel consisted of civilian groups. We have to share being an important archeological Rollin D. Sparrowe, president of a limited environment and have site, it is also one of the top three the Wildlife Management Institute, to work out a way to coexist.' nesting areas for the endangered Tina Hobson, executive director of The station supports about Hawaiian Stilt in Hawaii. Welcome home Renew America, and Dr. Eugene 16,800 military personnel and Continuous work is done in the Hester, associate director, Natural families, 1,800 civilian employees ponds to improve the habitat and A Marine from HMM-165 greets his family after returning from Cambodia Sunday. He was one of 40 Resources, National Park Service. and 3,000 retires. In addition,the remove predators from the ponds. Kaneohe Bay Marines Supporting Joint Task Force Full Accounting, which Is tasked with returning the The 1992 awards are based on station is home to two wildlife Efforts in the ponds during the remains of American seMcemembers still unaccounted for In Southeast Asia. installation programs from 1990 management areas, an important past 10 years have almost doubled to 1992. paleontogical find, archeological the population of stilts there. Awareness key to suicide prevention Marines train By Pat Kelly During fiscal year 1992, 206 suicide as their best, if not only, suicide as a rhetorical issue while Public Alain Ms, Naval Hospital Son Diego service members died of self- means of escape. In a high others alluded to the fact that inflicted wounds; 52 of those deaths percentage of the cases studied, their problems would " soon be were Navy personnel and 20 were drug and alcohol abuse and down-under NAVAL HOSPITAL SAN over." DIEGO -- More than 30,000 Marines. homosexuality were additional These cries for help went Americans committed suicide last stressors. Oftentimes, the unheeded in some cases; in others By Sgt. Paul Schneider year and that number is growing. Air Force study cumulative stress was compounded they were mishandled. For a Stall Write( Just how many more will never by some new, significant event, potential suicide to be averted, the be known, since the 30,000 figure Why do people commit suicide? perceived by the victim as "the cry for help must be heard and According to a recent Air Force last straw." The Marines and sailors from Company I, 3d Battalion, 3d only includes those deaths that understood for what it is. Marines, returned from a month of training in Australia April were clearly attributed to suicide. study," Suicide among active duty According to the Air Force study, USAF members," there are three 50 percent of the suicide victims 6 as a part of Exercise Gold Eagle-93. Experts say most suicide statistics Risk factors While the Marines were hosted by 2/4 Battalion, Royal are extremely conservative since significant background factors. gave clear, unmistakable The first and most consistent indications of their intentions. Australian Regiment at Lavarack Barracks in Australia, Company there is no way of determining Whether or not there is an actual B, 2/4 Battalion was sent here and was hosted by 3/3. how many "accidental "deaths are theme in all cases studied was Many of them not only told friends difficulties with one's love object and co-workers they were going to cry for help from a potential The goal of both portions of the exercise was interoperability really suicides. Indeed, coroners' suicide victim, there are certain between the Marines and the Australian Army. call accidental/suicide statisitics -- spouse, fiance, boy- or girlfriend. commit suicide, they told them The second significant factor in how, when and where they risk factors associated with suicide For the India Company Marines, the month of training undetermined. that can and should serve as progressed through several challenging phases. The company Nationwide, the suicide cases studied was intended to do it. the incidence of mental or warnings to friends and associates. did combined arms training in garrison and in the field, rappelling, suicide is on the upswing - suicide emotional problems. The Some victims made good-bye third factor was a host of other telephone calls, paid off debts or Talking about or threatening heliborne assaults, small-unit patrols in a jungle environment is becoming the epidemic of the stressors to commit suicide: In most cases, and live-fire training. 1990's, especially for age groups lumped together under changed their life insurance the heading of environmental policies. Still others gave clues the victims talked about suicide. "I feel like we accomplished our goals," said Capt. Robert 20-29 and 60 and over. Some actually stated they planned Bride], commanding officer, India Co. " The exercise greatly In the armed forces, suicide is stress. or made statements that were not The Air Force study clearly outright suicide threats, but to kill themselves while others benefited the Marines in the company; the experience was well the third leading cause of death. merely mentioned it in passing or worth the effort." Only vehicle accidents and heart shows that the majority of suicide indicated thoughts of suicide. In problems who apparently saw some instances, victims discussed See Suicide, A-5 The training began with an orientation, then progressed to disease claim more lives. field operations, which included a 10-day jungle training package. The exercise climaxed with several live fires. Once the orientation was done and the field operations began, one of the exercises included night heliborne operations. The Bone marrow donors give life, hope scenario made the Marines a reactionary force and placed them on standby. what finding the right donor is it isn't as simple as matching people in the data base, Lowe "The exercise gave us a very short amount of time to react. By Sgt. Paul Schneider like -- playing the lottery. blood types. explained. Everything had to be prepared before the mission came down.

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