SOMS Battles Range Fire

Air Station employee triumphs/A-2 Claiming interest earned on bonds/A-6 Volume 21, No. 8 Serving MCAS Kaneohe Bay, 1st MED, Camp H.M. Smith andAterine Barracks February 13, 1992 NEWS SOMS battles Briefs Alcohol range fire prohibited By Sgt. Jason Erickson Marines from every unit that Effective Jan. 1, the use of uses the range are required to alcoholic beverages in the A combined effort by several go through a fire fighting general Hickam Harbor area units here kept an accidental training class to be prepared in was restricted. This restriction range fire at Ulupa`u Crater such emergencies. During includes, but is not limited to, from spreading across the dry Friday's range fire, these 20 all picnic cabanas, parking grassy hillside and endangering Marines were the first to lots and sports areas along wildlife Friday. According to respond, making sure the fire the Hickam Harbor coastline. an investigation of the burn site did not move up the hill toward With the new restriction, after the fire, there was no the protected Red Footed Booby Hick am will be more in line significant damage to wildlife. Bird colony. with city, county and state The fire occurred at 9:15 a.m. The Federal Fire Department policies on the use of alcoholic while a group of Marines from and the Explosive Ordnance beverages on community Brigade Schools was down range Disposal unit were called . beaches and in parks outside firing the M203 grenade However, because of the the base. The policy will also launcher. According to CWO proximity of the fire -- located create a more family-type Joe Windsor, the range officer, amidst several unexploded atmosphere at Hickam Harbor. the fire was caused by a round munitions -- the firemen could which fell short of the impact not get close enough to put it area setting off the surrounding out, although they took steps to Kindergarten brush. stop it from spreading. Mountain extraction Therefore, a search and rescue "It's really no one's fault, these in the extraction ending their 48-hour registration held things are going to happen from helicopter from SOMS was called Lima 3/3 Marines rush toward an HMM-364 CH-46 helicopter Mokapu School will register time to time," Windsor said. in and using one of its recently TRAP mission in the Kawalioa Mountains of northern Oahu. See story, A-10. kindergarteners for the 1992- For that very reason, 20 See Fire, A-7 93 school year from Feb. 18- 28 at the school office from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. HQMC defines policy Parents must bring the child's birth certificate or other proof that the child is 5 years old by Dec. 31, 1992; a current Manpower experts struggle with future physical examination and a tuberculosis clearance before By Sgt. Jason Erickson be through normal attrition, but ease the blockages and make to standardize the large average changes is to ensure the process the child may enter school in many people who want to stay sure that those good Marines do time variance from one field to is as smooth as possible so good September. Key thinkers throughout the have already been turned away, get their chance for promotion. the next. Marines just now starting their . In the past, Mokapu School Corps gathered late last year to and many more will follow them Based on present Corps-wide He said for instance, that journey through the rinks don't has not been able to construct a blueprint for the into the civilian work force in prop otion-time averages, it based on the number of Marines come up against roadblocks and accommodate all the children Marine Corps of 2001. Having the years to come. would take a Marine roughly 30 and the average time it is taking major promotion jams later on." who live on the Air Station. been approved almost For commanders already years to make E-9 - just in time for promotions in any particular Huly also stressed that a As classes are filled, new immediately by the feeling the pinch of being below to be retired. This, say planners, field, the percentage of Marines heavy burden now rests on students are placed on an commandant, and later by the their tables of organization, Huly is not acceptable. who qualify for the zone will be Marine leaders at every level to overflow list. Those students secretary of the Navy and had no good news. In fact, he Key to the changes is the "Up increased or decreased to either get very involved in the process will be bussed to four nearby chairman of the Joint Chiefs, it said it will only get worse. "I or Out" policy which will now speed up or slow down the of deciding who will remain and schools as enrollment allows. is very near to becoming the simply don't have secret stashes give enlisted Marines at least, average promotion time to bring who won't. Their guiding light which will lead of Marines to pull from to fill but in most cases not more than, it in line with target averages. recommendations must take the the Marines through the big everybody's needs. I don't know two chances for selection to the "We've had situations where Marines' overall worth to the Housing referral drawdowns to come. your T/Os and I don't want to next rank once they're in the a Marine reaches his or her Corps into account and they This was the news passed to know, because we're working promotion zone. Sergeants high-year tenure and is forced must be honest to work. office closes Marines here during a recent with a whole new plan." passed over twice, regardless of out without ever having been in "If you have a very good The Housing Referral visit by the Enlisted Assigment On the individual career front, whether they've reached their the promotion zone," Wheeler Marine under you requesting Interservice Coordinating and Promotion Branch at Huly said the gradual pyramid high-year tenure, will be forced said. "That simply isn't right." reenlistment, take the time to Office, located at bldg. 4, Headquarters Marine Corps. As of rank distribution which many out, explained Maj. Charles He explained that while the write an endorsement reflecting Catlin Park, 3189 Nimitz Marines trying to reenlist have Marines have counted on simply Wheeler, Enlisted Promotions number of allocations in each your feelings on him," Huly said. Road, will be closed Feb. 28 already discovered, it means big won't exist. There will be a Plans officer at HQMC. "We field can't be changed, by "This means more to me than from noon-4 p.m. changes in the manning of most wide base and very few leaders. are working on a standardized putting more or less Marines in the signiture of a regimental, fields. "Basically we're looking for period of time after they've been the zone, it gives them a better brigade or any other Engineers The plan calls for a Corps of the majority of our first term passed over to release them, chance to be selected. commander. The immediate to host 159,000 by the turn of the Marines to go home at the end most likely seven months. This "We have goals for the superiors are the ones that work first reunion century, down significantly from of that first tour, and it won't will be regardless of the amount average time in service Marines with these Marines every day the 200,000-plus of today. matter whether they want to of time left on their present spend at each rank, but they and they're the ones who know The newly-formed, Marine According to Col. Jan Hu ly, stay or not," Huly told a contract." aren't being met. We want to whether or not those Marines Corps Engineers Association head, Enlisted Assignment gathering of Brigade and Station Additionally, while staff get the averages back to goal are a good choice for will hold its first Corps-wide Branch, HQMC, 159,000 would commanders and their staffs sergeants will be allowed to stay and this seems to be the best reenlistment." reunion at Camp Lejeune, be about the best scenario at Feb. 10 at the Officers' Club in for their full 20 years, they way of doing that." He said the same N.C., May 15-17. Those who this point. He added that here. "We're getting rid of dead- won't go beyond that once It will mean of course that responsibility applies for those have served or are presently depending on many factors, such wood. Only very good Marines they've been considered twice. some Marines will be considered Marines who aren't worthy of serving with Marine Corps as who is in the White House will be allowed to stay and they The same will be true for gunnys sooner and therefore forced out being retained. "We need your engineer units, including come next January, it could go may have to be willing to make at 22 years and all the way up sooner than they would have, input. If you've got a Marine reservists, are invited to significantly lower. lateral moves to fields where to E-9s at various high-year but Wheeler explained that the with NJPs or low pro and con attend. Based on the present plan, they're needed in order to do tenures. overall outcome will be to speed marks or other problems, .don't For additional information, Hu ly said he will have to reduce so." Wheeler explained that while up the system for the Marines recommend him just to be a contact Col.

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