Marines at Base Theater Cpl
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Hawaii Marine New Boots Island Tour Volume 28, Number 41 Serving Marine Corps Base Hawaii October 14, 1999 A-4 B-1 CNO visits with Sailors, Marines at base theater Cpl. Trent Lowry Combat Correspondent the structure of Marine Aviation Logistics mind.. I want to hear if you have any issues Support Element, Kaneohe, and Marine or concerns, or, by the way, good ideas that The importance of the integration of the Corps Air Facility. "The briefings I've you think would be useful for me to take Navy and Marine Corps units aboard MCB received and the feedback I've got from back to Washington, D.C." Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, was a prominent people who are here now -the Navy peo- The majority of the questions centered on theme Oct. 6 as the Chief of Naval ple and the Marines - is that things are concerns about educational benefits for ser- Operations paid a visit to the base. being integrated extremely well. vicemembers and their families. More than 950 Sailors "Everybody seems to be happy and, for "We heard good questions, and I think and Marines soaked in the sure, everybody's pulling on the same oar everyone is interested, not surprisingly ... words of Adm. Jay together," said Adm. Johnson with praise for about education," Adm. Johnson said after Johnson, the 26th Chief of the cooperation shown by both services to the enlisted brief. "Education is a big deal ... Naval Operations, in sep- make the integration a success. "So I am so educational opportunities and how we arate briefs at the base the- very grateful to the Marine Corps for that can make them more accessible for our men ater, as he addressed ser- and I'm proud of the Navy for the way and women is an important thing." vicemembers' questions we've integrated here. It's a winner for The chief of Naval operations said that Adm. Johnson and thanked them for their everybody." the Navy is looking into such issues as work in the military. Though much of the focus was on tuition assistance for servicemembers and Admiral Johnson was in Hawaii to attend Sailors, Marines in the audience also bene- their spouses. He said the possibility for the change of command and retirement of fitted. educational benefits is at the top of the list of Adm. Archie Clemins, Commander in Chief "Most things concerned the Navy, but he reasons why people join the military. of the Pacific Fleet of the Navy, who turned talked about the Navy/Marine Corps team Admiral Johnson also spoke about other over command Friday to Adm. Thomas and how we work together," said Lance Cpl. benefits that have been discussed for Fargo during a ceremony at Ford Island, Mark Willoughby, an administration clerk improving servicemembers' quality of life, near the USS Missouri Memorial. with Headquarters Battalion. including the bill President Clinton recently "What has happened here in Kaneohe "My main mission here today is to come signed authorizing the "best pay package brings reality to the tenn `Navy/Marine eyeball to eyeball with you to say thank you that the military has had in more than a Corps team,"' Adm. Johnson said, regarding for everything you do," Adm. Johnson said decade." The bill will provide a 4.8 percent the integration of Navy and Marine units, before fielding audience members' ques- pay raise in January for all members of the including the merger of Navy personnel into tions. "Now I'd like to hear what's on your armed forces. Private Rhett Farrell, a mortarman with Weapons Co. 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, talks to his friend in his home- town of Houston, Saturday morning in the commissary park- ing lot. Butler and his fellow Marines were waiting for transportation to Hickam Air Force Base and a flight to Okinawa, Japan, Photo by Cpl. Trent Lowry where they'll be based while on a Joanna Elliott hugs her husband, Sgt. Justin Elliott, a squad leader with seven-month deploy- 2/3 for the first time in seven months after he arrived home Friday. ment. 2/3 comes home Photo by Cpl. Trent Lowry Cpl. Trent Lawny Combat Correspondent said Joanna Elliott while embrac- ing her husband, Sgt. Justin Marines and Sailors from 2nd Elliott, a squad leader with 2/3. 1/3 Marines take off for Okinawa Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Joanna waited up Thursday night and C Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th with other wives and children for Cpl. Trent Lowry "I'm looking forward to all the training in Korea and the Combat Correspondent Marine Regiment, returned over the busses that arrived just after Phillipines, and seeing people from different cultures," said Lance the weekend to MCB Hawaii, midnight. "The waiting was the Marines and Sailors from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Cpl. Adriel Marianni, 19, a field wireman from Headquarters and Kaneohe Bay, from the unit worst part." left MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, for unit deployment program Service Company, 1/3, who said this is his first deployment. deployment program in Okinawa, "I'm so glad he's back, I just training in Okinawa, Japan last weekend. The Marines will train with the Republic of Korea Marines as Japan. can't describe it in words," said The final load of Marines left early Saturday morning from the part of the Korean Incremental Training Package and with the Colorful signs made from bed- Christina Gomez, wife of Staff base commissary parking lot. Accompanying 1/3 leathernecks Phillipine military during training exercise Bali Katan, said Capt. sheets waved as the busses that Sgt. Fernando Gomez, a platoon were Marines from A Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment. Christian Cabaniss, operations officer for 1/3. carried the servicemembers to the sergeant with 2/3. "I'm looking forward to aggressive training in a different envi- "The training will be more about getting to know people," battalion headquarters building After dropping their packs and ronment than Hawaii," said 1st Lt. James Keller, platoon comman- Cabaniss said. "We could be fighting side-by-side someday, so if early Friday, Saturday and kicking off their boots, the der of the 81 mm mortar platoon, Weapons Co., 1/3. we get a better understanding of their tactics and learn how they do Sunday after the plane ride from infantrymen have a lot of sea sto- Each of the three 3rd Marine Regiment infantry battalions based business ... it can be a real positive experience for everybody." Okinawa, where they recently ries they can tell their loved ones. at K-Bay deploys for seven months of training in Asia, where they Outside of the military training, the battalion is scheduled to par- completed a seven-month unit The Marines had a variety of set up headquarters at Camp Hansen, Okinawa. ticipate in several community relations projects, another way deployment. The Marines and training opportunities in different Returning Friday, Saturday and Sunday from their own deploy- Marines will get to learn about Asian cultures and "bring the world Sailors also got heartfelt waves parts of Asia while based in ment were Marines from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a little closer," Cabaniss said. from the family members patient- Okinawa. Marines and Sailors C Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment. Even the Marines for whom the experience is not new, expect to ly waiting for their arrival. While 2/3 Marines and Sailors were happy to be home, the 1/3 see fresh training while deployed. "I was nervous waiting here," See 2/3, A-7 servicemembers were eagerly anticipating the training opportuni- "This will be my fourth deployment, but we're supposed to go ties awaiting them in Okinawa. See 1/3, A-7 Pay, retirement ride high in Defense Authorization Act Index lim earanume board Jan. 1 pay increase is the largest in number of special pays and bonuses and American Forces Press Service 18 years. Pay table reform - effective 'creates three new ones. The biggest WASHINGTON - People are at on July 1st - rewards performance. change is the establishment of career A Section the heart of the first sustained increase The act authorizes an overhaul of the enlisted flier incentive pay and increas- Domestic Abuse Prevention 2 in defense spending since the end of the retirement program. Servicemembers ing the maximum selective re-enlist- Every Clime and Place 3 Cold War. who came on active duty after Aug. 1, ment bonus to $60,000. Sergeant Major's Corner 4 While force readiness and moderniza- 1986, under the Redux retirement sys- The authorization act gives the depart- Chaplain's Corner. 5 tion get big boosts, military pay and tem face a choice once they reach 15 ment permission to go ahead with a pro- Credit Counseling 6 retirement reform are the stars of the fis- years of service. They can opt for the gram, but it doesn't obligate funds. The Courts Martial, Menu 8 cal 2000 Defense Authorization Act. previous "High-Three" system that money actually will come from the fiscal Salutes 9 Surrounded by nation's top military lead- starts at 50 percent of basic pay for 2000 Defense Appropriations Bill, still ers in an Oct. 5 Pentagon ceremony, those retiring after 20 years. Or, they under consideration by Congress. B Section President Clinton signed the bill that can choose to receive a $30,000 bonus Another emphasis in the act is on Island Tour authorizes a national security budget of at 15 years and stay in the Redux retire- modernization. The act authorizes a Basketball Tournament 2 $288.8 billion, the lion's share going to ment system, which starts retired pay at total of $56 billion for procurement.