MCAS Koneoh Say Camp N.M. Smith Morino Oonocks Volume. 20, No. 35 September 5, 1991 HAWAII Marine N. Briefs K-Bay security New facilities detachment to return from `long overdue' Saudi this week Congressmen visit K-Bay Approximately 30 Story and photos Station Executive Officer Col. members of the Kaneohe-based by Cpl. Jason Erickson W.J. Wesley Pre. said this was a Security Detachment, 3d intorsestion Chiel valuable opportunity for the Air Marines are expected to return Station, because the panel from Saudi Arabia today or Despite massive cuts to the members now have a first-hand tomorrow. A majority of the military budget, House Armed knowledge of force Services Committee-members the specifics will return within the aboard this Air Station, not just next few weeks. The 500-man said Air Station plans for a new commissary, statistics. detachment has served as exchange, tempo- The delegation has already ground combat element of rary lodging facility and other new service facilities are not been to defense department Marine Forces Southwest Asia installations in Japan and the since mid-May. Their mission likely to be cut short on Capitol Hill. Philippines, and will now travel has been to provide security to bases on the Mainland. for the various Marine Corps These assessments were made by members of a delegation from Rep. Owen Pickett (D-Va.), a ports, airfields and equipment, member of the MWR Panel and as the Marine forces the committee's panel for Morale, Welfare and Recreation the visiting delegation, said that retrograde the region following while their tours have focused Operations Desert Shield and during a visit here I.abor Day. Panel Chairman Rep. Martin on MWR, the delegation is also Storm. Approximately 50 using the opportunity to see and Marines of the detachment Lancaster (D-N.C.) said after seeing discuss "everything else we can went back to the region after the facilities that the need about each installation." returning home from for improvements is "long-over- due" and "quite obvious," but Their day-long visit here, for Operation Desert Storm. They example, also delved into such volunteered to go back. This the decisions of how much money, and on what pay non-MWR-related issues as detachment's accomplishments sched- family housing and commissary Franco-American manuevers will be featured in upcoming ule, the funding for such pro- construction. The congressmen Hawaii Marine issues. grams will be authorized must French Marines move out after being inserted by helicopter to an LZ in the Kahuku Mountains Aug. still be ironed out. were very interested in the development of the 802 Housing 30. The French Marines, who are stationed in Tahiti, were the guests of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Lancaster said while there are project, and other means for Brigade for two weeks as they conducted training with Co. C, let Battalion, 3d Marines. See Page several concerns with plans to increasing housing availability A-2 for related story and photos. Desert allow a private contractor to build additional temporary for the military. environment Critser explained to the dele- lodging aboard the Air Station, gation that with the exception this is still likely to find the approval it needs of Platt Field and a chunk of won't cause in Congress. land on 11Iupa'u Crater, where According to the congressman, a total of 316 housing unite are health the Army used a similar ar- already scheduled for construc- tests improved to CPX rangement build TLF units tion, there is no more room to problems at two of their bases on the build residences here. He added mainland, and has had numer- however, that the possibility of Smoke-filled air, sand and ous problems meeting its finan- heat, while uncomfortable, will building at Bellows Air Force cial obligations to the contrac- Station (approximately 20 system not cause longlasting effects fire-support he said Hawaii's for people working in tors. However, minutes from here) is being economy and other factors at considered. Story and photo Southwest Asia, in-cording to this Air Station makes such Ii LtCmdr. E.W. Anderson. Rep. Neil Abercrombie by LCpI. Poznar Smith problems unlikely here, as long KIIVIS11 MIV.4 slut Writer environmental health officer Hawaii), who accompanied the ae "careful attention is paid to delegation during its tour of with the preventive medicine the project as it let Battalion, 12th Marines unit of the Combat Service details of the Air Station, added that he would Exer is being worked out." like very much to see this staged a Command Post Support Element at the Port con- rise Aug. 26-28 at Platt Field of Jubayl, Saudi Arabia. The delegation's visit, happen, stating however, that digital fire- ducted by Station Commander he would prefer to see Bellows here as an updated "Pollution among the wells is Director support system was given a trial bad, but most of it only Col. R.R. Critser, MWR turned over to the state. Walt Skierkoweki and members "But short of having the run. extends about 30 kilometers," of their was part of a The CPX didn't involve live "After that it staffs, military give up Bellows alto- to Capt. said Anderson. world-wide tour by the panel to gether, I can't think of any- firing, and according gradually gets diluted and some of the George S. Whitbeck, battalion view first-hand thing I'd rather see done there it wasn't rises 6,000-10,000 feet. We specific circumstances involved than build military family fire-direction officer, aren't exposed to high degrees facili- designed to. with MWR programs and housing," Abercrombie said. of of sulfur and secondary ties at various installations. Whitbeck said the objective he Abercrombie also stressed to to test a new reaction products here," Lancaster also said the tours the delegation that in addition the CPX was said. Although no immediate software edition installed in the have helped the panel learn to benefitting military families, of the or long term effects are some of the differences between housing for service- different components anticipated, BGen. Brown, increased artillery flexible fire-support how services run their MWR men on Oahu would greatly and to Battle- commanding general, special what some of system, called "fireflex," GySgt. Frank Aranda shows LCpI. Brion Moore how the updated programs, and improve the rental problems 1/12 Marines practical during 1st Bn., 12th Marines' Command purpose Marine Air Ground the holes are in each of their being felt by his civilian con- give the field Computer Terminal works Task Force, has directed that systems. because "for every application using the system. Post Exercise held Aug. 26-28 at Platt Field. everyone's medical record stituents, "We're seeing if it works and Part of their tour here in- military family that moves into using it," reflect they were exposed to the home, there getting good at Anderson cluded an overview of a new government Whitbeck summarized. of using charts, firing tables list and each battery's ammu- gas while deployed, aspects of running is one less family competing in types of said. business The actual fireflex equipment, and voice radio transmissions - nition count. These MWR activities, with emphasis a very limited rental market." by the simply a matter of speed data used to be computed and that by using which was developed is on total sales for each branch Critser estimated Army, is not brand new. What and efficiency, said several 1/ kept track of manually. and how revenue-generating multi-story units, Bellows could The individual batteries pos- up to is new is the software. The 12 Marines. activities like retail sales are accommodate units for is called Version "The old way is time consum- sess Battery Computer Systems. Midwestern activities that 3,000 families, which would latest software of used to support 9, and the CPX was the first ing," said GySgt. Frank Aranda, This is where the accuracy can't totally pay for themselves, make a drastic change in the with operations chief. actually putting rounds on target high school and crunch felt by local time 1/12 tested fireflex battalion such as clubs, recreation housing Version 9 software installed in "Almost everything is done has been vastly improved, families. 9 retired child care. military all system components. automatically now. We're' especially with the Version seeks The battalion-level exercise saving time, increasing effi- software, according to Aranda. involved all three 1/12 batteries ciency and ultimately, accuracy." The various BCS terminals, Marines for Bay: Batteries There are three main compo- which are located at each left at Kaneohe center, A, C and F (2d Bn., 12th nents to the artillery fireflex battery's fire direction JFIOTC Marines). Battery B is deployed system. The first is the Digital receive the fire missions from to Okinawa. Communications Terminal, a battalion FDC. They almost positions While the 1st Bn., 12th book-sized message processor instantaneously compute a The 9th Marine Corps Marines fire controlmen did get used by forward observers. FOs multitude of factors, including District has two instructor valuable familiarization practice, send data via the DCTs to range, weather and target infor- positions open for Marine the main intention of this CPX Battlefield Computer Terminals, mation. Corps Junior Reserve Officer ironing out bugs in the or BCTe. A battalion Fire Whitbeck said the goal of was is to hit the Training Corps schools. River updated fireflex software. Direction Center - the brain of modern artillery School at River an artillery battalion - uses the target with the first round. In Rouge High According to Whitbeck, the was Rouge, Mich.