SSeamaneaman MMartinartin LLucasucas sstandstands mmessengeressenger ooff tthehe wwatchatch oonn EEchocho PPierier FFridayriday fforor hhisis sship,hip, tthehe UUSSSS RRentzentz ((FFGFFG 446).6). FForor mmore,ore, sseeee PPageage 44.. Saturday, April 14, 2007 ((PhotoPhoto bbyy NNellell DDrumheller)rumheller) The Kwajalein Hourglass www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html Editorial New Army chief of staff addresses challenges By Gen. George W. Casey, Jr. nization that is rightly regarded as the and commitment of our Soldiers and U.S. Army chief of staff best in the world. I have watched the civilians both to the ideals that made men and women of our Army in action this country great and to making a Soldiers, civilians, and families of for the past several years in the most difference in our world. You epitomize the United States Army, I am extremely demanding combat environment. I am proud to be taking charge of an orga- proud of the courage, competence See ARMY, Page 6 COMMENTARY Loyal, motivated workforce makes companies successful I know that there are some folks who have had pretty bad on, but it’s been experiences working union jobs. a long time since In fact, after I wrote a commentary about unions a few anyone could say issues ago, I received a not-so-friendly unsigned note say- that $8 to $10 an ing that the writer would rather starve than work a union job hour was a lot of again and that unions have done more harm than good. The money. writer stated that maybe unions were needed in the ‘old days’ If cheaper work- but not so much now. ers are hired for Of course, the person who wrote that note has every right lesser wages, I to his opinion. I respectfully disagree with him. wonder if Circuit I know that some unions have had ties to organized crime City will lower prices on the merchandise they sell? I wouldn’t in the past and in some unions, corruption has been ram- hold my breath. pant. But, despite that, I would still hate to see American I wonder if those Circuit City company executives thought workers totally without representation or recourse in the this through. Will this move actually benefi t Circuit City in event of a grievance or a wrong being done. the long run? What kind of employees will they get who are There are many countries that have that system. Ask willing to settle for less money? Do they think that people those workers how much they make and what conditions working for minimum wage are going to be hyper-motivated they work in. to make the company successful? Why should employees I can’t say that unions are relevant in today’s business cli- strive to do a good job when they know they’ll never make a mate, but I think it’s obvious that the assault on the American decent wage no matter what they do? Is it really good busi- middle-class worker continues unabated. ness to have non-motivated employees who could care less I give you as the latest evidence, the great American com- whether the company does well or not? pany, Circuit City. If Circuit City gets rid of people just because they make ‘too In case you haven’t heard, Circuit City has announced that much,’ who is next? Will the companies your son or daughter it is fi ring almost 3,500 workers because they make too much or father or mother work for decide to do the same thing? money. How much is too much? From what I understand, it’s Would anyone be safe? Or would it just be game’s over, $8 to $10 per hour. Man, those folks are rolling in the dough thanks for playing, we found somebody to work cheaper? aren’t they? Well, here’s a tip for employers—you get what you pay for. Apparently Circuit City thinks they are. It plans to replace I know unions haven’t been the perfect answer to employ- those ‘overpaid’ workers with people who will work for mini- ee’s problems all the time and yes, unions have sometimes mum wage (or just as cheap as they can get them). caused companies to lose productivity and sometimes lose The Wall Street pundits and the business types call this a money, too. Unions share much of the blame for some of the ‘bold’ move by Circuit City. I think I’d call it something else. I’ll decline in American business and for their own demise as leave it to your imagination what I’d call it. well, but a great part of it rests with bad management and the Circuit City isn’t getting rid of these people because they’re greed of CEOs and shareholders who don’t look to the future. bad workers. It’s just that, darn it, they make all that money. I don’t know what planet Circuit City executives are living See WORKFORCE, Page 16 TThehe KKwajaleinwajalein HHourglassourglass The Kwajalein Hourglass is named for the or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department Printed circulation: 2,000 insignia of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, of Defense, Department of the Army or USAKA. E-mail: [email protected] which liberated the island from the forces of Im- It is published Wednesdays and Saturdays in ac- Commanding Offi cer......Col. Stevenson Reed perial Japan on Feb. 4, 1944. cordance with Army Regulation 360-1 and using a Public Affairs Offi cer......................Sandy Miller network printer by Kwajalein Range Services edito- The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized pub- Editor......................................Nell Drumheller lication for military personnel, federal employees, rial staff. contractor workers and their families assigned P.O. Box 23, APO AP 96555 Graphics Designer..........................Dan Adler to U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll. Contents of the Phone: Defense Switching Network 254-3539; Reporter..............................................JJ Klein Hourglass are not necessarily offi cial views of, Local phone: 53539 Distribution..................................C.J. Kemem The Kwajalein Hourglass 2 Saturday, April 14, 2007 Casey becomes 36th Army chief of staff Former Multinational Forces Iraq commander takes reins at Pentagon By Carmen L. Gleason requires a rifl eman American Forces Press Service and a smart bomb, an unconventional After nearly four decades of mili- approach as well tary service, Gen. Peter Schoomaker as conventional handed the reins of Army chief of staff power.” to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who As he said farewell most recently served as commander to the Army, he took of Multinational Forces Iraq. the opportunity to Casey became the 36th Army chief pass along words of of staff Tuesday. advice to the many This was the second time Schoo- top military brass maker has retired from Army life; he and political leaders fi rst retired in 2000, but was asked to in attendance. “I be- return in 2003 to serve in the Army’s lieve that this is the top billet. most dangerous pe- “Every so often an institution needs riod of my lifetime,” U.S. Army Gen. George W. Casey swears in as the 36th a leader to remind it of its core val- Schoomaker said. Army chief of staff following the change of responsibility ues,” Defense Secretary Robert M. “We are still closer ceremony Tuesday at Ft. Myer, Va. Casey took over as chief of staff from Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker in a Gates said of Schoomaker. “He’s to the beginning ceremony hosted by Pete Geren, acting secretary of the than the end of this done that by emphasizing the Warrior Army Defense Department. Ethos, focusing on physical fi tness fi ght.” (Photo by Cherie A. Thurlby) and basic skills like marksmanship He told the audi- and hand-to-hand combat.” ence the pace of the Army’s transfor- “Our Army is strong today and Gates said this has led to a renewal mation and adaptation must acceler- every Soldier is a warrior because of of timeless values like personal cour- ate, as well as the pace of confl ict in your vision and leadership,” Casey age and pride in one’s physical and Iraq. “Although the burden of the long told Schoomaker during the cer- mental strength. “These are integral war is slowly beginning to shift to a emony. parts of the moral fi ber and institu- more balanced approach using all ele- Casey, who has spent 30 months tional memory that have, throughout ments of our nation’s power,” he said, as the commander of forces in Iraq, history, made our military so effective “the road ahead will not be easy, and said that U.S. combat veterans have against our enemies and so respected the stakes couldn’t be higher.” been baptized by fi re and blood, but by our friends,” the secretary said. The general, both the son and they have come out as strong as steel. Top defense offi cials have credited father of Soldiers, quoted former He said he takes great pride in now Schoomaker with engineering the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton being their leader. Army’s greatest reorganization since Abrams as saying, “People are not in He said the next decade will likely World War II, as well as revamping the Army, they are the Army.” be one of persistent confl ict. “We’ve training protocol across the force, “My four years as Army chief have been at war for over fi ve years, fi ght- all while the Army was engaged in only affi rmed that Soldiers are our ing for our freedom, our security and combat.