2/3 Training, Hawaii Marine Birthday Pageant A-4 Volume 27, Number 42 November 12, 1998 8-1 tr . , .:- )44. s lakiltatiXx v. ! k , ; ' ;...: "§ !: Wilaraiki4:4:404 N ) i " it r.,4 ii.!4104414014*.V434. vioe44,4e0011.44A44,4104t.1/40 & t ,d ,40..4,A44,.,,,-.:. ----`-,. ,.;.,.1.44 4.a40441,1004.44.45 ,1 j:1;)044.4414441 Photo by Sgt. Michael Wiener Thousands of Marines stationed of MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, run along the flightline in formation to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday Friday. U.S., ROK Marines go ashore during Exercise Foal Eagle Sgt. Steven Williams Marine Corps' ability to conduct rapid Marines were very motivated and posi- Combat Correspondent and distant operations, according to Lt. tive," Larsen said. "They really enjoyed Col. Dan Bared, III Marine Expeditionary the experience." TOK SOK RI BEACH, South Force (forward) operations officer. Along with valuable training for both Korea - Thunderous explosions shook Perhaps the most valuable aspect of nations' troops, the exercise gave U.S. South Korean beaches Nov. 1 as hundreds both evolutions was integration. Marines a rare opportunity to assemble every of U.S. and Republic of Korea Marines "We cross-attached companies, pla- element in III MEF for a full-blown combat charged ashore here and Exercise Foal toons, artillery battalions, liaison parties training evolution, according to Larsen. Eagle came in full swing. and liaison officers," said Marine Col. "The principle of combat is going to Seven battalions of U.S. and ROK Timothy R. Larsen, Marine Air Ground remain the same no matter where we forces combined for the largest Foal Eagle Task Force 4 commanding officer. deploy," said Larsen. "Whether it's Korea amphibious assault ever conducted. The "We were able to see how the different or anywhere else in the world, we're evolution was just a portion of efforts units operate," said Lance Cpl. William going to depend on operability. Deploying between the two nations to establish corn- Wainright, a driver for B Battery, 3rd a complete MAGTF to another country is bind forces capabilities and strengthen Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment. "We a very valuable opportunity and it's up to an ongoing relationship. get an idea of how we can expect to work us to maximize the benefits." A day before the massive assault, 160 if a war actually breaks out" All the elements off-loaded during the U.S. and ROK forces combined Task "We were honored to be with the U.S. amphibious landing returned to ship a few Force Ellis to establish a blocking position Marines," said ROK Marine Staff Sgt. days later, some that same evening, as a little more than three miles up shore. The Chom Su Kim, a public affairs represen- Foal Eagle turned its focus to ground ele- Marines charged the beach via landing tative with the ROK 1st Marine Division. ments inland. However, a new confidence crafts and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters. "We envy their fighting spirit in every- was in the air. U.S. forces remain pre- Note by Sgt. Steven Williams The task force used an over-the-hori- thing they do." pared to launch if their assistance is ever A formation of CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters fly in over a Landing Craft Air-cush- zon assault, signifying and verifying the "The feedback I got was that the needed. ioned as Task Force Ellis swarms Jansa Dong Beach in Pohang, South Korea. General Shelton says pay gap real Jim Garamone To address the pay gap, defense officials official. American Forces Press Service said, military raises must match the full ECI The average new service member is 18 or level. The fiscal 2000 pay raise is set for 4.4 19 years old with a high school education. "We WASHINGTON - While experts can percent. The ECI for fiscal 2000 is estimated at feel their pay is pretty competitive to what argue about its size, a pay gap exists and DoD 4.3 percent. Pay raises for the Future Years their cohorts in the private sector may earn," will start closing it in the next budget cycle, Defense Plan are now set at 3.9 percent. the official said. "But just as their civilian the nation's top military leader said Nov. 5. Officials also said they are working on a cohorts continue to gather education and work Army Gen. Henry Shelton, chairman of the retirement package. They said service mem- experience, so do our people. There is not a Joint Chiefs of Staff, was responding to news- bers think Redux, the plan where retirees good crosswalk between the military and civil- paper reports quoting a Rand Corp. paper receive 40 percent of base pay after 20 years' ian sides. implying there was no gap between military service, is not a career incentive. "We ask our people to do different things," and civilian-sector pay. On the contrary, DoD Changing the structure of pay tables is he continued. "We tell our people to move officials said, the gap is 8.5 percent to 13.5 another major effort. "The pay tables were every couple of years -they don't have a percent depending on the year used as a base- meant for a force that came into the service for choice. We don't give them overtime for the line. a short time - three, four years - and raises hard work they do, and as the force gets small- "If you go back to the previous era of big were hefty in those first four years," said a er our people are working harder. We don't pay raises - in 1979, 1980 and 1981 - you Joint Staff official. "This needs to change." send civilians into danger and we don't ask will see defense officials waited until (the mil- The 1998 tables are based on 1949 thinking. civilians to lay down their lives for their coun- itary) was broke and then they went to fix it," Officials said the pay gap is not large for try. So, the military person is different, and said a Joint Staff official. "What we started to junior enlisted members or junior officers, but you have to take that into account when mak- do was look and see how we can prevent that. it widens appreciably for mid-range and senior ing pay comparisons." The serious effort started nine months ago." noncommissioned officers and officers. $ Shelton is pleased with the support a com- In the past, military pay has been loosely "It can be as much as 20 percent for some pensation overhaul seems to have on Capitol tied to federal civilian employees' pay raises. specialties and pay grades," said a Joint Staff Hill. "Congress coming in and supporting leg- By law, civilian raises are keyed to the Bureau official. islation in (fiscal) 1999, I think, was a positive Photo by Sgt. Michael Wiener of Labor Statistics'.Employment Cost Index, Targeting pay raises is the answer. Whether sign," he said. "There are a lot of people [in Gathered to remember ... or ECI, minus one-half of a percentage point. these pay raises will be on top of a 4.4 percent Congress] who understand where we are right The Hawaii commmunity gathered at the National Memorial The ECI measures the growth of private-sector pay raise or as part of it remains to be seen. "It now and what's going to have to be done to Cemetery of the Pacific Wednesday to honor fallen service- wages and salaries. all comes down to resources," said a defense maintain this quality force that we've got." members and pay tribute to their sacrifice. A similar ceremony was also held at the State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe. Team K-Bay unveils new Kama'aina Card Index Cpl. Barry Melton idents and provide special discounts and additional benefits to Combat Correspondent attract their patronage, according to Charlie Ota, the director of mil- A Section B Section itary affairs at the Chamber of Commerce. MarForPac Sgt. Maj.'s Corner A 2 Birthday Pageant 13 1 A new card is set to replace the Kama'aina sticker placed on mil- "Typified as being 'over-worked and under-paid,' it (Kama'aina Every Clime and Place A 3 Botanical Gardens B I itary identification cards of Marines, Sailors and family members benefits) is our way to say `mahalo' to the military for being a good 2/3 Tests Readiness A 4 Flag Football Tourney 13 2 age 15 and older. neighbor," said Ota. "Second, it offers an excellent opportunity for Col. Wesley Fox Interview A 5 U.S./Korea Soccer B 4 The new Kama'aina Card will be distributed after the supply of businesses to extend their markets to the military community." ;ASE Food Donation A 6 Football Pool 13 5 Kama'aina stickers is depleted, said Cpl. Chad Westring, a DEERS "A lot of the businesses here recognize the military's Kama'aina Great American Smokeout A 7 Birthday Pageant 13 6 and identification clerk with Headquarters Battalion here. card," said Westring. "If you are curious, just ask them." Field Laundry in Korea A 8 Movie/Book Review B 7 For those who currently have the sticker, a card will not be need- A list of businesses participating in the Kama'aina program is Blotter A 9 Religion B 8 ed, said Westring. currently in the works and is planned for publication sometime next Word on the Street A 9 Ticket to Fun, Movies B 8 The Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and the Visitors and month, said Ota. For information on how to receive the list, call the Word to Pas.