New dentists welcomed — page 3 Retired KPD detection dog laid to rest — page 6 (Polynesian group Fenua ote Ora entertains residents - photo by Mig Owens) (See Friday’s Hourglass for more coverage) Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 The Kwajalein Hourglass www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html Editorial Kwajalein ‘family’ pulls together when tragedy strikes By John Beckler what happened… I knew I had to make a few phone For all you people who are new to calls: travel, medical, legal. The hos- Kwaj, I’d like to share some valuable pital already knew what was going information from an “old timer.” I on and everything that needed to want to give you an idea of what to be done, was. I called Continental expect from our community, when an Travel, they had me done in about emergency or tragedy strikes. five minutes. Sometimes, they know In Hawaiian, “Ohana,” means fam- what’s going on before you even call. ily. But not necessarily just blood rel- will come a day when tragedy will Had to call legal at USAKA for power atives. It can also involve any group strike. And it never happens on a of attorney papers; my older son was of people with a spiritual/emotional convenient day of the week. going to stay with friends. That took bond sharing common goals. Kwaja- As a former employee of Continen- about 20 minutes; no sweat. Then a lein has such an ohana. tal Travel, we were used to having call to KRS Travel for travel orders. Many times I have described Kwaj someone come into the office fran- Those were being done while I was at as a “small town with big city people.” tic, trying to get off the island. They USAKA. Next was a call to the cha- “Big city” tends to carry an imper- wouldn’t have a clue of what to do, pel, I needed all the help I could get. sonal, uncaring negative connota- who to ask for or what paperwork to Within five minutes, half the island tion. And with different contractors fill out. And then, who gets all this knew what was going on. Prayer and and groups of people working here, stuff and who pays for it? Now it rosary groups were organized. A it can seem like a big city. Whereas was my turn to have a family medi- prayer quilt was set up and the calls “small town”, gives the opposite im- cal emergency. from well-wishers of concern and pression. Recently, my wife discovered she support started to flood in. A food I have also called Kwaj a fam- had lumps in her breast and was schedule and phone tree was being ily business. There are many Kwaj sent to Hawaii for biopsy surgery. set up for our return. People from Kids who are now back on island She was informed that she had support groups began explaining as adults with very important jobs. breast cancer and was in need of what to expect and not to be afraid More importantly, they remember immediate medical attention. I was to ask for help. I was overwhelmed how close the community was back here waiting to hear that everything by just the amount of support and then and how everyone looked after was fine and she would be home next one another in times of need. There week. That didn’t happen. Here’s (see Family, page 4) CORRECTION The Kwajalein Hourglass Marshallese Word of the Day The photo of Robert Iosia on the back page of Friday’s issue should have been credited to madre - spear Kerry Young. The Hourglass regrets the error. Commanding Officer........COL Beverly Stipe by Sabrina Mumma Public Affairs Officer...LuAnne Fantasia Buckminster and Friends Editor...............................Nell Drumheller Assistant Editor......................Mig Owens Graphics Designer....................Dan Adler Reporter................................ Jan Waddell Circulation....................... Will O’Connell The Hourglass is named for the insignia of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, which liberated the island from the forces of Imperial Japan on Feb 4, 1944. The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized publication for military personnel, federal employees, contractor workers and their families assigned to USAKA. Contents of the Hourglass are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or USAKA. It is published Tuesdays and Fridays in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1 and using a network printer by Kwajalein Range Services editorial staff, P.O. Box 23, APO AP 96555. Phone: Autovon 254-3539; local 53539. Printed circulation: 2,000 The Kwajalein Hourglass 2 Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 The Kwajalein Hourglass This won’t hurt a bit Kwaj teeth in good hands with new dentists By Jan Waddell Reporter Jim Schuler Roy Schoppert Schuler arrived on July 15 Schoppert came to Kwaj from from Arcata, Calif. He has been Anchorage, Ala. on Sept. 1. He practicing general dentistry for graduated from University of 18 years. West Virginia in 1989 and has He graduated from the Uni- practiced dentistry for the past versity of California, Los Angeles 15 years. and worked in private practice. He originally heard about Kwa- He retired from private practice jalein from a nurse on a NOAH and went to work in an Indian ship that visited Kwajalein and Clinic in Arcata. Alaska. Schoppert said a very He has worked in the Middle special person, Judy Layne, reg- East and said he likes living out- istered nurse, “peeked his inter- side the United States. est” in Kwajalein. His reason for coming to Schoppert said he worked, for Jim Schuler, DDS Kwajalein was, “a new experi- one summer in 2000, on Johnston Roy Schoppert, DDS ence.” He visited Chuuk a couple of years ago, on a div- Island and his wife, Dawn, worked ing trip, and was familiar with the Micronesian area. on Johnston for two summers. She will be joining him He was able to find out a lot about Kwajalein through later this month and working in the finance depart- the Internet and said he was not surprised. ment. Schuler said Kwajalein has, “a very relaxed atmo- “She is a very warm weather person,” Schoppert sphere,” and the people are very nice. said. “The kids are better mannered than the ones I was Both his children are grown according to Schoppert used too,” he added. and supportive of their decision to move to Kwaj. He said he would like to obtain some formal instruc- He added they would like to learn to dive and enjoy tion on boating and sailing, while on Kwaj. outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and fishing. Schuler said, “[they would like to] get the clinic per- “[We like] lots of outdoor activities,” Schoppert said. He forming in a manner that it should. People are waiting said they loved Alaska and, “will go back some day.” far too long.” September barge bundles arrive, in retail stores soon Macy’s · Ahead Polo shirts · Wrist and ankle bracelets · Tote bags · Finger and toe rings · Women’s dresses, shorts, and skirts Macy’s West · Lenox dinnerware · Kitchen, knifes, scissors · Lingerie and accessories · Timex watches · Tiki torch fuel · Sand and water toys and children’s beach furniture · Rubbermaid large tractor burleys · MP3 players and digital jukeboxes · Lanyard neck badge holders · Computer keyboards and accessories · Rubbermaid outdoor storage sheds · Computer scanners and printers · Themed tapestry throws and sofa pillows · Dell LCD monitors · Burleys · Shorts for girls and boys · Surge protectors and video accessories · Pajamas for girls and boys · Hanes white socks for men, women, girls, boys Ten/Ten and infants · New shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste and · Nike running and walking shoes deodorants · Gold and silver chains and bracelets · New Kwajalein Atoll photo postcards · Caps with new Kwaj-logo designs · Halloween costumes and accessories · Halloween candy The Kwajalein Hourglass Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 3 The Kwajalein Hourglass To your health Hospital technology upgrade proceeds By Jan Waddell The new completed system also allows physicians on Reporter Kwajalein to access the images on the computers in their offices. The second stage of teleradiology, the Picture Archival The system includes two high-resolution workstations, Communications System, is up and running at Kwaja- which allow for greater image detail. One is located in lein Hospital. The first stage, the Computed Radiography the Imaging Department and the other workstation is Unit, was installed last January and allowed for charged located in the physician’s conference room. plate X-rays to be taken instead of film. However, with The Computed Radiography unit allows the technician the final stage of the PACS now installed Radiology Asso- to choose which body part is being X-rayed, will read ciates in Honolulu receives the digital the charged plate, erase it and then recharge the plate X-rays in five to 30 minutes, can for another use. read the X-rays and get the re- Nancy Barge, Imaging Department manager, said this sults back to the will eliminate the paper files and Kwajalein doc- since every- tors in about 48 thing can be hours. This new stored elec- system speeds up tronically, it the time factor will be easier for the X-rays to to access. If a be read and the patient needs results to the phy- to hand carry sician on Kwaj, the an X-ray with old film method took them, then around two weeks for they also have the physicians to get the capability the results back. to put the data on a compact disc or floppy disk. According to Barge, with electronic X- rays it speeds up the entire process, from actu- ally taking the X-rays to read- ing them.