Hawaii Marine Working Dogs Water Park Volume 28, Number 31 Serving Marine Corps Base Hawaii August 5, 1999 A-8 B-1 Rifle team sweeps meet Lance Cpl. Otto C. Pleil-Muete Team didn't even participate last year because of ply specialist and marksmanship instructor at Combat Correspondent a budget trade-off. Instead of using travel costs Pu'uloa Training Facility; and Sgt. James E. The Hawaii Marine Shooting Team proved to go to the Interservice Matches last year, Harden, from the Pu'uloa Training Facility. The the importance of teamwork as they stole the Sobieranski suggested to use the money to team also included their coach Staff Sgt. Richard show at the Interservice Rifle Championship at update all the old equipment and prepare for this Hepburn from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. last week. year's match. Regiment; team captain Chief Warrant Officer Although six of the eight team members had Along with the budget trade-off, the team's Edward R. Sobieranski, officer-in-charge of never been to such a high-level competition, the strong devotion and commitment kept them Pu'uloa Training Facility; and one non-shooting team defeated all the other teams in the post and practicing and training diligently for several armorer, Staff Sgt. Pedro Rapalo, from Pu'uloa station matches, including a 1,000-yard Team evenings and weekends in preparation for the Training Facility, who was essential in the main- Match, Command Team Match, and a new Interservice Matches. tenance of all the weapons. record-setting performance in the Infantry "To this day, I'm still in awe" said Sgt. David During the awards ceremony on the evening Trophy Team Match. Saldivar, a team member and supply specialist at of July 27th, the Hawaii Marine Team received "They probably had the most inexperienced Pu'uloa Training Facility. "All of the sweat and Winner of High Post or Station Award for the team and they came out with a clean sweep," said hard work paid off." Interservice 1,000-yard Team Match, Winner of Maj. G.K. McCowen, operations officer for The team comprised of seven shooters, 2nd High Post or Station Award for the MCB Hawaii. "They couldn't have done any Lt. Christian J. Broadston from 1st Radio Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Photo by 2nd Lt. Chris Broadson shot together as a team and not as Battalion; Gunnery Sgt. Dennis V. Garcia from Development Command Team Match, and the From top, 2nd Lt. Christian J. Broadston, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas better-they B. Gilbert, Sgt. David Saldivar, Sgt. James E. Harden and individuals." Pu'uloa Training Facility; Gunnery Sgt. Thomas record-setting, Winner of High Post or Station Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward R. Sobieranski shoot to win at The team coach, Chief Warrant Officer 2 B. Gilbert, Exposive Ordinance Disposal chief Award for the Marine Corps Infantry Trophy Quantico, Va. Edward R. Sobieranski, said the Hawaii Marine for MCB Hawaii; Sgt. David G. Saldivar, a sup- Team Match. Photo by Cpl. Barry Melton Sergeant Rod Shulman, RIP instructor for 4th Force Reconnaissance Co comes from the water during a demonstration at Pyramid Rock Beach !Lily 29. Recon hopefuls take indoc challenge Cpl. Barry Melton with 4th Force. Barracks, to surf passages in zodi- because it's a good place to show Combat Correspondent The program is a tool used to ac boats at Pyramid Rock Beach. the individual servicemembers his - "We didn't promise you a rose screen servicemembers who might The program also included scout weak points, and it shows the com- garden," is often said when the want to attend the Basic swimming, a tough physical train- manders who is cut out for the job. going gets tough in the Marine Reconnaissance Course, an 11- ing regiment, communications That's why going through a RIP is Corps. week course in Coronado, Calif. It classes and a short written test. a must before considering BRC. For 4th Force Reconnaissance also gives a sneak peak at what During the time in RIP, the stu- "It's a waste of their time and servicemembers from Hawaii and BRC will offer. dents get no liberty and work 16 effort to go someplace and quit Reno, Nev., who participated in the "The instructors put together a hours a day. halfway through," Burrows said. Reconnaissance Indoctrination good two-week package," said Burrows summed it up by say- "It's not for everybody. If you're Program the last two weeks, this Burrows. "It's a challening pro- ing, "it's non-stop," and most of in the middle of a course (BRC), saying could never be more true. gram and it allows the Recon the servicemembers, whose moti- it's the wrong time to quit and say, The Recon Indoctrination Marines to see which of these vation and morale was quite high `this isn't for me.' Program, known simply as "RIP" RIPers have the desire to be in throughout the course, said, "the "We do a job that's important," in laymen's terms, is certainly not Recon." instructors pushed us to the limits." he continued. "If we can't find the Photo by CO Barry Melton for the squeamish, said Staff Sgt. The RIPers participated in Burrows, who got into Recon caliber of people we need to sup- Reconnaissance and "RIP" Marines carry a Zodiac boat William "Big" Burrows, the RIP activities ranging from land by going through RIP himself, said port the Marine Corps, then they down Pyramid Rock Beach at MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay coordinator and Recon Marine patrolling exercises at Schofield that the program is important shouldn't be out there." July 29. Hawaii cost of living allowance rates will not decrease Cpl. Melinda Weathers major metropolitan areas on the mainland. The member pay grade E-6 with over 10 years of ser- July 19. However, after much feedback from MorForPac Combat Correspondent new rates were to be reflected in Aug. 13 pay- vice and with three family members would lose Hawaii commanders, the 25 percent reduction CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii checks. about $72 a month. was halted. Servicemembers throughout Hawaii received However, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Fowler explained that the goal of COLA is to "This restoral culminates the efforts of many some good news Friday when the U.S. Pacific has decided to keep the current COLA rates for ensure servicemembers of the same rank with the people and reflects senior leadership's commit- Command announced that the decision to decrease Hawaii while they review processes for setting same number of dependents are financially "even," ment to taking care of people," Fowler said . cost-of-living allowance rates had not been final- COLA rates, according to Eddie Fowler, personnel whether serving overseas or on the mainland. Anyone with questions concerning COLA rates ized. policy analyst for Commander in Chief, Pacific. Following the 1999 Military COLA survey for will have the opportunity to attend upcoming Originally, the COLA index for Oahu was The reduction would have meant that service Hawaii, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Town Hall meetings with representatives from the scheduled to reduce Aug. 1 from 116 to 112; each members pay grade 0-3 with over 10 years of ser- Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation and Office of the Secretary of Defense Aug. 13 at index point represents a percentage in price differ- vice and with three family members would lose Allowance Committee determined that the index 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Hickam Air Force ence of goods in Hawaii compared to those in about $94 a month beginning Aug. 13. A service- should decrease, and made the announcement on Base Memorial Theater. Marine hopefuls test abilities for scout sniper platoon Index Lance Cpl. Otto C. Pleil-Muete swam across the pool while carrying a Combat Correspondent ten-pound weight. A Section A select group of 14 Marines from 1st After the swimming exercises, Marines Sergeant Major's Corner Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, initiat- hiked eight miles around K-Bay while Every Clime and Place ed the first step in trying to become carrying a 50-pound pack. Afterwards, Crime Prevention 4 scout snipers for a scout sniper platoon they headed to the obstacle course. Neighborhood Watch 4 at MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, last Other training events for the next two Inhalants S week. days included classes on the role of scout Jane Wayne Day Corporal Brent Rogers, chief scout snipers, call-for-fire, patrolling, observa- Mess Hall Feature sniper for 1/3, said scout snipers are tion logging, basic communications, Menu S depended on to engage selected targets reporting and intense land navigation. Working Dogs 9 from both extreme distances and con- Several scout sniper candidates said Gunner 'Ski Personality Feature it cealed positions, and to remain undetect- they volunteered to go through the screen- ed in the collection and reporting of Photo by Lance Cpl. Otto C Pleil -Muete ing in hopes of joining an elite group of B Section information. Lance Cpl. Frank Shinost, a radio operator with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Marines that work in small teams, stretch Water Park "Scout Sniper School is the hardest Regiment, works his way down a portion of the obstacle course during part of their physical abilities to the limits, and Comedy Show school in the Marine Corps," said the screening for Scout/Sniper Platoon. share in a proud tradition of earning the SMP Rogers, "and we are very selective in the screening process; a proving ground by Marines started the day with a stan- respect of all other Marines for the difficult Marine Corps Marathon Marines we take." which potential scout snipers are tested dard physical fitness test of crunches, training they endure.