Tuesday U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands December 17, 2002 Kwajalein Hourglass THE KWAJALEIN HOURGLASS Volume 42, Number 99 Tuesday, December 17, 2002 U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands USAKA joins with U.S. agencies to help RMI By Jim Bennett Editor MAJURO — Many federally funded aid and education agencies in Majuro may have gotten a new partner Friday in USAKA. “I see a lot of utility to getting involved here,” said Maj. David Coffey, chief, USAKA Community Relations. “I haven’t heard from one group here where I couldn’t see us doing something with them in the future.” American officials gathered at the U.S. Embassy for what they call an Expanded Country Team Meeting. They try to get together quarterly, said Jennifer Brush, deputy mission director for the U.S. Embassy. It gives the local U.S. government programs direc- tors a chance to review success stories and the various challenges each group faces, some common (Photo by Jim Bennett) to the group, others unique. The USAKA Community Relations Chief Maj. David Coffey, far right, and Stephan Notarianni, meetings also cut the duplication Host Nation specialist, carry a Christmas tree through the RMI government offices Friday on Majuro following meetings at the U.S. Embassy. See related story, page 5. (See POWER, page 5) Computer training A loadmaster packs for Marshallese away the MD-500 helicopter inside a pays big dividends C-130 used by a By KW Hillis team with the Joint Feature Writer Terrorism Task Proving that the six-week Win- Force of Hawaii, which was out here dows Fundamentals computer last week to image class offered for Marshallese the islands and workers at the new Ebeye Com- assess the puter Training Center is a suc- installation’s cess is easy. Just ask someone infrastructure. who attended the Monday after- noon class. “I now type with both hands … (Photo courtesy of the Joint It used to take me two hours to Terrorism Task Force of Hawaii) do a report; now I’m faster,” said Thompson Tarwoj, Community Activities Bowling Alley coordi- Kwaj not forgotten in Homeland Security nator, who used to use the “hunt By Peter Rejcek tiny but vital assets at USAKA. and peck” method of typing. He Associate Editor A 13-member team with the Joint also learned proper computer Homeland security is not simply stop- Terrorism Task Force of Hawaii paid a terminology. “So I can tell the ping at the borders of the United States. visit to the installation last week to (See EBEYE, page 8) That shield is stretching 5,000 miles assess USAKA’s infrastructure, accord- across the Pacific Ocean to include the (See TEAM, page 5) www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html Tuesday Page 2 Kwajalein Hourglass December 17, 2002 Editorial So long, goodbye and thanks for all the sashimi In less than two weeks the most mo- theres no where else in the world where mentous and epochal event of the month, I can ride a rusty Huffy down the road and or at least that day, will take place and, wave to just about everyone I see. Most of no, Im not talking about another haircut. you even wave back and you use all five Thats right, campers, Im outta here. fingers; well, except for that time we Can you spell PCS? temporarily did away with sports teams And a one, and a two ... Should auld photos ... but that goes back to the curse. acquaintance be forgot ... something, Anyway, Im going to do something I something, something ... Auld lang syne. normally dont like to see too much of on Anyway, now that the sappy part is out stands out and will be cherished always. the editorial page ... but, hey, I work here, of the way, its time to curse all of my And to the rest of the Hourglass staff so, without further adieu: enemies, beginning with ... Oh, just been with whom Ive worked so closely with for I would like to thank the following people informed Im still under contract and can the last three years, four months, 26 (past and present) for joining me these last be fired and lose all unemployment ben- days, seven hours and five minutes: Where few years in what we all know as the Kwaj- efits. In that case, there are a few people has the time gone? condition, which, for a brief time, exists in and such I would like to recognize. Karen, Dan and Barbara: Thanks for a plane well above the human condition: Editor Jim TDY Bennett. Thanks to putting up with my moods and manias for Jeff and Kristin Mullins, Steve and Rhonda Jim for bringing me out here and ruining a so long. Im a better writer and person for Snider, Ed and Amy Harris, Cowboy and perfectly good journalism career. A month knowing each one of you. Lexy Galloway, Chris Galloway, Joe and or so after I came to Kwaj, my old news- Kwajalein is so much like the fictional Deanna Gabinetti, Craig McCarraher and paper was absorbed by The Dallas Morn- bar on the TV show Cheers. Not so his stable of donkeys, LuAnne Fantasia ing News, one of the largest dailies in the much because we imbibe potent potables and Col. Curtis Wrenn, the Flemings, Sue country. I could be bureau chief by now. with improbable punctuality, but here ev- Rosoff, Julie Balter, Rich Feagler and the Seriously, though, its been a pleasure eryone truly knows your name. When I rest of the AFN crew, Chris Danals, Helmer to work for and with this man. He may first came here I wasnt so sure how Id Emos, Rusty Thomas, Thompson Tarwoj, have been my boss, but he always treated feel about losing my anonymity. But once our good neighbors at Community Activi- me as a partner when it came to this job. I realized there werent any porn stores ties with whom Ive made countless friends, Ill probably never have the creative and where I could be recognized, I relaxed. the Martindales, the Parker clan, the personal freedom Ive enjoyed at the Hour- OK, all kidding aside: Its going to be Herringtons and Tom and Heather. glass. difficult to leave Kwaj, not because of the Of course the biggest problem with And, far more importantly, he and his hassles on the other side of that ocean these lists is that Im sure to leave off wife Gina have been tremendous friends, lets face it, we have our own problems someone, and, in this case, too many and in a place where generosity is as here, and, if we didnt, we would do our people with such meager space. Peace common as palm trees, their friendship best to make them up but because and good luck to you all. The Kwajalein Hourglass Buckminster and Friends By Sabrina Mumma Commanding Officer.............Col. Jerry Brown Public Affairs Officer..........LuAnne Fantasia Editor..........................................Jim Bennett Associate Editor...............................Peter Rejcek Feature Writers....................Barbara Johnson KWHillis Graphics Designer ...........................Dan Adler The Hourglass is named for the insignia of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, which liberated the island from the forces of Impe- rial Japan on Feb 4, 1944. The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized publication for military personnel, federal em- ployees, contractor workers and their families assigned to USAKA. Contents of the Hour- glass are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Depart- ment of Defense, Department of the Army or USAKA. It is published Tuesdays and Fridays using a network printer by Raytheon Range Systems Engineering editorial staff, P.O. Box 23, APO AP 96555. Phone: Autovon 254- 3539; local 53539. Printed circulation: 2,000 Tuesday December 17, 2002 Kwajalein Hourglass Page 3 Retiring octogenarian outlasts two power plants By KW Hillis Feature Writer Power Plant In 1941 American soldiers bombed operator a Japanese tugboat plying the waters mechanic near Jaluit. Leno Mejbon was on Leno Mejbon board, conscripted by the Japanese makes a as a mechanic. Fortunately, Mejbon subtle survived the bombing, and in 1959 he adjustment to moved to Kwajalein to work in the the lathe. The octogenarian power plant. is retiring Now, after a total of 61 years of Dec. 28 after work — 44 years on Kwajalein — 44 years Mejbon is preparing for retirement working at Dec. 28. the Power Trained by his brother and picking Plant as up what else he needed to know operator, along the way, he went to work as a mechanic boat mechanic and pilot before and machin- ist. becoming a mechanic, operator and machinist, his current occupation, at the three different power plants on (Photo by KW Hillis) Kwaj over a 44-year timeframe. Born on Jaluit in January 1922, training, Mejbon knows the ma- the machines. “He has become a Mejbon was conscripted by the chines he tends inside and out, very skilled machinist.” Japanese military to work on the according to Steve Quall, Power Medical concerns have prompted tugboat bombed in 1941. After the Plant mechanical supervisor. him to retire, but is he ready to war, he moved to Majuro. He was “Actually, Leno and I work very retire? assigned to Building and Grounds well together,” Quall said. “He has “At 80 years old, do you think it is when he first arrived on Kwajalein, been here for so long I never have to time to retire?” laughed the spry but within a month was moved to the tell him what to do. I can bring a octogenarian. His plan is to live on power plant.