Published in the Interest of Personnel at White Sands Missile Range VOLUME 38-NUMBER 38 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1985 ---------- New multi-million test facility planned for range - from the Office of the Test Director organization permanently chartered, ''This new building will provide our Corps of Engineers' Area Office at sponsored, and funded by OTD's Director people with the finest, most productive WSMR; and, or course. our good neigh­ Construction of a new multi-million Defense Test and Evaluation. work environment possible, with facilities bors at TRA~ANA for working with us dollar facility at WSMR to house In addition to performing comprehen­ designed for and attuned to the specific to bring the project to this point." the Electro-Optical Guided Weapons sive CM/CCM analyses and laboratory requirements of our vital mission," (EO GW) Countermeasures/Counter­ investigations, OTD uses two multiple­ said Dennis Kasparek, OTD director. Countermeasures (CM/CCM) Joint Test van mobile test complexes to conduct OTD has shared several other quarters and Evaluation Directorate started this According to Kasparek, "The build­ service-independent, and high tech­ at WSMR since 1973. But as the result week. The site is west of Building 1400 on ing's environmentally controlled offices, nology CM/CCM field testing of sophisti­ of repeated expansions of its mission, Raritan Avenue. laboratories, lunchroom, and conference cated U.S. and foreign weapon systems and the associated growth in its work­ -This new facility is being constructed facilities will make this one of the most throughout the free world. force it became clear several years ago by the Ike Monty Corporation of Albu­ pleasant places to work on Post.'' that the directorate needed a separate, querque. Completion is scheduled for Staffed with a highly respected group dedicated facility. mid June 1986. The new facility will pro­ of engineers, scientists, support pro­ Weldon Findley, OTD coordinator vide office and classified conference fessionals, and "supertechs," as OTD for the new building, said, "We're very The new building will accommodate space and state-of-the-art EO, laser, and refers to its electronic technicians, OTD pleased construction is underway. We all of the OTD's existing functions millimeter wave laboratory facilities. reports its findings directly to the Office would like to thank Col. Robert Ferrari, according to Findley. Future expansion The Office of the Test Director, (OTD) of the Director Defense Test and Evalua­ Bob Mitchell, and the other fine people at will also be possible through the con­ is a Department of Defense tenant tion. Installation Support; the staff of the Army struction of additional floors. Southern N.M. Fair It's Oktoberfest time to honor all military by Debbie Bingham the Countdown Recreation Center, the NCO Club and the Officers Qub. Every year the Board of Directors Donald R. Infante, commanding general All adult members of the WSMR of the Southern New Mexico State Fair of Fort Bliss, and Col. Richard R. Strunk community are invited to Oktoberfest The Child Development Center will honors a person or group who have en­ of Holloman Air Force Base. on Thursday from 6 p.m. to midnight at be open until 1 a.m. on Sept. 27 for those hanced the lives of the people living All military including active duty, the Officers Qub. who want to attend Oktoberfest but need in Dona Ana, Otero, Luna, and Sierra retired, reserve and family members Traditional German food will be on a babysitter. countries in New Mexico and El Paso are invited to attend the fair from Tues­ sale. This includes bratwurst, knock­ County. day through Sept. 29, as guests. A cur­ wurst, schnitzel, pretzels and German Attendees are encouraged to partici- The 19th Annual Southern New Mexico rent military identification card must potato salad. Beer, wine and soft drinks pat~ in the con~e.s~s to be s~nsored State Fair will be dedicated to the mili­ be shown at the gate to gain free admit­ also will be for sale. dunng the festivities. These mclude tary. An open dedication ceremony on tance. The fairgrounds are located 12 The Trachtenkapelle-Konigsbrunn polka, best-costumed ~oman, best-cos- Wednesday, 7 p.m., in the Dona Ana miles west of Las Cruces. band from Germany wi)I play traditional turned. man, largest stem and the small­ Building will be attended by the honored The Countdown Recreation Center and original Bavarian and Bohemian est stem. dignitaries, board of directors and dis­ will provide bus service on Sept. 28 music plus modem music and big-band Remember, if you drink, don't drive. tinguished guests. to the Dona Ana County Fairgrounds sounds. The 15-member "oompah" The military police will provide on-post The three local divisions of the armed at no cost. The bus will depart from the band played at last year's Oktoberfest. taxi service from the Officers Qub for forces will be represented by Maj. Gen. Recreation Center at 10 a.m. and return Admission to this year's Oktoberfest those who do not want to drive home. Niles J. Fulwyler, range commander of by 4 p.m. The deadline for sign-up in is $2.50 per person. Tickets are avail- Those living off-post should insure they White Sands Missile Range, Maj. Thursday. able from Morale Support Activities, have a non:drinking driver. The Missile Ranger is published by E.E. White and M.J. White of Las Cruces, individuals in no way connected with the Department of the Army. Opinions expressed- by the publishers and writers are their own and are not to be considered an official expression of the Army . The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army of the products or services advertised. Delivery to the White Sands Miuil11 Range housing area is provided by the publishers. Page2 Missile Ranger-September 20, 1985 Opinions expressed on the editoriel page are those of verious writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Department of tha Army or Whita Sanda MiSBile Range. All letters to the editor (except those defaming identifiable individuals or containing obsenties will be published. Names are withheld from print­ ing upon request: however, all lettera must be signed. The newspaper staff reserves the right to edit sub­ missions for calrity and brevity. Our efforts will not falter 1 Yo·u made me very proud' In the past few months, there has been considerable speculation about potential I want to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to all those sol­ changes to the military retirement system. The speculation, often well intention­ diers and civilians from the White Sands community who volunteered their time ed but ill informed, has been based on criticism from both the public and private and muscles to lay the sod at the new Albert Johnson Park in Las Cruces last Satur­ sectors about the perceived generosity of the sytem. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and day. This was our second year of participating in a Las Cruces Beautification Day, I have steadfastly maintained that any recommendation for change must take but this year was special. What we did was to help honor the memory of one of our account of -- first, the unique, dangerous, and vital contribution to the safety of former employees who gave nearly 30 years of his life to White Sands Missile all of us that is made by our service men and women: and the effect on combat read­ Range. Al Johnson was a special person -- he was one of those rare people who iness of tampering with the retirement system. Concurrently, we must honor the gave special meaning to living, friendship and love. All of us are better because of absolute commitments that have been made to retirees and those currently serving. the life of this beautiful man. We remain committed to these principles. As I told people Saturday, Al would have been proud and humbled to have seen Not withstanding our opposition, the Congress, in its recent action on the pend­ all of us out there working as a team with such enthusiasm for his park. Nothing ing defense authorization, has mandated a reduction of S2.9 billion to the military would have pleased this humble man more than this public park named in his retirement fund. At the same time, the Congress has directed the Department of honor, with each of you giving of yourselves to make it happen. Defense to submit options to make changes in the retirement system for future We also owe our special thanks to Kathy Dogg and "Sub on Wheels" who fur­ entrants to achieve this mandated reduction. Nonetheless, we will continue to in­ nished lunch for all the volunteers. This, too, was an act of love which indeed sym­ sist that whatever changes the Congress finally makes must not adversely affect bolized the whole day's activity. the combat readiness of our forces, or violate our firm pledges. To each of you, my personal eratitude. I hope you feel as good about this as I I want to emphasize to you again, in the strongest terms, that the dedicated men do. I know one thing -- again, you made me very proud to be a part of you. and women now serving, and those who have retired before them, will be fully protected in any options we are requied to submit to the Congress. Our proposals will affect future entrants only. You can be assured that our efforts on this issue will not falter. Casper W. Weinberger Army Secretary of Defense Union message Range's NFFE Locals 158, 2049 set merger NFFE Locals 158 and 2049 will be merging in the very near future.