Access procedures clarified — page 6 Sept. 11 to be observed tomorrow — page 3 Day in the life of an RMI worker — page 4 (RMI workers pass through the scanner stations at Dock Security Checkpoint on the way to their jobs) (Photo by Jan Waddell) Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 The Kwajalein Hourglass www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/hourglass.html Editorial Alcoholism leaves scars on everyone it touches By Nell M. Drumheller mother has an awfully big influence Editor on her children. I’m big, I’m brave and I’m tough. But I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother when it comes to booze, I’m a wimp. and an independent thinking and act- The stuff scares me to death. I know ing woman, but first of all and always I it’s just a liquid and does not hold am the daughter of an alcoholic. mystical powers, but in our family it I don’t remember a time from my controlled destiny. During my experimental stage, when childhood when my mother did not and had many relationships almost Annie Green Springs and Boone Farms have a glass of something in her always with alcoholics and men who were considered fine beverages, I drank hand. show her no respect. She rationalizes a bit. When I was very young I thought it her choice in men, but on some level I was always an easy drunk, a sip or was water and that she must be very always thinks she can make their lives two past one glass and I was a babbling thirsty. Once I was older and could better. idiot. If I would go out with friends and comprehend the reality of her addic- We didn’t know from one day to the drink more than once a month I would tion I knew she was a drunk. next how Mom would react; some days become paranoid, thinking I was fol- What does it mean to be the child of she was loving and fun, others angry lowing in my mother’s footsteps. an alcoholic? and incomprehensible. Once, in my 30s, I drank enough to As with all learned lessons of fam- My mother was a beautiful woman make myself so sick that I thought I’d ily, living with alcoholism affects each with a spirit of kindness and love. She invented it. No one could have ever child differently. was talented and creative, could draw been as sick as I was that night, or I was very cooperative as a child with a natural gift and her gardens could ever top the heaves, shakes and and continued to be into young adult- grew strong and healthy. headaches that followed. Since then hood. It is too bad that she didn’t have if I get close enough to smell alcohol, I tried to calm the waters, be a very the same knack as a parent. With the my mind conveniently takes me back good girl and fix all of the world’s hurts. bourbon, her drink of choice, flowing to a parking lot in Maryland and the I grew up thinking that I must take in her veins she was frightening, not flashbacks of hunching over my car care of others, I must put myself last, from violence, but instead because her bumper emptying my stomach of its and I must make “it” all right. children never felt secure. contents induces me to step away from My sister, a couple of years older Each of us carries the scars in dif- the bottle. than me, has married several times ferent ways, but one thing is certain: Between the fear and illness, alcohol if you are the child of a drunk you are will never be a contender for my time. scarred. Marshallese Word of the Day Thankfully some part of my makeup In my early 20s I attended meet- has allowed me to break the cycle of bwa-fishing pole ings for others like me, I learned that drinking, but not the cycle of alcohol- alcoholism is a disease; I learned that ism. it didn’t single out my family. But I The Kwajalein Hourglass I learned my parenting skills from didn’t learn how to erase the lessons this woman, and have passed them on I was taught in my parents’ home. A Commanding Officer...COL Beverly Stipe to my children. I have tried to educate Public Affairs Officer...LuAnne Fantasia myself and help my children outgrow Editor...............................Nell Drumheller Letters to Assistant Editor......................Mig Owens what they learned from my mother via Graphics Designer....................Dan Adler the Editor her daughter. Reporter................................ Jan Waddell Hopefully my grandchildren will be Circulation....................... Will O’Connell To submit a letter to the editor: free of the disease, both physically and emotionally when they are ready Keep letters to less than 300 The Hourglass is named for the insignia to become parents. of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division, which words, and keep comments My mother died drunk more than liberated the island from the forces of Imperial 15 years ago, she wasn’t quite 60 and Japan on Feb 4, 1944. to the issues. Letters must be stopped living when her heart one day The Kwajalein Hourglass is an authorized signed. We will edit for AP style quit pumping. publication for military personnel, federal She was bone thin; because she employees, contractor workers and their and, if you exceed the word didn’t eat she just drank. families assigned to USAKA. Contents of the limit, space. Limit one letter She was a small, pathetic woman Hourglass are not necessarily official views appearing years beyond her age, who of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, every 30 days. couldn’t see beyond her next bottle. Department of Defense, Department of Her skin was scarred from falling down the Army or USAKA. It is published Send your letter to: drunk; her life was empty, her children Tuesdays and Fridays in accordance The Hourglass, and grandchildren had turned their with Army Regulation 360-1 and using a backs on her. network printer by Kwajalein Range Services P.O. Box 23, Local; or She was all of that, but first and editorial staff, P.O. Box 23, APO AP 96555. dan.adler@ always, she was the daughter of an Phone: Autovon 254-3539; local 53539. alcoholic. Printed circulation: 2,000 kls.usaka.smdc.army.mil. The Kwajalein Hourglass 2 Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 The Kwajalein Hourglass By Jan Waddell Reporter In order to describe what an Ebeye RMI worker experiences I was graciously allowed to follow Thompson and Caritas Tarwoj around for the day. I woke at 3 a.m. to catch the LCM to Ebeye. I walked to the DSC in a drizzling rain and during the lonely ride to Ebeye lightening flashed in the distance. Thompson met me at the docks and we took a taxi from the docks to his home where the Tarwojs went about their normal schedule of preparing for work on Kwaj. 5 a.m. – I arrived at the DSC and went through the process- ing and metal detector. The waiting area was empty and the DSC Snack Bar was closed. 5:20 a.m. – I boarded the LCM for Ebeye. There was only one other person on the boat. 5:45 a.m. – I arrived at Ebeye and was met by Thompson. We caught a taxi to the Tarwoj’s home. The streets of Ebeye were already teaming with people heading to the docks. Taxis cost 50 cents a ride. (continued on pages 4-5) 6:20 a.m. – Thompson Tarwoj pulls on his socks preparing for his journey from Ebeye to Kwajalein. (Photo by Jan Waddell) The Kwajalein Hourglass Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 The Kwajalein Hourglass A walk in another man’s shoes The following is a diary of the Tarwoj’s routine preparation for to the Queen of Peace. Caritas left the girls money to buy work on Kwajalein. breakfast at the school. 6:20 a.m. – Caritas brushed her teeth and washed up. 8 a.m. – Thompson’s 15 and 11 year old daughters started 6:30 a.m. – Caritas prepared items that they take with them school. to Kwaj and they left for the docks. 8:15 a.m. – Thompson finally cleared the DSC and headed for 6:45 a.m. – The line of RMI workers reached to the front of work. the Ebeye Fish Market. It was about 200 people, waiting with 3:30 p.m. School ends for Thompson’s daughters. They laundry and empty water containers. headed home to work on homework. 6:46 a.m. – The LCM arrived on Ebeye with about five 5 p.m. – Thompson and Caritas boarded the loaded LCM. people on board. They disembarked and then the LCM started Heads again begin to nod as people catch a few minutes of loading. sleep. 7:15 a.m. – The LCM arrived on Kwaj and the passengers 5:25 p.m. – The LCM arrived at Ebeye. Thompson and Caritas disembarked and headed for the DSC metal detector. headed home to rest and wash up before evening mass. 7:27 a.m. – Thompson cleared the metal detector, but as he 7 p.m. – Catholic families headed for evening mass. keyed in his number at the Access area he was denied. He 8 p.m. – Mass ended and the families headed back to their had a schedule change that was not in the system. Caritas was homes. already through the DSC checkpoint and on her way to work.