VOLUME 49 NUMBER 6 MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, JAPAN FEBRUARY 13, 2004

INSIDE

www.iwakuni.usmc.mil

IWAKUNI WEATHERTodaySunnyHigh: 53

SaturdayShowersHigh: 54

SundaySunnyHigh: 48

Growing problem breeds trashOverflowing trash at barracks has be-come health and safety problem.

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Future officers relate successNew MECEP selectees share experi-ences preparing for the program.

Page 4

Author and management consult-ant, Mark Graham Brown visited theStation for two days of seminars Feb.4 and 5 in order to provide consulta-tion and performance measures toStation leaders.

“Most folks don’t ask you backto their house after you tell them theirbaby’s ugly,” Brown said in his open-ing remarks with the Iwakuni leader-ship.

Brown, a professional manage-ment consultant since 1979, is a plaintalker who prides himself on beingstraightforward and brutally honestin providing feedback to organiza-tions when he reviews their strategicprograms, goals and visions.

“Sears, for example, lacked a clearvision after it had to transition andcompete with other companies likeWal-Mart and Kmart,” Brown said.

The vision for the Station is thatIwakuni will be the assignment ofchoice in the Marine Corps.

“Iwakuni has a good vision be-cause it is short, clear, plain English,motivational and inspirational,”Brown said.

Consultant bringsideas to Iwakuni

CAPT. S TEWART T. UPTON

Public Affairs Officer

see BROWN Page 4

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — Fis-cal realities and limited use have led U.S.Transportation Command to restructurePatriot Express. Patriot Express is themilitary’s chartered commercial air ser-vice for transporting service memberson permanent-change-of-station ordersand their families to and from overseaslocations.

Air Mobility Command, the air com-ponent of USTRANSCOM, managesthe Patriot Express program on behalf ofthe Department of Defense.

Since the 1960s, Patriot Express, or asimilar program, has provided regularpassenger service from the United Statesto 27 locations in European Command,Central Command and Southern Com-mand areas of operation. The system

Patriot Express to see changesCYNTHIA BAUER

Air Mobility Command Public Affairshandles more than 340,000 passengersannually; however, more than two-thirds of the seats on the contracted air-craft are filled by passengers on perma-nent change of station orders.

The Patriot Express system has fourcontracted U.S. gateway internationalairports: Atlanta-Hartsfield, Baltimore-Washington, Los Angeles and Seattle-Tacoma, and four passenger reservationcenters, or PRCs, in Germany, Japan,Hawaii and the continental UnitedStates.

Beginning next fiscal year throughfiscal 2008, the restructure will lead tofewer flights and leave only one gate-way, at BWI. Duty passengers will beable to travel on commercial airlinesthrough the General ServiceAdministration’s City Pair program.

“Customer trends have led to thisrestructuring,” said Capt. Billy Webb, see PATRIOT Page 5

A special visit was made bysome of World WrestlingEntertainment’s stars at MarineCorps Air Station Iwakuni, Feb. 5.

The wrestling stars paid thevisit to the Station while touringthrough Japan in promotion for the“Road to Wrestlemania.”

Bobby Dillard, Marine CorpsCommunity Services outdoor rec-reation director, invited eight of thewrestlers to the Station. The in-vited guest were Lita, ShawnMichaels, Triple H, Ric Flair, ChrisBenoit, the Hurricane, D-Von andBubba Dudley.

The day started with Flair,Triple H, Michaels and Benoit lift-ing weights at the IronWorks Gym.

All eyes were on the wrestlers as they displayed theirtalents: muscles.

“They’re huge,” said Cpl. Mike Browning, AmericanForces Network broadcaster.

Lita, Hurricane and the Dudley Boys continued to sur-prise Station residents by appearing at the Crossroads Mallto sign autographs.

“We were invited to come to the Station and it was anhonor. This is our way of saying thank you to the Marines, “said Lita, the only female wrestler to visit the Station.

“It’s great to be here. We just wanted to show our sup-

WWE body slams JapanSTORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. RUBEN D. CALDERON

Combat Correspondent

port to the troops,” said D-Von Dudley, one-half of the DudleyBoys. “People often times see us as heroes. But it’s not us,though. We’re not the heroes; the troops are the true heroes.I can’t stress this enough. I am deeply appreciative of thetroops. Without them I wouldn’t be able to do what I lovedoing. Because of them I feel safe. In every aspect of theword, you guys are the true heroes. Thank you for every-thing.”

The wrestlers will be putting on shows for the “Road to

chief of AMC passenger operations.“We made our prices comparable to thecommercial airlines and launched sev-eral customer-service improvements toattract more riders and offset costs. Thenumber of riders did not increase. Andeven though DOD requires PCSing pas-sengers to use Patriot Express, the de-partment has paid about $67 million moreeach year than what it would cost forofficial PCS travel through the City Pairprogram.”

The restructure will not only savethe government millions of dollars an-nually, PCS travelers will gain more flex-ibility in planning their overseas moves.

“The restructure brings several ad-vantages to those PCSing overseas,”Webb said. “Commercial airlines fly intomost locations served by Patriot Express,

WWE superstars Triple H and Shawn Michaels workout at the IronWorksGym before meeting fans around the Station.

see WWE Page 4

Commanding Officer/Publisher

Col. Dave Darrah

Public Affairs OfficerCapt. Stewart T. Upton

Public Affairs ChiefMaster Gunnery Sgt.

Constance Dillard

Press ChiefCpl. Dave Boni

Operations ChiefStaff Sgt. Brenda L. Varnadore

Combat CorrespondentsStaff Sgt. Nicholas P. McLaren

Cpl. Robert WynkoopLance Cpl. Giovanni LobelloLance Cpl. David P. Revere

Lance Cpl. Ruben D. Calderon

Information/EditorialSpecialist

Yukiko Mitsui

“This weekly newspaper is anauthorized publication for membersof the military services stationedoverseas and their families. Its con-tents do not necessarily reflect theofficial views of the U.S. Govern-ment, the Department of Defense orthe U.S. Marine Corps, and does notimply endorsement thereof.”

Editorial content is edited, pre-pared and provided by the PublicAffairs Office of Marine Corps AirStation Iwakuni, Japan.

All queries concerning newsand editorial content should be di-rected to the Public Affairs Office,Building 1, Room 216, MCASIwakuni, Japan. Call 253-5551.

PSC 561 Box 1868FPO AP 96310-0029

Phone 253-5551Fax 253-5554

NEWS BRIEFSTHINGS TO BRING WHEN FILING

TAXES:

1 Form 1099 (interest statementsfrom banks earned on savings or checkingaccounts.)1 Child care expenses.1 Records reflecting spousal or childsupport payments.1 Mortgage interest statement.1 Individual retirement account (IRA)contributions.1 Dividends, interest, and capitalgains and losses from the sale of stocks,bonds or property.1 Charitable contribution records.1 Electronic tax filers need to bringthe savings or checking account numberwhere they want their tax refundselectronically deposited.

TAX CENTER

Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 4p.m., Monday through Fridays, and 8 a.m.to 12 p.m., Saturdays during the month ofFebruary.

CRIME STOPPERS

If you have any information pertainingto a crime please call “Crime Stoppers” at253-3333. Crime Stoppers is an answeringservice designed for anonymous callers togive information that would assist the Pro-vost Marshal’s Office in solving and pre-venting crime.

PAGE 2 OPINIONTORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004 NEWS PAGE 3TORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004

Club Iwakuni justifies programs

The Torii Teller wel-comes Letter to the Editorsubmissions. Letters are theopinion of the writer only.Submissions can be editedfor clarity and space. Let-ters can be dropped off atthe Public Affairs Office orsent via e-mail to mclarennp@iwakuni.usmc.mil ordillardcs@iwakuni.usmc.mil.

Going to lunch at Club Iwakuni hasbecome somewhat of a ritual for me.Not anymore. It has become ridiculousthat you are being forced to partici-pate in MCCS’s Club Card program toget a decent meal rate at our clubs.

I can understand a small discountfor club members, but when you aretalking about a two-dollar difference inprice between club cardholders andnon-club cardholders, that is ludicrous.

It isn’t right that MCCS, which issupposed to be for the Marines, isgetting to the point where Marinescan’t afford it.

I was going to lunch today andcalled about the price. It is $7.40 for aClub Card member and $9.25 for non-club card members for the buffet.

What happened to the $5.95 that itwas last week?

Is it fair to make the Marines that

Iwakuni club cartelCPL. MICHAEL WHITE

Letter to the Editorhave applied and got turned down paythe extra money?

In financial management classes,taught by MCCS, it is recommendednot to get yourself buried in creditcard debt, but now you are tellingthose same Marines if they want adecent meal rate they have to get acredit card.

What is that relaying to theseyoung Marines? I’ll tell you what it’ssaying. It says don’t get a credit cardunless it helps out MCCS. It’s badenough that they can charge whatthey want at the Exchange, justbecause we don’t have the opportu-nity to go to Wal-Mart, or anotherretail store, and they know this.

It’s bad enough that we areserving overseas, and have a limitednumber of places that we can getsomething to eat without having to gooff base to get it, as it is now. It seemsas though MCCS is fully aware of thisfact, and is exploiting it as well.

It is as if they are saying if we donot get the club card and do businesstheir way then we are going to, quiteliterally, pay the price. Correct me if Iam wrong, but does MCCS not standfor Marine Corps Community Ser-vices?

Isn’t their sole purpose to make lifebetter for the Marines, Sailors andother branches serving on this base? Iwas under the impression that MCCSwas for us, not the people that couldafford it, or have good enough creditto get the club card.

Now it is the ones that cannot getthe club card, have been turned downfor one, or do not want the card thatare paying for the discounts that thecardholders are getting.

In all honesty, how do you expectthe Marines and Sailors stationed hereat MCAS Iwakuni to eat at the club ifthey cannot afford the prices withoutholding a club card? Somebody needsto draw the line somewhere.

Marine (All-Weather) Fighter AttackSquadron 251 started preparing for theirfirst deployment out of Iwakuni duringtheir Western Pacific deployment Feb. 6.

The Thunderbolt’s first detachmentis to Korat, Thailand for Operation CopeTiger. The four-week training evolutionis a multilateral training exercise involv-ing militaries from Thailand, Singaporeand the United States.

“Cope Tiger is a two-part exercise,”said Maj. Mathew E. Tolliver, VMFA-251 operations officer. “It will involve acommand post exercise and flying train-ing exercise.”

The T-bolts left Tuesday and will bereturning to Iwakuni in early March.Cope Tiger’s mission is to improve com-bat readiness in a combined force exer-cise while also enhancing security rela-tions, demonstrate and support secu-

T-bolts leave Iwakuni for Cope TigerLANCE CPL. ALEX C. H ERRON

VMFA-251 Combat Correspondentrity in the region, according to Tolliver

The Thunderbolts, along with otherStation units, will be operating out ofKorat Royal Thai Air Base. There will be16 different types of aircraft used dur-ing this exercise.

“Aircraft ranging from helicoptersand jets to midair refuelers will be usedbetween all the different services,”Tolliver said.

There are many objectives set forthfor Cope Tiger including maintenanceof military to military relations, conduct-ing a safe, accident free exercise, com-bining command post and training andimproving unit proficiency, according toTolliver.

“We as a unit also have objectivesfor Cope Tiger,” Tolliver said. “Pilot up-grades including mission commander,division lead, section lead and core pro-ficiency are some of those.”

While in Thailand this will be someof the junior Thunderbolt’s first time on

DENNIS A. DUCK

Deputy Director, MCCS

There are two inter-related issues I would like to helpclarify for the community. First is the history and policysurrounding the Bank One Club Card program and secondis the recent pricing structure change at Club Iwakuni.

The Marine Corps Community Services Board ofDirectors at the HQ level includes the CommandingGenerals from MCB Camps Pendleton, Lejeune, Hawaii, andButler, COMCABWEST, COMCABEAST and the SergeantMajor of the Marine Corps, among others. Last year, thisBoard approved standardization of the MCCS ClubMembership Program. The newly approved program isadministered by Bank One’s Military Card Program and isintended to replace the existing club cards in use at eachindividual installation. Marine Corps wide implementationwas accomplished Feb. 4.

The program standardizes dues rates and sets minimumbenefits available at each installation. Each member willkeep the same membership card when transferring frombase to base. MCCS Iwakuni has greatly enhanced theseminimum benefits for the Club Iwakuni members. Theseenhancements include the club member only coupons inthe Preview magazine, free bi-annual members-only events,eligibility for members-only contests and prizes, freebirthday and anniversary dinners, and most recently,preferred pricing in their respective club dining rooms.

The type of club membership card, i.e., proprietary,standard or platinum Mastercard, is issued solely at thediscretion of Bank One based on the applicant’s credithistory. Applicants, however, will not be turned down formembership due to lack of past credit or prior creditproblems. They will be issued proprietary cards. Only aftermisuse or non-payment of the proprietary card will member-ship be denied.

The Bank One card carries many benefits. A low(currently 9.9%) APR, five ways to pay, Military Blue Starprogram for deployments, world-wide acceptance, plus theadditional benefits added by Club Iwakuni. There havebeen concerns raised that issuance of a credit card willadversely effect a members credit rating. If a member wishesto have his credit limit lowered to a level that does notaffect his credit rating, it’s a simple matter of requesting this

through Bank One. If the problem is too many credit cards,it may be worth examining which other card gives membersa 9.9% APR and saves money every day through dis-counts, coupons and giveaways in addition to optionalcash-back and mileage programs. Some members havecancelled other credit cards in favor of the Bank One card.

It is also important to note that MCCS does not requiremembers to use the credit feature of their membership cardin order to take advantage of any of the benefits. Prudentuse of any revolving credit is an individual responsibilityand MCCS does not profit from a member’s use of thisfeature.

The second issue I would like to address is the newclub menu price structure. The Marine Corps BusinessOperations Manual dictates that the cost of goods sold(COGS) for a full service mess operation will be between37% and 42%. This means that, on average, 37-42 cents ofevery dollar charged goes to pay for the food itself. ClubIwakuni is currently operating at over 47% COGS, which istoo high. How does this happen? Primarily, through risingproduct costs. The SPI (Specific Price Index) has risen9.2% since the year 2000. The devaluation of the dollaragainst the yen (Club Iwakuni purchases a lot of freshproduct locally) results in a 22% increase in dollar costssince the year 2000. During this time frame, Club Iwakuni’sfood prices did not change. Couple this with rising wagescales (the Federal General Schedule rose 12.8% since 2000)and it becomes clear that the Club must raise its prices tokeep up with the rising costs of doing business. Remember,if the club (and the food court, and the exchange, and theother revenue generating activities) do not show a profit,there will be no money to reinvest back into the community.100% of all MCCS profits are returned to the community.Most recent examples of this at the club are the entire clubre-carpeting, the ballroom renovation and the completemakeover of the Landing Zone Enlisted Lounge.

As an additional benefit to club membership, the twotiered pricing format was introduced, along with a com-pletely revamped menu. With hiring a highly-qualifiedexecutive chef, the club is able to offer many innovations inits food production capabilities. Many of the items on themenus are new, many are improved in both quantity and

Lance Cpl. Alex C. Herron

Cpl. Michael Bassett, VMFA-251powerline technician, pushes an en-gine trailer underneath an F/A-18 Hor-net to drop an engine.

quality, and some of the less popular items are gone.For example, in addition to the popular daily buffet inthe dining rooms, the club now offers a “superbuffet” twice a week in the ballroom. The entiremenu is priced to bring the operation back to MarineCorps standards for COGS taking into account salesfrom both the member and non-member pricestructures.

I will stress that membership in the club iscompletely voluntary. However, with all of theobvious benefits, and with solutions available forcredit concerns, it is MCCS’s hope that the commu-nity at large will take advantage of this program andenjoy the benefits and tradition of becoming aMarine Corps Club Member for life.

Now, having said all that, MCCS is aware thatsome members of the community will choose not toparticipate, or be ineligible to participate (i.e., ourvalued Japanese patrons) in the Bank One program.This does not mean that this section of the popula-tion will be left out of the benefit opportunitiesoffered by Club Iwakuni. In response to patronconcerns, MCCS will be introducing the new Club

Iwakuni Privilege Card on Friday. The card can bepurchased at your respective club cash cage for thesame monthly dues you would be paying for BankOne membership. You may select how many monthsyou wish to purchase at once, and the correspond-ing expiration date will be printed on the card.

This privilege card will allow holders to takeadvantage of all Club Iwakuni benefits (such as freebirthday/anniversary meals, use of members-onlycoupons, entry into members-only events anddrawings as well as the members’ pricing in yourclub dining room). There will be no charge privilegesassociated with this card, nor will it be subject toreciprocal privileges at other military clubs outsideof Iwakuni. It is a Club Iwakuni privilege card andshould not be confused with official club member-ship.

It is our hope that with the introduction of thisPrivilege Card, all members of the community will beable to take advantage of the benefit opportunitiesat Club Iwakuni.

The POC for questions regarding club member-ship and privileges is Master Sgt. Jim Jackson,MCCS SNCOIC. He can be reached at 253-3549 or bye-mail to james.jackson@usmc-mccs.org.see CLUB Page 3

CLUB from Page 2

foreign soil other than within Iwakuni.“We’ll be able to use a few different

types of ordnance than we are inIwakuni,” said Cpl. Daniel Uselton,VMFA-251 ordnance technician. “I’malso excited to see how the other coun-tries’ ordies operate.”

With the different militaries working

together, some of the work sectionshave times set aside when they willassemble with their Singapore andThailand counterparts.

“We are going to have a ‘mixer’for all of the ordies from the differ-ent countries,” Uselton said. “Itshould be interesting to talk withthem about the different training andwork they do compared to us.”

This Cope Tiger Detachmentencompasses the second most im-portant reason for the Thunderboltsparticipating in WESTPAC, accord-ing to Lt. Col. John M. “Dog”Jansen, VMFA-251 executive of-

ficer.“That reason being to strengthen

ties with our international partnersthrough military exercises,” said Jansen.“This det also strengthens our nationalsecurity, because of the significantthreat that goes with having known ter-rorist organizations in the area.”

The overflow of trash atdumpsters located behind barrackshave been creating a hazard forMarine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

Rapid amounts of trash accu-mulated, specifically on the nightof Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron field day, is the cause ofthe problem.

“Everyone throws out theirtrash the same night, Thursdaynight. It overwhelms the dumpsterswith too much trash, so it makesthe trash more accessible for birdsto start picking at it. That causesthe trash to scatter everywhere,”

Growing problem breeds more trashLANCE CPL. RUBEN D. CALDERON

Combat Correspondentsaid Sgt. Jason K. Vanaman, H&HSbarracks manager.

Attracting the birds causes notonly a sanitary problem, potentiallya hazard of catastrophic propor-tions, according to Ryan Leming,Facilities and Environmental solidwaste supervisor.

The ongoing problem creates adomino effect. When birds’ startpicking at the trash, it attractsswarms of birds all over the Station.This causes a hazard for planes onthe runway.

“The amount of birds is increas-ing on the runway and air strikesare a big issue. Because of the birdsscattered all over the runway, an F/A-18 can hit a bird and the plane

will go down. If a plane is about totakeoff and an air strike occurs, theplane will have to abort from tak-ing-off. If a plane lands and hits abird, an emergency team will haveto be called,” said Vanaman.

“If Marines follow Station Or-der 4015, which states that all per-sonnel living in barracks must‘empty trash receptacles’ everyday,the problem would be solved,” saidLeming. New enclosures have been builtfor the dumpsters, which will makeit harder for birds to get into. Thatalso would take care of some of theproblems, Vanaman said. “But, per-sonnel from the barracks shouldthrow out their trash daily.”

PAGE 4 FEATURETORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004 FEATURE PAGE 5TORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCEBASE TOWNSVILLE, Australia —NASCAR pit crews are designed totake care of any problem that arisesduring a race. Tires, fuel, oil and awide array of checks and inspectionsall fall on the shoulders of the crew inthe pits.

Before any F/A-18 Hornet can setto the skies during Operation South-ern Frontier 2004, the pilot must firstget the nod from the leader of theaircraft’s pit crew.

“You can compare us to a pit crewat NASCAR, because in betweenflights, that is exactly what we aredoing,” said Cpl. Rafeal Klos, anaircraft mechanic from Newburgh, N.Y.“We are going over the plane to makesure it is ready for the next race.”“This runway is made with coral. Itreally chews the tires up. Sometimeswe have to replace the tires on a half-hour turnaround,” said Sgt. DannyBumgarner, aircraft mechanic.

“If a tire blows on the runway, weall know what to do. Someone getsthe tires, someone gets the jack, we allcome together to get the job done,”said Sgt. Osvaldo Rincon, aircraftmechanic.

The always-ready, fast-response,pit crew is comprised of aircraftmechanics belonging to Marine (All-Weather) Fighter Attack Squadron 332powerline shop.

Inspections, inspections and moreinspections work their way into themechanics’ daily routine. Each daybegins with an inspection of thelaunch area, looking for foreignobjects and debris that could wreak

STAFF SERGEANT NICHOLAS MCLAREN

Combat Correspondent

Moonlighter crews serveas nuts, bolts of operation

havoc on the multimil-lion dollar engines.

The FOD checkclears the way for thecrew to pour over theaircraft making surethe bird is flight ready.“Powerline is respon-sible for that airplaneuntil it leaves thedeck,” saidBumgarner, a Jackson-ville, Fla., native. “Allthe other shops workwith their ownsystems, but ulti-mately the whole jet isour responsibility.”

“The plane has togo through aninspection and beflight ready when weare done. We have tosign off on it beforethe aircrew gets to theplane,” Rincon said.

When the aircrewarrives, a powerlineMarine, shoulderingthe responsibility ofplane captain, preparesto take the final stepsbefore seeing the jetbarrel down therunway.

“When the crewarrives, the pilot doesa walk around and wehave to be able toanswer any questionsthey might have,”explained Rincon, a Phoenix native.

“If everything is good, the planecaptain helps the pilot strap in,” saidRincon, explaining that offering to

assist the pilot is asign of mutualrespect, a tradition,and a courtesy thathe ensures is alwaysextended. “We go throughthe process ofstarting up theaircraft, checkingflight controls,steering and brakes,”said Cpl. RoderickBritford, a Greens-boro, Ala., native.“We need to get theplane set up before itgoes on to the finalcheck. As the plane

captains, it is our job to make sure theplane is good to go.” After a healthy dose of controlchecks and visual inspections by the

plane captain and others, thefinal steps are taken toprepare to launch. “After we give everythingthe thumbs up, we removethe chocks, the pilot releasesthe brakes and throttles up,”said Rincon. “A steeringcheck, brake check and thenit’s time to go to the positionof attention and give asalute.” The powerline shopprides themselves on beingthe first ones to see theplanes in the mornings andthe last ones to put them tobed at night. That pride is a result of apowerline team of day andnight workers. “At night, wepick up the brunt of the

maintenance and special inspectionsto get everything ready for themorning,” explained Minneapolisnative, Sgt. Carly Jacobson.

Working in the dark in an unfamil-iar environment is sometimes difficult,but Jacobson said she knows the teamwill always come together to helpanyone out.

“They are the fundamental reasonwe go flying every day,” said F/A-18pilot Capt. Greg Suma. “They do anextremely thankless job and do anextremely good job at doing it.”

Lance Cpl. Joshua Eagelmanhasn’t worked in a NASCAR pit crew,but he knows how his crew is able toperform their mission day in and dayout under pressure.

“We trust each other. We have avery tight shop. If we didn’t, youwouldn’t get much done,” the SinkingSpring, Penn., native said.

Photos by Lance Cpl. Giovanni Lobello

Sgt. Danny Bumgarner, Marine Fighter Attack Squad-ron 332 mechanic, checks under an aircraft like somewould check under the hood of a car.

and they fly more frequently, so there are more options in schedul-ing flights. And, with Patriot Express, travelers need to get to agateway terminal, which may be far from where they live. Thenthey have to make the connection with a Patriot Express flight.With the City Pair program, travelers, in many cases, will be able toget direct flights to their new duty location.”

All Patriot Express routes, except for those into locations withno commercial service or where there are force protection consid-erations, will be phased out over a four-year period.

“Phasing out Patriot Express allows military services and con-tract carriers time to adjust,” Captain Webb said.

In fiscal 2005, the Atlanta gateway will close, and Patriot Ex-press flights to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, will end. The mili-tary will also adjust the frequency and size of flights to GuantanamoBay, Cuba, and Keflavik, Iceland.

In fiscal 2006, service to Osan and Kunsan air bases, Korea;Kadena AB, Japan; Keflavik, Iceland; and Royal Air ForceMildenhall, England, will end. The reservation center at Hickam

PATRIOT from Page 1

BROWN from Page 1

But that is where the compliments on the Iwakuni stra-tegic plan ended and the straight talk began.

Brown explained during one point of reviewing thestrategic plan, “If you have an area assessed in yellow(on a green, yellow, and red scale; with red meaning anarea is in trouble towards reaching its target), that doesn’tmean sitting and waiting. That means you better have aplan on how to get that into the green.

“What is it at this Station you are going to do to makeit become the duty station of choice? You haven’t shownme in your goals and strategies how you are going to getthere,” Brown stated.

Some of Brown’s questions had to do with his lack ofknowledge about the Station and the Marine Corps.

While Brown has been hired to consult for the Army,Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, this is his first time hehas taken a look at a Marine Corps organization.

Overall, the Station received a grade of 25 percentfrom Brown. A grade of 25 percent basically meant thatyou had the beginnings of a good strategic plan, but thatit needs work.

Brown has never encountered an organization he hasconsulted for that achieved a grade of over 60 percent.

“If you have an organization that is 80 to 100 percent,you don’t need me and you know it,” Brown concluded.

“We did in six hours what Mark (Graham Brown) saidnormally takes two to three days with major corporationsfull of MBA’s (Masters degrees in Business Administra-tion),” said Col. Dave Darrah, the Air Station’s Command-ing Officer in reference to comments Brown spoke to himabout in regard to the Iwakuni leadership’s ability to com-prehend and develop a new strategic plan.

For more information please visit Graham’s Web siteat www.markgrahambrown.com/strategic/ strategic.html.

The dingy back room of an air supply warehousemight not be the most obvious place to look for anofficer candidate, but Sgt. Liam O. Begley hasmanaged to distinguish himself in just such anenvironment.

Begley has recently been selected for the MarineEnlisted Commissioning Education Program.

The 25-year-old Marine Aviation LogisticsSquadron 12 maintenance noncommissioned officertakes pride in his database work, but he won’t bethere for long. His positive attitude and exceptionalinitiative have earned him respect from his superiors,and acceptance into a program that offers active-duty Marines an opportunity to receive a bachelor’sdegree and a commission as a second lieutenant.

“It has been my goal for a long time,” saidBegley. “We had MECEPs when I was in college.They were the ones who were in amazing shape, had3.5 or higher grade point average, and were just allaround studs. I finally asked myself, ‘Why can’t Ido that?’”

Begley pursued his commissioning goal byattending Officer Candidate School, but becamesidetracked with sports, eventually leaving hisbachelor’s degree unfinished. His dream of becom-ing an officer was far from finished.

“I became convinced that my life wouldn’t becomplete if I didn’t become a Marine, so I went toboot camp,” said Begley.

Last year, Begley went before a squadron boardand turned in a MECEP application package, finally

Future officers relate successLANCE CPL. DAVID REVERE

Combat Correspondent

getting back to his original goal of becoming anofficer. He will attend the two-month MECEP coursein June before enrolling for his final two years atNew York Maritime University.

Next year, he will attend OCS, now for the secondtime, as well as The Basic School, a required 10-month infantry platoon commander training course.Begley hopes to receive his commissioning as asecond lieutenant in 2006.

The Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selectionand Training Program is another opportunity foroutstanding enlisted Marines to receive a commis-sion. Cpl. David J. Haas, MALS-12 network adminis-trator, recently received notice of his selection forthe program.

The 22-year-old worked hard for his selection. “Ijumped up and down when I got the news,” saidHaas. “When my master sergeant told me, I said,‘your kidding right?’”

He wasn’t kidding. The corporal, who worksclosely with Begley, will be heading off to BOOSTschool in July. The program, which is geared morefor Marines who may not have received an opportu-nity to go to college in the past, is similar to MECEP.The most notable difference is that the BOOSTschool, geared for college preparation, is 10 monthslong instead of two.

Like Begley, Haas will do whatever it takes toachieve his dream.

“I want to be a pilot,” said Haas. “For as long asI can remember, I’ve always wanted to fly.”

Besides getting his bachelors degree andattending OCS and TBS, Haas will have to undergomajor eye surgery so that he can meet the physicalrequirements of a pilot.

According to both Haas and Begley, the sameinitiative that made them stand out will carry them totheir goal.

“I’ve always said that chance favors a preparedmind,” said Begley. “When your officer tells youthat something needs to get done, and you are thatguy that always gets it done, you will get noticed.We’ve both been put in those positions and that’swhat got us recommended for the program.”

Haas and Begley invite any questions Marinesmay have regarding their application experience.They can be reached at 253-6134. Additionalinformation about MECEP or BOOST can be foundat https://web.mcrc.usmc.mil/mcrc.htm.

Lance Cpl. David Revere

Cpl. David J. Haas, recently selected for theBroadened Opportunity for Officer Selectionand Training program, works as a network ad-ministrator for Marine Aviation LogisticsSquadron 12.

WrestleMania” in Hiroshima, Osaka, and Tokyo, ac-cording to Bubba Dudley of the WWE.

The WWE donated over $40,000 worth of ticketsto the Station, allowing residents to watch the wres-tlers at the Hiroshima Sun Plaza.

“It was a very good show. The crowd participa-tion was lacking, but not from the Marines,” said Sgt.Gabriel Maldonado, Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron comptroller.

“The WWE is truly generous for giving us thetickets,” said Dillard.

“It’s the least we can do for the Marines. But it’sour way of saying thank you,” said D-Von.

WWE from Page 1

A staff sergeantwith Headquartersand HeadquartersSquadron was tried ata General CourtMartial Feb. 2 for twocounts of sodomy,two counts offraternization and onecount of adultery. TheMarine is confined forsix months, reducedto private and willreceive a Bad Con-duct Discharge.

Court Martial

14-month-old Ryan Blattner poses for a picture with Lita (left) and the Hurricane at theautograph signing in the Crossroads Mall Feb. 5.

WWE star, Ric Flair, “Woo’s” it out at theIronWorks Gym Feb. 5, while pumpingsome weight.

Air Force Base, Hawaii, and the gateway at Los Angeles Interna-tional Airport will close.

Fiscal 2007 marks the end of service to three American bases inJapan: Yokota and Misawa air bases and the Marine Corps AirStation, Iwakuni, as well as the Japan passenger reservation cen-ter. The Seattle gateway will also close, and AMC’s main PRC herewill increase its operating hours. In the last phase, slated for fiscal2008, service to Lajes Field, the Azores; Aviano AB, Italy; Rota,Spain; and Sigonella, Sicily, will end, the PRC in Germany willclose, and AMC’s center will begin continuous operations.

The restructure of Patriot Express will mean a reduction in thenumber of space-available seats, but space-A travel is still avail-able at many AMC passenger terminals on military transports.

“Even though Patriot Express will phase out, opportunities forspace-A travel still exist on our own airlift aircraft, although not asfrequently,” Captain Webb said.

Information on space-A travel is available at http://public.amc.af.mil/SPACEA/spacea.htm. The GSA has Travel andCity Pair program information on their services link at www.gsa.gov.(Courtesy of AMC News Service)

Sgt. Bumgarner directscontrol checks before theF/A-18 is launched in sup-port of Operation South-ern Frontier 2004.

PAGE 6 FEATURETORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004

COMPILED BY TORII TELLER STAFF

Valentines Day is a time to be with loved ones, and Marine Corps Air StationIwakuni, Japan will be offering a variety of outlets to express one’s feelings.

Tomorrow at Club Iwakuni there will be a Valentines Day Dinner and Dance in theballroom at 6 p.m. The cost is $25 for club members and $30 for nonmembers. Din-ner is served from 6-8:30 p.m. Dancing and music from 8 p.m. to midnight. There willbe a drawing for two at 8:10 p.m. for a Caribbean cruise, which includes airfare,luggage and spending money.

For those who believe they have the best puckers around, a Most Kissable LipsContest will be held at noon at the Exchange. Prizes include a $100 gift certificateand gift sets.

Valentines Day is not just for the old at heart, as there will be a Teen Center Redand White Dance Saturday from 6-11 p.m. The middle school students dance will be6-8:30 p.m while all high school students are welcome from 9-11:30 p.m.

If staying on base is not in the cards for you and your loved ones, then explore theromantic sights in Japan. The staff at the Torii Teller want to wish you and your spe-cial someone a happy and safe Valentines Day!

manual, schematic, pack-ing materials, $300. CallMark Parsons at 253-5487dwh or 09052662270.

English Substitute In-structorURGENT. Need reliableperson to substitute foroff-base English classMonday mornings. Pay is8,000 yen. Call 253-2264for more information.

Criminal JusticeInstructor

An ins t ruc tor i sneeded at Central TexasCollege. Qualifications;Associates degree with 5years directly relatedwork experience or a Bach-

Toyota Surf , 1992, excel-lent condition, extra set ofoff road tires, has beenwell maintained, JCI untilMarch 2004, $3,500 or$4,000 with 2 years JCI.Call Sean at 253-5549 dwhor 253-2291 awh.

Nissan Prairie Van, 1991,7 passenger van, P/W,automatic transmission,excellent A/C, radio, CDplayer, sliding doors onboth sides, JCI until June2004, $1,600. Call CWO2Stocker at 253-3404 dwhor 253-2275 awh.

Nissan Cedric, 1992, ex-cellent condition, JCI un-til April 2004, $1,500 or$2,000 with 2 years JCI.Call Sean at 253-5549 dwh

TORII TELLER CLASSIFIED ADSTo submit your ads or announcements: Torii Telleraccepts ads/announcements from nonprofit organizationsand groups only. Briefs run on space-available and time-

priority basis. Deadline for briefs is noon Thursday. ToriiTeller reserves the right to edit to fit space. Stop byBuilding 1, Room 216 to fill out a form.

or 253-2291 awh.

Harley Davidson TourGlide Classic, 1988, mintcondition, well main-tained, cared for 2ndowner private ride, JCIuntil March 2004. CallSean at 253-5549 dwh or253-2291 awh.

Misc., battery operatedinfant swing, 6 speed withmusic, $50 obo; LuxuryJogger type stroller, $150obo; infant bouncer, $5;infant Eddie Bauer carseat, $40 obo. Call MonteCraven at 253-4787 dwhor 253-2031 awh.

Misc., vintage Pioneertuner TX-9500II, world-wide voltage, original

elors degree with 3 yearsdirectly related work expe-rience. Call JenniferWalker at 253-3631 dwh.

English InstructorAn English instructor

is needed at Central TexasCollege. Qualifications;Masters degree of anykind wi th 18 graduatehours in English.

Child DevelopmentInstructor

Child Developmentinstructor needed at Cen-tral Texas College. Quali-fications; early childhooddevelopment degree, anAssociated degree with atleast 5 years teaching ex-perience or a Bachelorsdegree with at least 3years teaching experi-ence.

AUTOMOBILES

PAGE 8 FEATURETORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004 CLASSIFIED PAGE 9TORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004

FRIDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Groundhog Day (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. A Guy Thing (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Valentine (R)2 a.m. 8 Mile (R)

SATURDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Princess Bride (PG-13) 2 p.m./8 p.m. Barbershop (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Alex And Emma (PG-13)2 a.m. The Wash (R)

SUNDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Cinderella (G)2 p.m./8 p.m. Bad Company (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. An Ideal Husband (PG-13)2 a.m. Brotherhood Of The Wolf (R)

MONDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Good Boy (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. A Beautiful Mind (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Terminator 3 (R)2 a.m. 40 Days 40 Nights (R)

TUESDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. How To Deal (PG-13)

2 p.m./8 p.m. Out Of Time (PG-13)11 p.m./5 a.m. Seabiscuit (PG-13)

2 a.m. American Wedding (R)

WEDNESDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Radio (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Shanghai Knights (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Underworld (R)2 a.m. O (R)

THURSDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Almost Salinas (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. Hollywood Homicide (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Suddenly Naked (R)2 a.m. My Boss’s Daughter (PG-13)

MOVIE SCHEDULESAKURA THEATER

LOVE DON’T COST A THINGAn unpopular but superintelligent teen-

age boy, Alvin Johnson, hires a cheerleader,by paying to fix her mother’s car which shehas recently wrecked, to pose as his girl-friend so that he can improve his reputationin school, which leads to high jinks and she-nanigans that are both romantic and comedic(105 minutes).

VERONICA GUERINVeronica Guerin was an award-winning

journalist for Dublin’s Sunday Independent,whose investigations into the city’s drugunderworld puts her in increasing danger (92minutes).

PAYCHECKMichael Jennings is a brilliant computer

engineer hired by high-tech corporations forspecialized top-secret projects. Once a jobis complete, his short-term memory is erasedso as not to divulge any sensitive companyinformation to future clients. Highly paid forhis work, he expects to earn $4.4billion atthe end of his latest 3-year project. But uponcompletion of the job Jennings is handed anenvelope filled with random objects and toldthat he has agreed to forfeit all payment (110minutes).

FRIDAY7 p.m. Love Don’t Cost A Thing

(PG-13)10 p.m. Gothika (R)

SATURDAY1 p.m. Beauty And The Beast (G)4 p.m. Love Don’t Cost A Thing

(PG-13)7 p.m. The Human Stain (R)

10 p.m. The Missing (R)

SUNDAY4 p.m. Stuck On You (PG-13)7 p.m. Veronica Guerin (R)

MONDAY4 p.m. Stuck On You (PG-13)7 p.m. Paycheck (PG-13)

TUESDAY7 p.m. The Human Stain (R)

WEDNESDAY7 p.m. The Missing (R)

THURSDAY7 p.m. Paycheck (PG-13)

OUT THE GATEBamboo Masterworks; JapaneseBaskets From The Loyd CotsenCollection

There will be an exhibition ofbamboo art Tuesday through March28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at HiroshimaPrefectural Art Museum. One hun-dred six works of art from theCotsen’s collection will be displayed.Admission fee is required. The mu-seum closes Monday. Call 082-221-6246 for details.

Burning The Hills of AkiyoshidaiPlateau

This event will take place Sun-day in Shuho town. Visitors can

Note: Japanese who do notspeak English may answer thephone numbers provided.

Plum Blossoms Tea CeremonyThere will be Umemichakai, a tea

ceremony with viewing plum blos-soms at Shukkeien Park inHiroshima, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission fee is required in orderto enter the park and also to attendthe tea ceremony. It will not be can-celled in case of rain. Call 082-221-3620 for details.

watch the burning around the obser-vatory on the plateau. They will lightthe old twigs around 9:30 a.m. andfinish the event around 12 p.m. Incase of rain, it will be postponed toFeb. 21. Call 0837-62-0304 for moreinformation.

Miyajima Oyster FestivalThe festival will take place in front

of the ferry terminal on MiyajimaIsland, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. They will sell oysters andoyster dishes. They will also preparea section where participants cancook oysters themselves. For moreinformation, call 0829-44-2011.

CHRO (253-6828)MCCS:–Supervisory Education

Services Specialist–Career Resource Pro-

gram ManagerDeCA:–Sales Store Checker (In-

termittent)Clinic:–Social WorkerBPO:–Management and Pro-

gram Analysis Officer

MCCS (253-3030)(The following jobs areopen at MCCS Personnel)MCCS Job Listing:–Head of Retail–Retail Area Supervisor,

civilian only–Purchasing Agent, civil-

ian only–Audit Clerk, Main Com-

plex, civilian only–Audit Clerk, civilian only–Inventory Control Spe-

cialist, civilian only–Basic Replenishment

Clerk, civilian only–Material Handler–Leisure Travel Assis-

tant, civilian only

JOB OPENINGS

High atop the frosted summit ofKyoto’s Hiei mountain, a worshiperplaces incense in an altar before theentrance of Enryaku-ji, guardiantemple of the city.

Leaving his boots by the gate, heenters the 1,200-year-old sanctuarywithin and kneels quietly before analtar containing wood carved statuesof Buddha.

The only source of light comesfrom an unwavering row of flames infront of the altar, a vigil that hascontinued for over 1,000 years.

Low chanting can be heard in theflame’s vicinity, but the source remainsobscured in shadow. Absorbing themagic of the moment, the worshiperoffers hushed supplication and riseswith a purified mind.

Ancient Buddhist temples likeEnryaku-ji are a foundational aspect toJapanese culture. Hundreds of such

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. DAVID REVERE

Combat Correspondent

On sacred ground: temples of Japanholy places beautify mountains,lakes, and cities throughout thecountry. Unlike god-specificshrines, the temples are built tohouse statues of Buddha andused for the training of monks.

“I feel like I am purifiedwhen I enter the temple,” saidYoko Seo, Marine CorpsCommunity Services culturespecialist. “Praying to Buddahgets rid of my bad desires.”

According to Seo, thetemples are essential inunderstanding the Japaneseway of life. Tall gateways,hushed halls, and multi-roofedpagodas all tell a story of aworshipful and observantculture.

“The building itself is builtto help us keep our traditions,”said Seo.

One of the most fascinatingaspects of traditional Japanesearchitecture is that metal parts, suchas nails and braces, are not used.

Temples have stood for more than1,000 years due to the extremelyprecise joints and fittings holdingthem together. This is spectacularly displayedin Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Temple. Built

Kiyomizu’s main hall boasts a huge veranda supported by hundreds ofpillars. The temple provides a magnificent view of Kyoto City.

A statue sits in the main hall ofKiyomizu Temple for all to see.

The water of Otowa-no-taki(Sound-of-Feathers Waterfall)is supposed to revitalize thebody.

Sai-mon, Kiyomizu Temple's westgate, was built in the 1630s duringthe Momoyama period.

in 778, the massive main hall extendsout over the edge of a cliff, supportedby a latticework hundreds of feet high.From its traditional mountain slope-shaped rooftops, to the cascadingwaterfalls offering cleansing for thosewho drink, the temple enjoys harmonywith its environment - a naturalextension of the mountainside.

According to Seo, harmony withnature is reflected in every aspect ofthe temple. Intricate interior carvingsexpress traditional understanding ofhumanity’s connection with nature.Respectful treatment of the Earthdirectly corresponds to an improvedquality of life.

“Many temples are famous for aparticular plant or flower,” said Seo.“There may be a garden, or plants allaround. Sometimes people go to thetemple just to see the plants.”

Seo explained that Buddhismteaches against killing any livingthing. Because humans must kill tosurvive, balance comes by causingthings to grow.

Like priceless treasure, the templesbring a deep richness to the people ofJapan. In view of the nation’s

modernization over the past century,the ancient buildings remain anintegral link to its cultural and spiritualroots.

“Japan is not as religious as itused to be,” said Seo. “But the templekeeps our traditions alive.”

–Supervisor VendingSpecialist, civilian only

–Club Operations Assis-tant, civilian only

–Food Court AssistantManager

–Operations Assistant,civilian only

–Library Technician, civil-ian only

–Program Leader, civilianonly

–Recreation Assistant, ci-vilian only

–Recreation Assistant–Recreation Assistant,

civilian only–Health Promotions As-

sistant, civilian only–Pubic Relations Special-

ist, civilian onlyContinuously Open JobsRetail Branch:–Senior Sales Associate–Retail Ops Assistant–Sales Clerk–Store Worker–Laborer–Food Service WorkerFood & Hospitality:–Club Ops. Assistant–ID Checker–Waiter/Waitress–Food Service Worker

OTHER ITEMS

WANTED

PAGE 10 COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Test ScheduleTuesdays/Fridays - CLEP,DSSTWednesday - ACTThursday - SATFebruary 23- EDPT, DLABFebruary 25- DLPT, AFCT

For more information call253-3855.

CHRO Trainingn EBIS/My Pay/TSP: Tues-day, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (This train-ing will be provided at Building360, the Distance Learning Cen-ter.)n Privacy Act: Feb. 24, 9-11a.m. (This training will be pro-vided at Building 1, Auditoriumroom.)n Family Member Local Em-ployment Orientation: Feb. 25,8-9 a.m.n RESUMIX: Feb. 25, 9:30-10:30 a.m.n Outbound Family Member

SEABEE/CEC BIRTHDAY BALL GOLF TOURNAMENTFeb. 20, 9 a.m. start. Four-Man Scramble. 9:30 a.m. Shotgun start.

Open to the first 80 Station personnel and invited guest. Entry deadlineis Wednesday. Call 253-5084 for more information.

2004 FAR EAST POWERLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPSFeb. 21, 10 a.m. at the IronWorks Gym. Sign up for $15 at the

IronWorks Gym front desk for a competition open to the Station per-sonnel, family members, and local Japanese residents. Call 253-6359for weigh in times.

ALL-MARINE WOMEN’S BASKETBALLLadies, submit your resume to the Athletics Office before Feb. 20.

Players will compete at MCAS Miramar, Calif. For resume format andmore information call Jennifer Jones at 253-4605.

SWIM LESSONSFeb. 23-27, 5-5:30 p.m. The Station personnel and family members

sign up for $30 at the IronWorks Gym front desk. This water adjust-ment course allows parents to help their toddlers become comfortablein the water and learn the basics of swimming. Classes are at theIronWorks Gym indoor pool. Call 253-4966 for more information.

OVER 30 BASKETBALLCoaches meet Feb. 24, 10 a.m. in the IronWorks Gym wellness

room. Season begins March 8. For more information call 253-5777.

SKI TRIPS TO MIZUHO HIGHLANDSMonday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sign up at the IT&T office for $20 per

person, per trip. Patrons must bring 5,500 yen for a lift ticket. CallBobby Dillard at 253-3822 for details.

IWAKUNI SPORTS SCENE

Roman CatholicSaturday 4:30 p.m. Confession

5:30 p.m. MassSunday 9:30 a.m. Mass

10:45 a.m. CCD

ProtestantSaturday 9:30 a.m. Seventh Day Adventist

(second and fourth)Sunday 8 a.m. Traditional

9:30 a.m. Sunday School11 a.m. Contemporary12:30 p.m. Jesus Christ Apostolic

ServiceThursday 6:30 p.m. Jesus Christ Apostolic

Bible Study

Church of ChristSunday 9:30 a.m. Bible Study

10:30 a.m. Church of ChristWednesday 7 p.m. Bible Study

Latter Day SaintsSunday 1 p.m. Priesthood/RS Meeting

2 p.m. Sunday School3 p.m. Sacrament

MuslimFriday Noon Prayer

JewishFriday 6 p.m. Shabbat

For information regarding divine services, religiouseducation or any other Command Religious Program/Chapel activity call the Station Chapel at 253-5218.

CHAPEL SERVICES

TORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004 SPORTS PAGE 11TORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004

COMMUNITY BRIEFSMCX (253-5641)n President’s Day Sale:Monday, receive great savingson quality electronics and namebrand clothing.

Teen Centern Red And White Dance: Sat-urday, 6-11:30 p.m. Middleschool students dance 6-8:30p.m. All secondary school stu-dents are welcome 9-11:30 p.m.Middle school student needs asigned permission slip. Call 253-6454 for more information.

Single Marine Program(253-4656)n Miyajima Sight-seeingTrip: Sunday, 10 a.m. $10 trans-portation. Bring yen for shop-ping and lunch. Also tour theMiyajima aquarium.

Play MorningTuesday and Feb. 24, 9:30-11a.m.The group meets in the commu-nity room of Building 657. Signup by calling 253-6553.

University Of MarylandAn Academic Advisor fromYokota will be visiting UMUCat Iwakuni Wednesday throughFeb. 20. Students should call253-3494 or stop by Building411, Room 110 to schedule anappointment.

Priority Placement ProgramBrief : Feb. 25, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.For more information and nomi-nation, call 253-6828 or send e-mail to shiomuram.jp.@iwakuni.usmc.mil. Classes will be heldat Building 1, Room 102, CHROtraining room except EBIS/MyPay/TSP and Privacy Act.

CRMC Classes (253-6439)n Teaching English ForProfit: Wednesday, 9-10:30 a.m.

Club Iwakuni (253-3119)n Valentine’s Day Dinner &Dance: Saturday, 6 p.m. in theballroom. $25 for club members,$30 for nonmembers. Dinner isserved from 6-8:30 p.m. Danc-ing and music from 8 p.m. tomidnight. Entertainment by“Just As Nice” and DeeJay.n Euricka Concert: Sunday,8 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the ballroom.Free. Adults only. Opening actsby local DJs and talents.

EDUCATION

Black History Month JubileeThe Station Chapel will be host-ing a Black History Month Pro-gram Feb. 20, 7 p.m. in the mainchapel area. Join us for a spe-cial celebration in 2004 with theMaster and Mistress of cer-emony, Mr. and Mrs. Tensley,followed by selective speeches,sermonettes, praise dancers,steppers, local chapel choirs,special solo’s and various po-etry readings. There will be aspecial Soul Food Dinner servedafterwards free of charge. Callthe Station Chapel at 253-3371for more information.

WIC OverseasWIC Overseas is a supplemen-tal food and nutrition educationprogram eligible participantsare pregnant, postpartum orbreast feeding women, infantsand children up to their 5thbirthday. Financial eligibility isbased upon total family incomeand size. Call 253-4928 for moreinformation.

Antiques And Furniture SaleThe American Red Cross issponsoring Sophie’s ChineseAntiques and Furniture sale,March 6 and 7, in the MatthewC. Perry High School cafeteria.Volunteers are needed. Call 253-3839 for details.

Breast Feeding BasicsLearn about the benefits of andhow to breast-feed, Feb. 24,2:30-3:30 p.m. in the CDC train-ing room. Call 253-4928 to pre-register.

Lance Cpl. David Revere

An Ancient Spectacle

Kyoto's Kingakuji Temple, also named the Golden Pavilion, is one of themost famous temples in Japan. It was finished in 1409 by shogun AshikagaYoshimitsuj as a retirement house. The pavilion is covered with gold leaf andbuilt on a platform in the middle of a pond. The landscape surrounding thepond is a famous Japanese garden.

Healthy SnackingLearn what the right foods canbe, Feb. 25, 2:30-3:30 p.m. in theCDC training room. Call 253-4928 to preregister.

Is Your Plate Overweight?Learn what sensible eating andmoderation really mean,Wednesday, 2-3 p.m. in the CDCtraining room. Call 253-4928 topreregister.

Thrift StoreThe Thrift Store is open Tues-days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,Thursday from 4-8 p.m. and thelast Saturday of each monthfrom 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in Building1117, located next to the Chapel.

Iwakuni ToastmastersToastmasters International pro-vides an excellent opportunityto learn and practice properpublic speaking and invaluableleadership skills. Meets every2nd Thursday evening and 4thFriday at lunch. Call NancyRegan at 253-4557 or SallieDonahue at 253-5328 for moreinformation.

CDC & Wine Tasting FastivalIf 10 or more people preregisterby COB on Feb. 20, the ChildDevelopment Center will open2:45-7:15 p.m. to providechildcare for those who wish toimbibe at the Winter Wine Tast-ing Feb. 28, 3-7 p.m. at the ClubIwakuni ballroom. Please makeyour reservations with the CDCby calling 253-5584 as soon aspossible if you wish to attend.

MCCS

COMMUNITY

CHRO

Domination continues to reign onthe court for the Headquarters andHeadquarters Squadron Dynastybasketball team as they defeated theMarine Aviation Logistics Squadron12 Supply team 56-41 at the IronWorksGym, Feb. 3.

Considering that Dynasty isundefeated with 11 wins in theintramural basketball league, Supplygave the unbeatable team a goodchallenge, said Lee A. Woodbridge,Dynasty team member.

“Supply and Dynasty are the twobest teams in the league. In this game,Dynasty had a better turnout,” saidKostas Lazarou, MALS-12 Supplyhead coach.

“The Dynasty is a tough team. Isay the game was pretty close but weneeded to come more prepared. Wewill win next time. We have a lot oftalent on the team, a lot. We just needmore practice,” added Lazarou.

Dynasty felt as though they werenot playing to their full potential.

“We had some issues during thefirst-half of the game. Our mind wasn’t in it,” saidWoodbridge.

The first-half of the game, Supply was trailingbehind Dynasty by only 10 points, 31-21, butMALS-12 kept coming strong into the next half,Lazarou said.

Although the final score was 56-41, Dynastykept making too many mistakes in both offense anddefense fronts because of Supply’s players, saidRoderick Haynes, Dynasty head coach.

“Supply played a good game, but we didn’t playlike we normally do. There were too many turnoversin the game. We also had a bad shooting night, buteveryone in the team managed to score a basket,”concluded Haynes.

“We should have won the game, but we don’tpractice as much as Dynasty does. We play street

Dynasty saga continues to growSTORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. RUBEN D. CALDERON

Combat Correspondent

Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 Supply’s Michael Hernandez crosses over Headquarters and Head-quarters Squadron Dynasty’s Todd D. Lester, scoring two points.

Supply’s Keith A. Chambers shot is deflected by Dynasty’sCorven D. Monigan at the start of the second-half.

ball. It’s hard for us to have anyscrimmages because not every oneof the players can be at the practicesat the same time. We’re shift workers.It’s hard to get everyone together.There is a lot of talent on this teamand Coach Lazarou is working hardto get us together to practice.

“Without a doubt, we wouldhave won, but we will win the nexttime around,” said MichaelHernandez, Supply team player.

Supply is looking forward to thenext time they will meet up withDynasty with hopes of ending theirstreak, said Hernandez.

PAGE 12 SPORTSTORII TELLER, FEBRUARY 13, 2004

IronWorks Gym hosted a hard-fought battlebetween the Marine Corps Community ServicesRhinos and the preseason champions, CombatService Support Squadron 36, during intramuralvolleyball action Feb. 4.

The best-of-three match included two, 25-pointgames and a final, 15-point tie breaker.

CSSD-36 came out strong in the first game, withseveral volleys providing early momentum to thecompetition. Their effort was well-matched by the

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. DAVID REVERE

Combat Correspondent

opposition. Jordan Hines provided strong stabilityfor the Rhinos, denying several kill attempts withhigh-flying blocks. Nevertheless, CSSD-36 tri-umphed in the first game 25-23.

After a quick court switch, game two kicked off.Several CSSD-36 kills early on seemed to suggest arepeat performance. However, a key spike by RhinoDamon Wilson proved a tide-turning event. After anexciting volley, Wilson made contact with the ball offan opposing blocker, smashing it soundly onto theopponent’s floor.

“His spike rallied the whole team,” said Hines.“It was the inspiration that we needed.”

The Rhinos began to build momentum, edgingout of game two with a 25-23 victory.

The pressure was on for the final game, withsolid team performances on both sides of the net.

This time, the Rhinos played with confidencefrom the beginning, finishing out with a 15-12 win,and securing the match victory.

“I think we had a lot of heart,” said Hines. “Iguess we decided that we had nothing to lose, so westarted playing hard.”

Both teams gave tight, well-rounded perfor-mances throughout the competition, making thematch all the more exciting to watch.

“Volleyball is a great team sport,” said CSSD-36coach Stephen Mahon. “All the players have towork together to make a point.”

According to Mahon, many of his players fromthe preseason were gone due to deployments.

“I still had a lot of fun,” Mahon said. “I thoughtwe did pretty good today.”

Stephen Mahon (right) scores a kill, evading a block by Rhino player Damon Wilson during game one Feb. 4. Mahon’s team went on to winthe first of the three-game competition, but lost the overall meeting held at the IronWorks Gym here.

Rhinos player Matilda Montoyo prepares toreturn the ball during intramural volleyballaction Feb. 4 at the IronWorks Gym here.

Rhinos serve up victory

In addition to the exercise, the volleyball leagueprovides an exciting opportunity for relationshipsbetween Station residents.

“I think it bonds units together through competi-tion,” said Hines. “It’s a chance to relax and get toknow each other.”

Upcoming VolleyballSchedule

Wednesday

6 p.m. Boat House vs BMC7 p.m. Rhinos vs Scared Hitless8 p.m. CSSD-36 vs Supply

Feb. 25

6 p.m. Rhinos vs BMC7 p.m. CSSD-36 vs Fil-Am8 p.m. Boat House vs Supply