From: bergman@afnews.pa.af.mil (CMSgt Mike Bergman)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: AF News Svc 12/15/92
Date: 16 Dec 1992 08:05:26 -0600
Organization: Hq Air Force News Agency/SCC
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu


940.  Rice's assessment
941.  Reserve benefits
942.  Safest year
943.  Rescue service
944.  GI Bill increase

940.  Rice's assessment
by TSgt. David P. Masko
Air Force News Service
     WASHINGTON --Air Force people have helped shape more history in 1,000 
days than most people see in a lifetime, Air Force Secretary Donald B. Rice 
said in assessing the past three years.
     The last 1,000 days of change are also a prelude to the future because 
"dynamic times still await lots more milestones," Rice told members of the Air
Force Association National Symposium recently.
     "To come full circle, the Air Force intends to stay expert at lead turns 
-- get out in front of change.  That's a tribute to our people, who've built a 
post-cold war service from the ground up," Rice said.
     "For the Air Force, they want to maintain cutting edge capability.  For 
themselves, they just want the opportunity, in the words of a great president, 
'to stand for freedom until freedom can stand on its own.'"
     Rice also spoke to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in December, 
stating the same theme of surviving and prospering in a new era of defense.
     "Whether used as a clenched fist or helping hand, airpower is one example 
of the military's role in extending America's influence in an unstable world,"
he said.  "So even as fiscal realities demand fewer forces and support 
structures, global realities demand a cutting-edge, capable military."
     The centerpiece of Rice's "1,000 days of change" is Global Reach-Global 
Power, the Air Force's blueprint to organize, train and equip for a 
fast-changing world.
     Global Reach and Power also outlines Air Force contributions in the 
post-Cold War world through global situational awareness, rapid long-range 
power projection and the ability to deploy quickly and go the distance 
unconstrained by geography.
     "Even as Global Reach-Global Power was on the drawing board, we moved out
to make the Air Force leaner, meaner and more efficient by reducing overhead, 
eliminating duplication, streamlining, consolidating," Rice said.
     "With Global Reach-Global Power as a vector and modern management tools, 
the Air Force designed a program and organization right for the times.  The 
most dramatic results took place this year as we pulled the chocks on Air 
Force Materiel Command; Air Mobility Command for global reach; Air Combat 
Command for global power."
     Rice pointed out that for the past five months, AMC airlifters have been 
operating at Mogadishu airfield, flying food and medicine into Somalia.
     "In concert with the U.N., our C-130s staging from Mombasa, Keyna, have 
flown over 1,600 missions since August, delivering over 17,000 tons of food.  
Operation Restore Hope is the nineth major relief effort we've flown this 
year."
     As another step toward the creation of an Air Force for the 21st century, 
Rice feels restructuring, and a new regional defense strategy, are the means 
to preserve the hard-won gains of the Cold War and to guard future interests.
     "The new Air Force mission is to defend the United States through control 
and exploitation of air and space," he said.
     "We're looking at ways to bring space and space people more fully into 
the warfighting focus.  And the year of training isn't over yet.  More 
initiatives will stem from our deep look at training."
     Rice has also taken a proactive position on military spending, saying he 
sees the "budget firewall coming down," because for the past three years 
defense money couldn't be transferred to domestic programs.  He said that 
agreement expires in the next year, and the fiscal situation could change.
     "The Air Force is now postured to say exactly where further reductions 
will cut into bone and muscle," Rice said.  At this point, the Chief (Gen. 
Merrill A. McPeak) and I think the Air Force has harvested its big-ticket 
efficiencies.
     "Beyond these, the department may need a fresh approach to roles and 
missions to find new efficiencies and guide any redistribution of DOD 
spending."


941.  Reserve benefits
by TSgt. David P. Masko
Air Force News Service
     WASHINGTON -- Guard and Reserve members called to Somalia for Operation 
Restore Hope will now receive special pay and allowances because the region is 
under a contingency designation, Air Force personnel officials said.
     Deputy Defense Secretary Donald Atwood signed the measure Dec. 8, 
allowing reservists to receive temporary duty allowances even if called for 
more than 20 weeks of active-duty service in Somalia.  Normally, they would be 
in permanent change of station status after 20 weeks.
     A contingency designation operation also changes the rules for the 
variable housing allowance for reservists.  Officials said reserve men and 
women will now receive VHA for less than 140 days service under the 
contingency designation, provided they continue to maintain their primary 
residence (pay, rent or mortgage) back home.
     Other benefits include:
     -- Single reservists will receive a basic allowance for quarters 
allowance at the without dependent rate, regardless if they are in government 
quarters in Somalia.  However, officials said they must continue to pay rent 
or mortgage payments for their residences back home in order to qualify for 
the entitlement.
     -- Reservists are permitted to sell back leave in excess of the career 
maximum of 60 days for any leave earned during their Restore Hope service.  In 
the event of death, survivors may be paid for leave that exceeds the 60-day 
career maximum for leave earned during the contingency.
     -- Reservists ordered to active duty, for more than 30 days, and their 
dependents are also entitled to receive government health care through 
military treatment facilities or CHAMPUS during time spent on active duty.  
This policy also applies to use of the military exchange and commissary.
     As of Dec. 10, more than 750 members of the Guard and Reserve have 
voluntarily come on active duty in support of Restore Hope.
     These volunteers are members of the following Air National Guard units, 
and their aircraft:
     -- 105th Airlift Group, Stewart, N.Y.,(C-5)
     -- 172nd AG, Jackson, Miss.,(C-141)
     -- 164th AG, Memphis, Tenn.,(C-141)
     -- 123rd Airlift Wing, Louisville, Ky.,(C-130)
     -- 143 AG, North Kingstown, R.I.,(C-130)
     -- 135th AG, Baltimore, Md.,(C-130)
     -- 118th AG, Nashville, Tenn.,(C-130)
     -- 176th AG, Anchorage, Alaska,(C-130)
     -- 133rd AG, St. Paul, Minn.,(C-130)
     -- 141st Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Wash.,(KC-135)
     -- 108th ARW, McGuire AFB, N.J.,(KC-135)
     -- 157th ARG, Pease ANGB, N.H.,(KC-135)
     -- 190th ARG, Forbes ANGB, Kan.,(KC-135)
     -- 151th ARG, Salt Lake City, Utah,(KC-135)
     Air Force Reserve, and aircraft:
     -- 907th AG, Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio,(C-141)
     -- 434th AW, Grissom AFB, Ind.,(KC-135)
     -- 452 ARW, March AFB, Calif.,(KC-135)
     -- 940th ARG, Mather AFB, Calif.,(KC-135)
     -- 433rd AW, Kelly AFB, Texas,(C-5)
     -- 512th AW, Dover AFB, Del.,(C-5)
     -- 349th AW, Travis AFB, Calif.,(C-5/C-141)
     -- 315th AW, Charleston AFB, S.C.,(C-141)
     -- 445th AW, Norton AFB, Calif.,(C-141)
     -- 446th AW, McChord AFB, Wash.,(C-141)
     -- 514th AW, McGuire AFB, N.J.,(C-141)


942.  Safest year
     WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Department of Defense completed its safest year 
in its history, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney announced Dec. 10.
     In fiscal 1992, the number of DOD accidental deaths dropped from 941 to 
747, a record low in fatalities.
     The overall DOD aviation accident rate for fiscal 1992 was 2.09 per 
100,000 flying hours, down significantly over the past decade, Pentagon 
officials said.
     For fiscal 1992, the Air Force's accident rate was 1.67.  The accident 
rates reflect major accidents, defined as those involving a fatality or damage 
of $1 million or more.
     Superior weapons systems, coupled with extensive and realistic training, 
strong leadership, discipline, attention to detail, skill, professionalism, 
and continual emphasis on safety prevented many tragic accidents.  The lessons 
learned from those accidents that did happen were carefully studied to prevent 
future tragedies, officials said.
     The Pentagon said it's particularly proud of the "dramatic downward trend 
of fatalities over the past decade."
     Officials said much of this reduction resulted from continuing 
improvement in the prevention of off-duty deaths, but the greatest single 
threat to U.S. military personnel remains the private motor vehicle.
     Promotion of seat belt and motorcycle helmet use, extensive driver safety 
training, anti-drunk driving efforts, and management emphasis on safe driving 
has also been effective in making fiscal 1992 the safest year in DOD history.


943.  Rescue service
     LANGLEY AFB, Va. (AFNS) -- All air rescue units in the continental United 
States except two will transfer from Air Mobility Command to Air Combat 
Command Jan. 1, the Air Force announced Dec. 9.
     Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Merrill A. McPeak made the moves to align 
air rescue forces with the combat missions they support and reinforce the "one 
base, one wing, one boss" concept, ACC officials said.
     Overall, the realignments will involve in-place, paper transfers of the 
units.  The transfers will also make ACC responsible for fleet management and 
guidance for air rescue forces worldwide.
     The change will affect ARS headquarters at McClellan AFB, Calif., which 
will realign with ACC as will the Air Rescue Coordination Center at Scott AFB, 
Ill.
     ACC will become the gaining command for all U.S. Guard and Reserve air 
rescue units.  Overseas units will transfer to the Air Force theater major 
commanders.
     However, two units in the United States will remain with AMC.  They are 
the 55th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at McClellan, and the 815th Airlift 
Squadron/403rd Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, a Reserve unit at 
Keesler AFB, Miss.
     Since it was established, ARS has contributed to saving more than 24,000 
lives, nearly 4,000 of which were combat saves.  (Courtesy ACCNS)


944.  GI Bill increase
     WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Montgomery GI Bill has increased its benefits 
and enrollment opportunities, allowing more education options for military 
people, GI Bill program officials said.
     Major changes to the Montgomery GI Bill include:
     -- Beginning April 1, GI Bill rates will increase from $350 to $400 per 
month for up to 36 months for full-time students.  Reserve members will 
receive an increase of $20, up to $190 per month.  Part-time students will 
also receive a pro-rated increase.
     -- People who left the service by accepting one of the voluntary 
separation incentives, or are planning to accept one of the options in the 
future, can enroll in the new GI Bill program.
     -- Active-duty people who initially obligated for two years of service, 
but actually served more, are now eligible for the same GI Bill benefits as 
those who obligated for three years.  Previously, benefits were paid on a 
member's initial obligation only.
     -- GI Bill participants who left the service because of hardship, 
disability or reduction in force before completing 12 months of active 
service, and later came back on active duty, will be considered to have served 
with no break in service for GI Bill purposes.  Previously, benefits were paid 
for each month of service during the first enlistment only.
     In addition, officials said people may now be entitled to full benefits 
if they successfully complete their second enlistment.

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