At Your Service
For and about Hawaii's militaryBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Sunday, February 10, 2002
See also: For Your Benefit
Kauai facility reported
top candidate for launch testJane's Defense Weekly in its Jan. 30 issue reports that Navy's Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility is the leading candidate to conduct the first U.S. launch test of the Israeli-made Arrow 2 missile.
The United States and Israel agreed to conduct the Arrow 2 tests in 2004. Israel needs a larger range to assess the performance of the Arrow against long-range threats like the Iranian Shab-3 medium-range ballistic missile.
Hickam Air Force Base Capts. Debra Jackson and Jennifer Nevius from the Pacific Air Forces Directorate of Personnel were among 50 captains selected by an Air Force board to take part in the 2002 Air Force Intern Program.
The two were selected from a field of more than 300 Air Force officers. Jackson, is 15th Communication Information Systems Flight commander. Nevius is the Pacific Air Forces personnel readiness branch chief.
The 13-month program combines hands-on experience as an intern on the joint staff, office of the secretary of defense, secretary of the Air Force or air staff arena with graduate courses in leadership and management at George Washington University. After a month-long orientation, all interns will take graduate-level classes in leadership and management throughout the fall. The interns will then work two six-month rotations in positions on the air staff, the Air Force Secretariat, the joint staff or office of the secretary of defense.
The U.S. House is considering legislation to protect the pay of Reservists and National Guard members, who are federal employees, when they are called to active duty. Reps. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) and Bob Filner (D-Calif.) have drafted a bill that would require federal agencies to make up the difference between a Reservist's federal salary and his military salary so the employee does not face a pay cut. The bill would apply to salaries paid on or after Sept. 11.
More than 120,000 Reservists are federal employees, and about 65,000 would be required to leave their civil service jobs in a full mobilization. The proposal has the support of the Reserve Officers Association, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the American Federation of Government Employees.
Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
