-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! 1053. Lackland sergeant injured by package bomb by Master Sgt. Jim Greeley Air Force Print News LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- An Air Force sergeant is listed in critical condition at Wilford Hall Medical Center here from injuries she received July 31 after opening a package containing a bomb. Although she is listed in critical condition, officials said her injuries are not life threatening. Her name and rank are being withheld at the request of her family, according to a Lackland spokesman. The sergeant was injured when a bomb exploded in her hands at 11:15 a.m. in the 342nd Training Squadron's headquarters building. The explosion prompted an evacuation of the building and the surrounding area at the base, plus an increase in the base's threat-condition level. Lackland is currently at Threatcon Bravo. The heightened security posture was initiated approximately 10 to 15 minutes after the explosion, according to Lackland spokesman. Investigators from the FBI, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms are working on the case. "Our hearts and minds are with the family, friends and co-workers of our injured comrade, and we will work closely with other investigating officials until we have all the answers" said Maj. Gen. Michael N. Farage, 37th Training Wing commander. 1047. Air Force identifies crash victims WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- Two people were killed when an aero club twin-engine Beech, BE-55 aircraft from here crashed at about 8:45 a.m. July 31, nearly six miles southeast of Xenia, Ohio. Air Force officials have released the names of the crash victims: Maj. Charles P. Brothers Jr., an electrical engineering department associate professor at the Air Force Institute of Technology here; and Paul Franks, a retired Air Force civil servant and contract flight instructor. The Air Force is continuing to investigate the accident. 1050. Targeted pay raises: Who gets them? by Staff Sgt. Amy Parr Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- Jan. 1 marks the beginning of a new year, as well as the start of the military's latest pay raise. With recruiting and retention on the front burner, many leaders hope increased pay will entice people to join the military and encourage those already in the service to stay. But, should raises be equal across the board or should certain ranks be targeted? And, if targeted raises is the correct response, which ranks should be targeted and at what percentage? Currently, there are three proposals for targeting pay: the defense secretary's plan, Program Budget Decision 801; House Resolution 2310; and HR 2494. There is also the opportunity for an across-the-board pay raise at either 4.6 percent within current budget guidelines, or at 6.8 percent with the additional $1 billion recommended by President Bush for military pay. President Bush's budget provides funding for a 4.6 percent increase and allows $1 billion more toward military pay, said Maj. Shannon Averill, chief, Air Force pay and allowances. In keeping with the president's budget submission, the Department of Defense plan takes the additional money and gives all ranks a flat 5-percent raise. It then targets particular grades for a total raise of 6 to 10 percent. The highest raises will go to mid- and senior NCOs and warrant officers, with 6 and 6.5 percent going to O-3s and O-4s, respectively. HR 2310, proposed by Rep. John Murtha, provides an overall 7.3-percent raise with certain ranks receiving up to 10.5 percent. His plan targets enlisted members, depending on pay grade and years of service, with raises up to 10.5 percent. It also targets O-3s and O-4s with raises of 8.3 and 9 percent, respectively. Rep. Ike Skelton's plan, HR 2494, calls for a minimum 7.3 percent and maximum 12.3 percent increase. For enlisted members, Skelton's plan calls for an increase of 8.3 to 12.3 percent. His plan also targets O-3s and O-4s, receiving 8.3 and 8.8 percent, respectively. Averill said the congressmen's plans would require additional money. HR 2310 would cost an additional estimated $600 million for 2002. HR 2494 is estimated to cost an additional $1 billion. Regardless of which plan is selected, Averill said pay raises are needed to keep pace with the private sector. "Military pay raise shortfalls contributed greatly to retention and hollow-force problems of the '70s," she said. "But, 'catch-up' pay raises in (the 1980s) helped reverse those trends." Leaders hope pay raises will help once again reverse negative recruiting and retention trends. Averill said the adequacy of military pay raises is measured against annual average wage increases in the private sector, as measured by the Employment Cost Index. Currently, military pay is estimated at 10.8 percent behind the private sector. The Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 requires federal employee raises for civilian and military to be 0.5 percent below the ECI. The Fiscal 2000 National Defense Authorization Act set the military pay raise at 0.5 percent for five years to reduce the gap "The Air Force agrees that any pay raise that helps reduce the military and private sector wage gap is good, but it doesn't address all of our concerns," Averill said. "The Air Force is concerned with the ever-widening gap between wages of private sector and our enlisted corps for the same education and experience levels, making promotion a more attractive alternative than separation, current pay table compression, and the retention issues of our enlisted and officer corps. The defense secretary's plan for a targeted pay raise addresses those concerns while the across-the-board pay raise doesn't. That's why Air Force leadership advocates targeted pay raises for 2002." With an all-volunteer force, compensation programs must keep pace with the private sector in order to attract and retain quality, high-tech personnel in an environment of economic growth, low unemployment and with a very competitive marketplace, Averill said. 1048. Air Force releases F-16 accident report HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) -- Air Force investigators have determined foreign object damage caused the engine failure that resulted in the April 3 crash of an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft into the ocean off the coast of Japan. The pilot ejected from the aircraft with minor injuries. The incident occurred at 4:21 p.m. about 10 miles northeast of Misawa Air Base, Japan, on Ripsaw Range. While flying a mission qualification training sortie, the pilot reported an engine problem as the aircraft flew over the range. He immediately turned the aircraft toward Misawa and attempted to "air start" the engine without success. About 70 seconds after reporting the engine problem, the pilot successfully ejected and parachuted into the Pacific Ocean. The aircraft hit the water about 500 meters off shore and was destroyed. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, the Accident Investigation Board found there were three causes of the mishap: Foreign object damage to compressor blade No. 30; the subsequent failure of blade No. 30; and a subsequent titanium fire and burn-through of the compressor case caused by the lodging of the failed blade within the compressor case. Once the engine case was breached, air pressure to the engine was lost and the engine could not produce thrust or be restarted. Because the engine failure occurred at low altitude and there was no useable runway close enough to land, the pilot's decision to eject was correct, officials said. 1045. ROTC cadets' stipend increases by Tech. Sgt. Jim Lapp Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL Air Force Base, Ala. (AFPN) -- Air Force ROTC recently announced a boost in the monthly stipend for cadets, effective Oct. 1. The new legislation providing for the increase also allows for increases as cadets progress in the program. Brig. Gen Paul Hankins, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools commander, predicts the stipend will make the scholarship program even more attractive and help recruiting. "It will also give each cadet more money in his or her pocket and it will increase as they advance in responsibility which will help retention," he said. The Department of Defense will implement the program in two phases across two years, but the first year's improvements are the most dramatic. Prior to this change, all cadets were entitled to a $200 per month stipend, regardless of their position in ROTC. The new stipend, effective Oct. 1, is $250 for freshmen and sophomores, $300 for juniors and $350 for seniors. The second phase is effective Oct. 1, 2002, and increases the monthly payment for sophomores to $300, juniors to $350, and seniors to $400. This increase means students could collect up to $14,000 during their participation in the Air Force ROTC program. "This stipend is above and beyond the Air Force ROTC scholarship program, a program offering anywhere from $3,000 per year up to full tuition scholarships," Hankins said. "It's also on top of the book allowance. The competitiveness of the scholarship program package has been significantly enhanced with the stipend increase. "The bottom line is Air Force ROTC offers great scholarship and training opportunities, now made even better with this latest innovation, the stipend increase," Hankins said. "A student has the opportunity to get a college degree while completing Air Force ROTC, get scholarship dollars and a strong stipend along the way, then enter the world's best Air Force in one of dozens of career opportunities. That's a great deal no matter how you slice it." For more information about Air Force ROTC, visit their new Web site at www.afrotc.com. 1051. C-37A joins wing fleet by Master Sgt. Greg Bade 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) -- A new era in the base's long aviation history here was ushered in July 25 with the arrival of a new C-37A special airlift support aircraft. The twin-engine jet was flown from the manufacturer's headquarters in Savannah, Ga., by Gen. Tony Robertson, United States Transportation Command commander in chief and Air Mobility Command commander. Robertson handed over the aircraft to the 6th Air Mobility Wing during an arrival ceremony here. The aircraft is the first of three C-37As that will be stationed here to support stateside commanders in chief and will eventually replace the 310th Airlift Squadron's aging EC-137 Stratoliner and CT-43 aircraft. The next C-37 is scheduled to arrive in August and the third in March. The transition to the newer aircraft represents a significant boost for the wing's CINC-support mission, Robertson said. "We deliver this magnificent machine as a down payment of our continuing commitment to improving the mission capability for the men and women of this wing who will fly and maintain it," he said. "The burden of keeping those older jets flying has been lightened considerably today." With three of the nation's nine unified combatant commands having headquarters in Florida,(two here) airlift support for the CINC mission will continue to be a vital mission, said Brig. Gen. Chip Diehl, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander. "What we do in the CINC support mission is important not only for this wing, but it's a job that is critical to the nation's interests around the world," Diehl said. 1046. August Airman magazine online SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- Watch the tide roll away, and discover the legend of the Tokyo Raiders in the August edition of Airman magazine, available online. In the bobbing waters of the San Francisco Bay, an Air Force couple makes their home on a large sailboat as does another airman stationed at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Learn how they cope with the one-hour commute and savor life living on the bay. Also, organized by a firebrand lieutenant colonel, bonded by an improbable mission and honored by a nation desperate for heroes, Jimmy Doolittle's Tokyo Raiders are still together. Read about the recent reunion and flight in B-25 Mitchells over Northern California. Meanwhile, from 10,023 feet above one of the most beautiful island paradises on Earth, Maui-based bluesuiters keep an eye on the heavens. Learn how the cadre of airmen and contractors work to track more than 10,000 objects in space. Also highlighted in this issue: An American MiG-29 Fulcrum pilot; the Air Force Academy football team; and rocket renaissance at Edwards AFB, Calif. The magazine also features regular columns like Airman's World and Consumer. Public affairs offices have details on where to get Airman, or order copies by e-mailing a complete mailing address to [EMAIL PROTECTED] See Airman on the Web at http://www.af.mil/news/airman. 1049. Now showing: Aug. 6 edition of Air Force Television News SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- The role of the Air National Guard in the total force headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News. First, Staff Sgts. Bill Scherer and Leigh Bellinger traveled to Ohio and Oregon to compile reports on two Guard units that train active-duty F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle pilots. Next, Senior Airman Eric Kerr reports from the snowy landscape of Greenland on arctic training by a New York Air National Guard unit responsible for missions at both ends of Earth. Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace examines the testing of an alternative fuel at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, that could save untold dollars in fuel costs, as well as significantly reduce damage to the environment. Senior Airman Kevin Dennison profiles two units at Minot AFB, N.D., that made military history by co-winning the coveted Omaha Trophy. And, Senior Airman Marty Rush, silverware in hand, gets an up-close and personal look at why the dining hall at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the talk of Air Force. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. 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