THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412060406
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICHARD GRIMES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Why is the deployment for six months?
A Navy spokesman says that six months is the standard deployment time for ships set down in an instruction called PERSTEMPO, or Personnel Tempo. It mandates that under normal conditions, a Navy unit should not be out for more than six months in order to maintain quality of life for sailors.
This same guide calls for no less than a 2-to-1 turnaround ratio, meaning that after each six-month deployment, a unit should have at least a year in port before deploying again for six months.
Naturally, there are times that require the Navy to set aside these guidelines, but only the chief of naval operations, Adm. Jeremy Boorda, can approve a change.
Is there a quiet hour for flying operations at Oceana?
Oceana is a master jet base, and as such its operational tempo changes in response to national and international events. For this reason, Oceana avoids steadfast regulations concerning quiet hours.
Though Oceana does not have a policy regarding the hours that flight operations occur, it does try to limit unnecessary noise between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., Sunday through Friday, and 11 p.m Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Air Installation Compatible Use Zones office keeps tabs on noise levels at Oceana and makes recommendations about improvements. Anyone with suggestions or comments concerning the noise levels at Oceana should call 433-2162.
Will the military be subject to garnishments in January?
In January, the 1993 version of the Hatch Act goes into effect and will make it possible for any creditor with a state court order to apply to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, or DFAS, in Cleveland for permission to garnish a service member's wages.
The agency then contacts the service member's command, which determines whether the failure to pay was the result of an individual failure or a military exigency. For instance, if the a sailor was unable to pay a debt because his ship had been diverted to Haiti, the command might claim a military exigency existed and deny the creditor's claim for garnishment.
If the command the service member is to blame, the request goes back to DFAS, which makes the final determination on whether to divert pay from the service member to the creditor.
Who decides what changes occur in the Navy's female uniforms? Although I am in the Navy, I am still a woman and would like to look like one.
As you might have guessed, uniform decisions are made by committee. An organization called the Uniform Board meets every six months to make recommendations to the chief of naval operations about any changes to be made.Two of the board's seven members are women. by CNB