VOLUME 50 NUMBER 3 MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, JAPAN JANUARY 28, 2005

INSIDE...“B17”... “N24”... “Bingo!”Service members, civilians gather atLanding Zone to participate in

Monday NightBingo.

Page 4

Visit to fruit farm, winery pro-vides sweet surprisesThirty-four Station residents visitHirata FruitFarm,MiyoshiWinery.

Page 6-7

Young players kick off seasonMore than 300 players, familymembers gather atIronWorksGym Jan. 22 tokick off newbasketballseason.

Page 12

LISA MAULDIN

Matthew C. Perry School Nurse

Alex Fulton, a sixth-grade studentat Matthew C. Perry Elementary School,won the school-level competition of theNational Geographic Bee here Jan. 14th,as well as a chance at a $25,000 collegescholarship.

During the school-level Bee, M.C.

Sixth-grader wins National Geographic Bee herePerry students answered oral and writ-ten questions about geography. Thecompetition here was the first of severalrounds to be conducted as part of the17th annual National Geographic Bee.

The Bee is sponsored by the Na-tional Geographic Society and theStation’s Parent Teacher Organization.

This year’s Bee began Nov. 15th withthe participation of thousands of

schools around the United States, thefive U.S. territories and Department ofDefense schools.

At M.C. Perry, each fourth, fifth andsixth-grade classroom held a preliminaryround to determine which student wouldbe the class representative.

After a second and final bout, theschool winners took a written test. TheBee’s winning question is as follows:

“Founded as a gold rush town, whichstate capital city must be reached byboat or plane because it is not linked tothe rest of the state by roads?” Theanswer - Juneau, Ala.

Up to 100 of the top scorers in eachstate or region will be eligible to com-pete in their state Bee April 1.

The National Geographic Societysee NATIONAL Page 5

TORII TELLER STAFF

Combat Correspondent

Marine Corps Community Ser-vices will be raising the price of hair-cuts from $6 to $8, Feb. 1, as well asthe value of their haircut coupon from$1 to $3.

The increased cost of a haircutwas forthcoming because the pricehas remained the same since 1996.Then, the contract was awarded for asix-day workweek.

Customers pay for haircuts in dol-lars, but the contractor pays the em-ployees in yen and the barber shop isnow open seven days a week.

“The exchange rate back in 1996was approximately 140 yen to the dol-lar, and now it is about one for one,”said Ely Hipolito, MCCS Purchasingand Contracting Officer. “This declinein the dollar’s value, the increase inemployee’s salaries, as well as thecontractor’s operating costs are sig-nificant.”

When MCCS realized the currentprice was insufficient to adequatelycover current operating costs, theyconducted research to find a solution to this problem.

The solution was to increase the cost of the actual haircutto compensate the contractor for his costs, while at the sametime providing the customer the ability to maintain his currentcost by increasing the value of the coupon offered in themonthly Preview magazine.

Barbershop increase price, coupon Marine Corps CommunityService will make up the costfor the coupons to the con-tractor. “Our goal is to keep theamount customers pay as lowas possible, while still charg-ing a fair and consistent pricethat would allow us to coverexpenses ,” said AshleighPipes, MCCS marketing of-ficer. Pipes reported that haircutprices at other military instal-lations in Japan range from$7.50 to $15. Pipes said service memberscould look forward to four $3coupons in each Previewmagazine. “The coupons are increas-ing from $1 to $3, which makesup for the $2 increase in theprice for a haircut. With thecoupons there is no price dif-ference at all,” said Pipes. “We want to minimize anypotential impact as much aspossible. Preview magazines

are distributed to each unit, so the $3 coupons will be easy toobtain.” Lance Cpl. Brian Edgar, Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron administrative technician, agreed with Pipes, add-ing, “The coupons are a good idea. The price increase has noeffect as long as you have your coupon with you.”

Cpl. Dave Boni

A Marine gets his weekly haircut at the Bar-bershop. Marine Corps Community Serviceswill be raising the price of haircuts from $6to $8, beginning Feb. 1, as well as their hair-cut coupon from $1 to $3.

PFC. LUKAS J. BLOM

Combat Correspondent

The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, recently estab-lished a new program that will continue medical assistance for Marines injured incombat situations after they separate from the Marine Corps.

The Marine for Life Injured Support Program was established Dec. 31, 2004, toprovide continuing support for Marines who have suffered injury in the War onTerror.

Marine for Life Injured Support Program to be developed“The Marine Corps has a long history of caring for its fallen and injured Ma-

rines,” said the commandant in White Letter 11-04. “As we all know, many Marineshave recently suffered extremely serious combat injuries. Many of these Marineswould not have survived in previous wars. However, because of our magnificentmedical care and our ability to get our wounded treated so quickly, they are fortu-nately still with us. Nevertheless, their trauma still has a potentially devastatingimpact on them, their families and their future.”

The program will be the first in Marine Corps history to deal directly with thesee MARINE Page 5

NEWS BRIEFSSEALED BID SALE

Iwakuni Defense Reutilization andMarketing Office’s next local sealed bidsale will start Monday. Property on salecan and should be inspected at DRMOfrom Monday through Wednesday. Bidsmust be received no later than Thursday8 a.m. Property on sale includes furniture,Automatic Data Processing equipment,military clothing, and scrap. Call 253-3982or 253-4089 for details.

PARENTS NIGHT OUT

Studio 2B Girl Scouts will be offeringa baby sitting service, Feb. 4, 22 and 25,from 6-10 p.m. The fee is $3 per hour perchild. Small snack and a craft will beoffered. Call 253-2485 or 253-2276 tomake reservations for February.Reservations are needed to attend. Thisbaby-sitting is part of the Girls’ SilverAward project. The Studio 2B girls willbe using the proceeds to reach their goalof attending an overnight horseback ridingcamp near Mr. Fuji in May.

SILENT AUCTION

Matthew C. Perry Elementary SchoolPTO holds the Fifth Annual Silent Auctionat Club Iwakuni Ballroom Feb. 11.Preview starts at 5 p.m., and bidding is5:30-6:30 p.m. To submit a donation, callMelissa Young at 253-2838 or BobKeating at 253-2037.

PAGE 2 OPINIONTORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005 NEWS PAGE 3TORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005

Commanding Officer/Publisher

Col. Michael A. Dyer

Public Affairs OfficerCapt. Stewart T. Upton

Public Affairs ChiefMaster Sgt. Lesli J. Coakley

Press ChiefLance Cpl. Lydia Davey

Operations ChiefCpl. Dave Boni

Combat CorrespondentsLance Cpl. Cristin K. Bartter

Pfc. Lukas J. BlomPfc. Mark Fayloga

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 Defenseor the U.S. Marine Corps, and doesnot imply 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 one, Room 216, MCASIwakuni, Japan. Call 253-5551.

PSC 561 Box 1868FPO AP 96310-0029

Phone 253-5551Fax 253-5554

The Torii Teller wel-comes Letter to the Editorsubmissions. Letters mustinclude a full name andunit, if applicable. Anony-mous letters and commentswill not be published. Let-ters are the opinion of thewriter only. Submissionscan be edited for clarity andspace. Letters can bedropped off at the PublicAffairs Office or sent via e-mail to daveylm@iwakuni.usmc.mil or coakleylj@iwakuni.usmc.mil.

CHATTERBOX Question: "What is your favorite thing about Marine Corps AirStation Iwakuni and why?"

“My favorite thing is thenewborn leadership that iswilling to make changewhere it’s due. Theleadership is openly visiblethrough new programs,excitement from Marinesand different things goingon around Station.”

“My favorite thing is thecost of living allowance,because I like the extramoney.”

“My favorite thing is thelocation, because you’reclose to Korea, Thailandand Australia. You have alot of travel opportunitiesand places to visit.”

Staff Sgt. Hjardis A. JonesCanton, Ohio

Cpl. John P. LopezWestminster, Colo.

“My favorite thing is allthe Station activities thatgo on, because when I’mdone at work I havesomething to do other thansit in my room.”

Cpl. Jeffrey J. BeckerYoungstown, Ohio

Sgt. Luis A. SanchezChicago, Ill.

Ask the InspectorMAJ. MATTHEW D. RAZVILLAS

Station Inspector

How does the telephone office set its table of fees?What benefits do we get from having strict payee enforce-ment of all telephone related fees? Where does the moneythat we pay go? After receiving these questions from aconcerned resident, I went to Chief Warrant Officer 4 ChadH. LaSuer, Station telephone officer, for the scoop!

How does the telephone office set their table of fees?The Department of Defense Comptroller sets the basic“monthly rate” for phone service. Other fees, such asinstallation fees, class of service change, late fees, movingof telephones etc., are set in collaboration with MarineCorps Bases Japan.

What benefits do we get from having strict payeeenforcement of all telephone related fees? Each month, theS-6 Department pays Japanese telecommunicationscompanies directly for all toll calls placed from every phoneaboard the Air Station. This includes “unofficial” phonesin private residences, and it’s done for two reasons. Thefirst reason being that since the service providers areensured of getting their money, they are able to offer lowerrates to residents of the Air Station. The second reason isthat it is a convenience to our customers since they receiveonly one bill and are able to pay it here on base.

Where does the money go that we pay? The Base

Collections (BC) account receives 100 percent of the moneypaid for toll charges and 70 percent of the money collectedfor monthly service charges, installation fees, equipmentfees, feature fees, late charges and returned check fees.The Comptroller realigns all of the money collected for tollcharges back to the S-6, because as explained earlier, the S-6pays all phone bills ahead of time.

The remaining money (collected for monthly servicecharges, installation fees, equipment fees, feature fees, latecharges and returned check fees) is distributed to threedifferent places:

1. 70 percent of this money is given back to the baseComptroller. Portions of that are given back to the S-6 overthe course of the year for the operation and maintenance ofthe switchboard and supporting infrastructure. The rest ofthe money is distributed by the CO via the Iwakuni Comp-troller as required for mission success.

2. Headquarters Marine Corps receives 25 percent ofthe money we collect for their use.

3. The US treasury receives 5 percent of the money wecollect for their use.

A little knowledge goes a long way in understandingwhy things are done. Thanks to CWO4 LaSuer, we nowknow how the fees are collected and where they go.

If you have a question please send it to:razvillasmd@iwakuni.usmc.mil or naseerd@iwakuni.usmc.mil or call 253-3100 and leave your question on thevoicemail. If you do not wish for your name to be usedplease include with you question.

CMDR. DONALD P. FIX

Chaplain’s Corner

The Serenity Prayer came to mindtoday as I was in the midst of having aknock down & drag out fight. I washaving another one of those innerbattles with myself that seem to occurmuch too often. I usually go throughthis particular yelling match withmyself almost every day, and I includemany typical phrases such as, “you

Another losing battle!should have done this!” or “why didyou do that?” or better yet “that wasso stupid of you!” and I might evenadd a “you are such an idiot!” to closeoff the inner argument.

I always lose the struggle and findmyself beaten down fairly well, whichis not surprising since I do know whatgets me right where it hurts. Eventhough I put up with this routinely, Iwas more aware of it this morning. As Istood looking into the bathroom mirror

giving myself mean glances I remem-bered that it was just yesterday that Iheard about this very thing.

Dr. Lloyd Davis spoke to a groupof us at a monthly Clinicians meetingto share some basic tools forassisting others and us in CognitiveBehavioral Therapy (CBT). I foundthe workshop eye-opening andrealized that I have my share of‘Maladaptive Thoughts’, which come

CPL. SUSAN SMITH

Combat Correspondent

The Marine Corps is expanding its end strengthby 3,000 Marines. The increase from 175,000

Marines to 178,000 Marines is directed in accor-dance with the National Defense Authorization ActFiscal Year 2005, passed Oct. 8, 2004.

“The committee believes that an increase in man-power is essential to the Marine Corps’ ability to pro-vide and sustain the force levels required of it by ournational security strategy,”reads the U.S. House of Repre-sentatives Committee on ArmedServices NDAA press release.

“The 3,000 Marines will bephased in over the next threeyears — roughly one third eachyear,” said Lt. Col. Tim Corley,head of the Future OperationsBranch, Manpower Plans andPolicy.

“Increasing the endstrength by 3,000 will betterposition the Marine Corps to fight the global war onterror and decrease the amount of stress on the force,”said Corley.

The Marine Corps is currently comprised of 24 in-fantry battalions; however, they are not staffed to 100percent. Prior to deployment, infantry battalions mustreceive augments from other units to bring manning up.

“Approximately 2,000 of the 3,000-Marine increasewill go toward bringing our 24 infantry battalions upto 100 percent of their wartime requirement,” explainedFrank Donahoe, deputy director of the Total ForceStructure division at MCCDC. “The boost in infantrybattalion manning will reduce the requirement for aug-ments, build greater unit cohesion and improve train-ing readiness.”

The majority of the increase in Marines will comefrom accessions; therefore Marine Corps RecruitingCommand will receive 425 to help recruit more Ma-rines. Marine Corps Recruiting Command will receive425 allocations — 278 next fiscal year and the rest will

Marines Corps to increase manpower by 3,000be phased in from there.

Foreign military training units will be formed to helptrain foreign militaries throughout the world to helpour allies and friends train and establish a professionalmilitary.

“Each [Marine Expeditionary Force] will get 135Marines to establish foreign military training units con-sisting primarily of infantry Marines,” Donahoe said. “IMEF training units are scheduled to be fully operationalin 2006, then II MEF in 2007 and III MEF in FY 2008.”

Training and Education Command will get 120 newpositions — 60 Marines for vari-ous school instructors seatsand 60 Marines for Security AndStability Operations training atMarch Air Force Base in Cali-fornia.

Due to emerging require-ments, an additional 45 Marineswill be assigned to operatingforce units for the CH53 Deltasupport requirements.

Also, an additional 20 Ma-rines will fill Combat Service

Support Element operating force units for contingencycontracting billet requirements. “These are the Ma-rines who write contracts for the units out there (inIraq or Afghanistan) if they need to get support fromthe local economy,” said Corley.

“The cost for the increase will be paid out of supple-mental funding. We are requesting 159 million in the FY2005 supplemental,” Corley explained. “The manpowercosts beyond FY 2005 have not yet been exacted; how-ever, they are expected to be slightly higher.”

A decision has yet to be made on whether addi-tional increases will be made. The NDAA FY 2005 di-rected the Corps to increase by 3,000, but left the deci-sion to the Marine Corps for any further increases upto a limit of 9,000.

“We will continue to look at the emerging require-ments and make decisions regarding any more in-creases based on those requirements,” said Corley.

see BATTLE Page 5

PFC. MARK FAYLOGA

Combat Correspondent

Iwakuni Girl Scouts began selling Girl Scout cook-ies and calendars Jan. 15, as part of a fundraiser for thelocal Scouting Program.

The Girl Scouts sell cookies once ev-ery year. They begin in January andend when the cookies are all out ofstock, said Candee M. Siaw, Iwakuni GirlScout Program overseas committeechair.

The Scouts sell the cookies aspart of a long-standing tradition,and also to raise money to pay foractivities and field trips. Each troopaboard the Station gets a percent-age of the money from each box ofcookies sold, said Siaw.

For more than 80 years Girl Scouts,with support from their families andcommunities, have sold cookies to helpdevelop valuable life skills and raisemoney for local Girl Scout chapters, ac-

Station Girl Scouts begin cookie salecording to www.girlscouts.org.

Selling cookies helps teach the girls a variety ofskills, said Siaw. They learn about salesmanship byinteracting with customers, they build confidence bydealing with new people and gain a sense of accom-plishment with each box of cookiessold, she noted.

The scouts here are also provid-ing community service by taking

in donations to fund shipments of cookies to be sentto Iraq, she added.

“We have received a lot of donations to send cook-ies to the troops in Iraq, the community has done anexcellent job supporting that,” said Siaw.

The Scouts sell cookies here every other weekend,and can be found in front of the Commissary, Cross-roads Mall, Exchange, Seven-day Store and aroundthe Station, said Siaw.

“I wasn’t planning to buy any Girl Scout cookies,but when I was on my way into the exchange, the

girls asked ‘would you like to buy some cookies?’ Icouldn’t say no,” said Pfc. Lukas J. Blom, Head-quarters and Headquarters Squadron combat cor-respondent.

So far, sales for the Scouts here have beengoing very well, said Siaw.

“I ate a whole box of cookies in 20 minutes,”said Blom. “I plan on buying more because theytaste great and the money goes to a great cause.”

Anyone interested in purchasing Girl ScoutCookies can catch the scouts selling cookies

every other weekend, or can call in and have themdelivered. For cookie delivery call 253-3035.

“Increasing the end strength by3,000 will better position the

Marine Corps to fight the globalwar on terror and decrease theamount of stress on the force.”

Lt. Col. Tim CorleyHead of Future Operations Branch,

Manpower Plans and Policy

PAGE 4 FEATURETORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005 FEATURE PAGE 5TORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005

LANCE CPL. LYDIA DAVEY

Combat Correspondent

Warmth and shared perspectives flow assmoothly and richly as the fresh brewed coffee andhomemade New York cheesecake that Belinda Pughprovides to the members of the Brown Bag LunchBunch during their monthly lunchtime meeting at theStation library.

A small group of readers gathered in the library’smultipurpose room Jan. 20th to discuss the month’sassigned book: “Skywriting” by Jane Pauley.

Since its inception six months ago, the BrownBag Lunch Bunch has done what an evening bookclub could not – provided busy people with a moreviable scheduling option to exchange ideas on theirfavorite topic – books.

“We read for the pure pleasure of reading,” saidPugh, Station supervisory librarian. “The purposeof the club is to give people here an opportunity todiscuss books - part of inculcating a love of learninginvolves discussion, and we want people to learn.”

Books on the club’s reading list range from thosewith a classic bent to modern-day best-sellers, andfrom autobiographies to historical fiction, said Pugh.“The books we read bring out common experiences,”

Book club here provides forum for diverse viewssaid Kris Gildersleeve, Station resident. “I read a lot,and I think that sharing the reading experience isworthwhile – it’s fun to get other perspectivesinvolved.”

Gildersleeve, a six-monthbook club veteran, recom-mends the Lunch Bunchgroup to avid and reticentreaders alike.

“For those who read a lot,the [discussion group] is anew experience, and one thatis rewarding enough thatpeople who don’t read oftenmay find an impetus to readmore,” she said.

However, participating in a meeting involvesmore than simply discussing the written word, saidPugh.

Food, music, art and other books have found aplace in supplementing core subjects, she noted.

“I try to involve as many senses as possible,”said Pugh. “We really try to recreate the book’senvironment using a variety of resources, and thelibrary has those resources.”

For example, when the group read “Girl with a

Pearl Earring,” Pugh gathered examples of period artand music, and made a traditional Dutch stew.

The idea for fully interactive discussions came toPugh at a book conferenceseveral years ago, she said. “I found a book called “ABook Lover’s Cookbook” andthought it was an interestingway to read a book,” said Pugh.“When you read, you feed yoursoul; when you eat, you feedyour body. I think that byincorperating the two, youstimulate your soul. Remember,you are what you read. We tryto present nourishment for the

body and soul at the book clubs.” Both the Brown Bag Lunch Bunch and theevening group, the Happy Bookers, are open to allStation residents.

The Lunch Bunch meets the third Thursday ofeach month at the Station library from 11:45 a.m. to12:30 p.m. The Happy Bookers meet at the librarythe first Tuesday night of each month at 7 p.m.

For more information, or for February’s assignedbooks, call 253-3078.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

PFC. LUKAS J. BLOM

Combat Correspondent

The New Parent Support Program held itsmonthly Daddy’s Baby Boot Camp to help new orsoon to be parents learn some of the finer points onhow to raise a happy, healthy baby.

The day-long course, which kicked off at 8 a.m.in the Family Services Building, taught individualparents and couples how to care for their newbornsduring the infants’ first year of life.

The free course was split up into many separateclasses through out the day. The classes coveredeverything from parent relationships to changingdiapers.

“Our main goal is to raise [the parents] comfortlevel with actual hands-on baby care,” said Lisa A.Cadwalader, the programs master social worker andhome visitor.

Speakers from the Marine and Family CounselingService, Educational and Developmental Interven-tion Service, Women, Infants and Children OverseasProgram, American Red Cross and Navy MarineCorps Relief Society, came to explain what theirorganizations could offer the expecting parents.

The first guest speaker from the Marine andFamily Counseling Service spoke with the studentsabout how to resolve communication problems whenanother person is introduced to the family, and how“husband and wife” issues will transform into“father and mother” issues.

“For these serious issues [listed above] parentsneed to come together face to face and resolvethem,” said Kerri L. George, Marine and FamilyCounseling Service individual and family counselor.

After receiving classes on how to carry anewborn and change diapers, dolls were brought outfor some hands on exercises.

“The dolls were actually pretty heavy, very realfeeling,” said Cpl. Douglas Connelly, Marine

Daddy’s Baby Boot Camp – “Fall In!”Aviation LogisticsSquadron 12, nonde-structive inspectiontechnician. “It wasgreat to actually getsome real practice- kindof like a dry-run withdiapers.”

Next was the quiz tosee how well thecouples knew eachother. The husbandand wife duos tried topredict the answers thattheir spouse would giveto questions rangingfrom favorite ice creamflavors to favoriteholidays. The quiz isusually one of thefavorite parts of theclass, or not, dependingon the quiz results.

“He did pretty wellon the quiz,” said Tamaki Connelly of her husbandDouglas. “We spend quite a bit of time together,so we know each other pretty well.”

“This class was defiantly worth coming to,”said Cpl. Connelly. “Even if you have to get offwork for it, new parents should take the time tocome here.”

Along with a wealth of knowledge, the stu-dents walked away from the class with gifts ofdiaper bags, parenthood books, baby hygienesupplies and other baby equipment.

“We suggest that parents come in during theirthird trimester, but this class is designed forparents of newborns to six-year old children,” saidCadwalader, who is also five months pregnant withtwin boys.

For more information call NPS at 253-6553.

Cpl. Douglas Connelly, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 nonde-structive inspection technician, interacts with a realistic demonstra-tion doll while his wife, Tamaki, practices the football style baby car-rying technique.

Tamaki Connelly demonstrates the diaperchanging techniques she learned in the Daddy'sBaby Boot Camp course at the Family ServicesBuilding here. The free course is offered oncea month by the New Parent Support Program.

down to all the ones I just mentioned.The one thing that I realized this morning is

that self name-calling and all the destructive waysI have developed don’t have to continue. Thereare ways in which I can work to change mythinking about myself. This morning as I stood infront of that mirror I prayed, ‘Lord, give me theserenity to accept the things I cannot change, thecourage to change the things I can and the

BATTLE from Page 2

will then provide state championsand their teacher-escorts an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington,D.C., to participate in the NationalGeographic Bee national champi-onship May 24th and 25th.

The first-place national winnerwill receive a $25,000 college schol-arship and a lifetime membershipto the society.

Alex Trebek, host of the popu-lar television game-show “Jeop-ardy,” will moderate the nationalfinals May 25. The program will

NATIONAL from Page 1

“When you read, you feedyour soul; when you eat,

you feed your body. I thinkthat by incorperating thetwo, you stimulate your

soul.”

Belinda PughStation supervisory librarian

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

PFC. MARK FAYLOGA

Combat Correspondent

The Club Iwakuni Landing Zonewas filled with anticipation, as all inattendance silently awaited the call oftheir lucky number. Until the an-nouncer hit G14 and someone in theback hollered “bingo!”

The Landing Zone hosts bingoevery Monday night at 6:30 p.m. Thegame is open to all Marine CorpsCommunity Service patrons. Theminimum cost of a game is $18, butplayers can pay for additional bingocards. Prizes vary from week to week,with cash prizes varying from $50 to$1,199 per game, said Julie Delgado,Club Iwakuni Duty Manager.

“I come to Monday Night Bingobecause you can win some money,you get to be with and make newfriends, and it’s a great way to relax,”said Sho L. Roberts, Station resident.“It’s something to look forward to inthe week that comes up and itdoesn’t involve alcohol, loud music

“B17”... “N24”... “G30”... “Bingo!”

They call her the pro. Sho L. Roberts scans her cards for a possiblebingo. Bingo players gather every Monday night in the Club IwakuniLanding Zone for food, fun and competition.

The chosen one, I 23, waits to becalled in the hopes of givingsomeone a bingo, during MondayNight Bingo.

or an unruly crowd.”Bingo is a game in which num-

bered balls are drawn at random;players cover the correspondingnumbers on their cards. The firstplayer to fill his card with a certainpattern and yell out “bingo!” wins.

“Bingo is provided by MCCS togive Station residents something funto do. There are good prizes to bewon, and you can eat and play in agood environment,” said Delgado.

Usually, 45 to 65 people will showfor Monday Night Bingo- the majority

of those peoplebeing regulars. It’snot all about thechance to win cashand prizes thatbrings the regularsback it’s the hospi-tality and the timespent with friendsthat keeps themcoming again andagain, said Delgado.“The great thing

about bingo night here is that this is aplace where rank isn’t a factor, sexisn’t a factor and marital status isn’t afactor. Everyone is just here to gettogether and have fun,” said Roberts.“I come every Monday to enjoy ameal, be with friends, play some bingo,win some money and go home withbragging rights.”

Bingo aboard the Station differsfrom bingo games in the States or onother bases, because it’s such a smallStation the cash prizes are smaller thanthey would be other places. However,there are upsides to bingo night here,said Delgado.

Station residents scan their cards in hopes of find-ing a winning card during a bingo game hereMonday night.

“I like bingo on Station becauseyou don’t have to deal with smokershere, and it’s a safer environment,”said Roberts. “I do wish they hadbingo as frequently as they do in theStates, and I also think they shouldguarantee at least one jackpot everynight.”

Anyone interested in MondayNight Bingo can show up to the ClubIwakuni Landing Zone, every Mon-day. Bingo card sales begin at 5:30p.m. An early bird game is played at6:15 p.m., and the regular game beginsat 6:30 p.m.

issue of Marines directly supporting Marines afterseparation from the Corps, according towww.hqmc.usmc.mil. The Marine Corps has oftenrelied on various federal agencies to care for thewounded after they separate from the Marine Corps.

“This program will be our direct link to theseinjured Marines and their families,” said Hagee.

The implementation of this program is currentlyunderway through out the Corps.

“M4L-IS (Marine for Life Injured Support Pro-gram) will address all aspects of care for the Marineand family to include the very best in medical care,travel and lodging for family members, coordinationwith external support agencies, retention in theMarine Corps if desired, transition support to De-partment of Veterans Affair care, priority employ-ment in the civil sector, continued monitoring afterseparation, and other forms of assistance as re-quired,” said the Commandant.

Although the Marine for Life program has ex-isted for many years, this addition to the programwill ensure that we will be able to be “Marines forLife” for a much longer time, according to the Website.

“Quite simply, it is the right thing to do,” saidHagee. “Once a Marine always a Marine.”

MARINE from Page 1

wisdom to know the difference.’I hope I stick to what I said in the middle of

that prayer and certainly find the time, courage andpersistence to change that which I know ispossible. I usually skip from doing that partbecause it takes work and effort and more timethan I’m willing to spend. It’s no wonder why,after all these years, I’m still fighting and stilllosing the same battles in my life. It’s getting oldand I’m getting tired. Dear Lord give me thatcourage!

air first on the National Geo-graphic Channel, and afterward onpublic television stations.

The National Geographic So-ciety is the world’s largest non-profit scientific and educationalorganization. The 116-year-oldsociety reflects the world throughmagazines, books, maps, televisionand interactive media. The Na-tional Geographic magazine, theofficial journal of the society, hasa circulation of about 10 millionand is read in every country in theworld.

The National Geographic

Channel, a daily television cablenetwork launched in the UnitedStates in January 2001, is availablein more than 50 million homes. TheSociety has funded more than7,500 scientific research projectsand supports an education pro-gram combating geographic illit-eracy.

Anyone can brush up on ge-ography with GeoBee Challenge,an online geography quiz atwww.nationalgeographic.com,which poses five new questions aday from previous National Geo-graphic Bees.

PAGE 6 FEATURETORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005

Visit to fruit farm, wineryprovides sweet new experience

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

LANCE CPL. LYDIA DAVEY

Combat Correspondent

Warmed by the early morning sun,fresh snow falls in powdery showersfrom the bare branches of toweringtrees, landing gently around theexcited group that makes its waytoward rows of greenhouses.

Sunny skies and newly fallen snowgreeted the 34 Station residents whotraveled to the Hirata Fruit Farm andMiyoshi Winery on an Information,Tourism and Travel event, Saturday.

The day’s events began with a 30-minute strawberry-picking spree in thefarm’s greenhouses.

“My favorite part of the trip wasthe strawberry picking,” said Stationresident Diana Molina, who took partin the event with Bella, her 7-year-olddaughter. “The strawberries weregood and very sweet.”

After picking and eating all theberries they could, tour-groupmembers made their way to the farm’sgift shop, where bottled fruit juice,sparkling jams and jellies and freshlybaked pastries awaited purchase.

The group then made its way to

the Miyoshi Winery, and after a brieflunch, began to explore local attrac-tions.

The Miyoshi Winery boastsrestaurants, facilities for wine tasting,an observation post that allowsvisitors to observe a variety of winesbeing bottled and a gift shop.

Although Molina especiallyappreciated the observation post andwine tasting experience, she said thather daughter enjoyed the snow themost.

“The kids were really delightedwith the snow,” agreed TakayukiTakeda, IT&T tour guide. “We don’tget much of it here in Iwakuni, so theywere very excited.”

According to Takeda, the biannualfruit farm and winery trips are sopopular because the staff at bothplaces are kind, the quality of thefruits and wines is high and suchevents allow Station residents to seethe more tranquil side of Japan in thecountryside.

“My daughter loved it,” saidMolina, first-time IT&T patron. “Iwould definitely recommend thesetrips to Marines, Sailors and familieshere.”

Diana Molina and her daughter Bella, 7, enjoy fresh strawberries in a greenhouse at the Hirata Fruit Farm, Saturday.

A bell tower at the Miyoshi Winery dominates the court-yard designed in the manner of traditional Italian archi-tecture.

ABOVE: Two bees work to pollinate strawberry plants in one of thefarm’s many greenhouses. BELOW: A worker at the Miyoshi Wineryremoves an imperfect bottle of wine from the conveyor belt. The bottlespass in front of a light which illuminates any impurities.

ABOVE: Barbara Roman and Nick Fortiexplore the fruit farm’s gift shop duringthe tour. RIGHT: Rustic looks lend a cer-tain charm to Hirata’s headquarters.

LEFT: Wine bottles aresealed at the winery’sfactory. An observa-tion post there allowsvisitors to view thebottling process fromstart to finish. BELOW:A Japanese youthsamples wine at oneof the winery’s tastingstations Saturday.

Signs and a colorful banner point the way to the Hirata Fruit Farm’sstrawberry greenhouses. Station residents enjoyed a 30-minuteberry-picking spree during the first part of the tour.

chrome rims, euro-light,perfect condition, JCI un-til Jan. 2007, $2,300. CallMimi at 253-2813.

Nissan Serena , 1992, wellmaintained, cold A/C,seats seven, great familyvehicle, JCI until May2006, $2,400 obo.

Subaru Domingo, 1996,excellent condition inside

Hi-Jet Truck, 1979, JCIuntil Feb. 2005, free. CallSSgt. Picklo at 253-6947dwh or 253-7566 awh.

Mitsubishi Delica, 1993,4WD van, includes roofracks, ski racks, chains,excellent condition, JCIuntil April 2006, $1,500obo. Call Gary Gilmour at

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.

253-4256 dwh or 253-2579awh.

Toyota Starlet , 1998,hatchback, excellent con-dition inside and out, runsperfectly, JCI until Oct.2006, $2,499. Call Mark at080-5235-7229.

Honda Prelude, 1 9 9 3 ,sport, silver with blackgraphics, brand new tires,

and out, runs perfectly,JCI unti l April 2005,$1,999. Call Mark at 080-5235-7229.

Toyota Windom, 1997, se-dan, dark green with blacktrim, excellent condition,JCI unt i l Sep. 2006,$2,900. Call Mimi at 253-2813.

Misc., 2 adult cats, 1 male(black), 1 female (white),both fixed and litter boxtrained, good with chil-dren, both love the out-doors, want to keep to-gether. Call Samantha orleave a message at 253-2081.

Misc., Pi tower speakers,$250; musical fidelity A3.2cr, Pream P, new in thebox, $1,175. Call Mark Par-sons at 253-5487 dwh or09052662270.

Lost., toddler girls fleececap, light pink. If found,call Jenny at 253-2661.

CHRO (253-6828)MCCS:–Substance Abuse Coun-

selor, world wideFacilities:–Interdisciplinary Engi-

neer, world wide

AUTOMOBILES

PAGE 8 FEATURETORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005 CLASSIFIED PAGE 9TORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005

–Architect, world wideLogistics:–Supervisory Contract

Specialist, world wide–Transportation Assis-

tant, Iwakuni wideClinic:–Occupat ional Heal th

Nurse, world wide–Speech Pa thologis t ,

world wide–Secretary (OA), Iwakuni

wideCommissary:–Secretary (OA), Iwakuni

wide

MCCS (253-3030)(The following jobs areopen at MCCS Person-nel.)MCCS Job Listing:–Retail Area Supervisor,

Sound Shop–Procurement Assistant,

Merchandising–Senior Sales Associate,

Main Complex–Material Handler, Ware-

house, civilian only–Material Handler Super-

visor, Warehouse, civil-ian only

–Retail Operations Assis-tant, Service Station, ci-vilian only

–Sewing Machine Opera-tor, civilian only

–Recreation Specialist,Youth/Teen Center, civil-ian only

–Operations Assistant,Youth Center/SchoolAge Care, civilian only

–Recreation Specialist,Youth Center/SchoolAge Care, civilian only

–Recreation Assistant,Youth Sports, civilian/military

–Sports Specialist, Ath-letics

–Supervisory ComputerTechnician, I.T.

OTHER ITEMS

Continuously Open JobsAnnouncements (FT,PT, FLX)

MCCS Executive Admin-istration Office

Loss And Prevention:–Security Guard (Loss

And Prevention Agent)Business Operations Di-

visionRetail Branch:–Laborer–Sales Clerk–Store Worker–Food Service Worker,

auto mini martFood & Hospitality:–ID Checker–Waiter/Waitress–Food Service WorkerServices Branch:–Car Rental/Service Sta-

tion Attendant–Car/Washer/Laborer–Recreation AttendantMarine And Family Ser-

vice DivisionLibrary Branch:–Library Aid–Library TechnicianChild Development Cen-

ter/School Age CareBranch:

–Program Assistant–Operations AssistantYouth/Teen Center

Branch:–Recreation Attendant–Operations AssistantSemper Fit DivisionAthletics Branch:–Recreation Attendant–LifeguardSMP, Sakura Theater

Branch:–Recreation Attendant–Food Service WorkerHealth Promotions

Branch:–Recreation AttendantGo to www.mccsiwakuni.com for a complete joblisting.

OUT THE GATENote: Japanese who do not

speak English may answer thephone numbers provided.

Display Of Tea Set, Hina DollsAnd Paintings

There is a display of nearly 60pieces of tea service items, hina dollsand paintings at the Kikkawa Mu-seum near the Kintai Bridge nowthrough March 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.The museum is closed everyWednesday and Feb. 15. Englishtranslations to the displayed items

FRIDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Win A Date With Ted

Hamilton (PG-13)2 p.m./8 p.m. Shattered Glass (PG-

13)11 p.m./5 a.m. Never Die Alone (R)

2 a.m. Old School (R)

MOVIE SCHEDULE Caribbean (PG-13)11 p.m./5 a.m. Rob Roy (R)

2 a.m. Don’t Say A Word (R)

WEDNESDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. The Prince And Me(PG)

2 p.m./8 p.m. The Medallion (PG-13)11 p.m./5 a.m. The Glass House

(PG-13)2 a.m. Stranger Than Fiction

(R)

THURSDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Shrek 2 (PG)2 p.m./8 p.m. M.A.S.H. (PG)

11 p.m./5 a.m. The Quiet American (R)2 a.m. The Score (R)

SAKURA

FRIDAY

7 p.m. Flight Of Phoenix (PG-13)10 p.m. Ocean’s Twelve (PG-13)

SATURDAY

1 p.m. Christmas With The Kranks(PG)

4 p.m. Phantom Of The Opera(PG-13)

7 p.m. Flight Of Phoenix (PG-13)10 p.m. Blade Trinity (R)

SUNDAY

4 p.m. Ocean’s Twelve (PG-13)7 p.m. Alexander (R)

MONDAY7 p.m. Fat Albert (PG)

TUESDAY

7 p.m. National Treasure (PG)

WEDNESDAY

7 p.m. Flight Of Phoenix (PG-13)

THURSDAY

7 p.m. Blade Trinity (R)

SATURDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. Rat Race (PG-13)

2 p.m./8 p.m. Orange County(PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Fargo (R)2 a.m. Trapped (R)

SUNDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Rumor Of Angels(PG-13)

2 p.m./8 p.m. Minority Report(PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. Changing Lanes (R)2 a.m. Windtalkers (R)

MONDAY

11 a.m./5 p.m. Rollerball (PG-13)2 p.m./8 p.m. Paycheck (PG-13)

11 p.m./5 a.m. 8 Mile (R)2 a.m. Urban Legends: Final

Cut (R)

TUESDAY11 a.m./5 p.m. View From The Top

(PG-13) 2 p.m./8 p.m. Pirates Of The

This schedule is submitted by the SakuraTheater and is subject to change. For showtimes call the Sakura Theater at 253-5291.

“I can mashed potato, I cando the twist - watch me now!”

Pfc. Mark Fayloga

Pfc. Floyd James Browne, Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron cook, prepares mashed potatoes for Wednesday’slunch in the galley of the R. G. Robinson Mess Hall. The messhall prepares between 400 and 500 potatoes every day.

JOB OPENINGS

are prepared. An admission fee isrequired. Call 41-1010 for more de-tails.

Setsubun FestivalThere will be a festival cerebrat-

ing the beginning of Spring, heldThursday at the Daishoin Temple onMiyajima Island. The service startsat 11 a.m. A Japanese drum perfor-mance is scheduled at 12:30 p.m.,and the bean scattering for good luckwill be performed 1-1:30 p.m. Forfurther details, call 0829-44-0111.

Otake Sunday MarketA market is scheduled Sunday, 10

a.m. to 3 p.m. at Harumi DaiichiPark, next to You Me Town, Otake.Booths will be set up to sell freshvegetables, fish and more. An Oys-ter Festival will also be held at thesame time. Call 53-7175 for moreinformation.

Southern Seto Concert of JapaneseMusic

This concert will be held at Sun-beam Yanai in Yanai City, Sunday,12:30-4 p.m. Various groups will per-form on Japanese instruments, suchas taiko drums, koto and sangen. Ad-mission is free. For further informa-tion, call 0820-22-0111.

LOST ITEMS

GUNNERY SGT. M.A. ZEID

Combat Correspondent

Starting Feb. 9, the year 2005 will be somethingto crow about as people in Japan celebrate theChinese New Year and welcome the Year of theRooster.

The rooster is the tenth of the “junishi,” or 12animal signs of the Oriental zodiac. The mostpopular legend states one New Year’s Day long ago,the Jade Emperor called for all animals to come to theHeavenly Palace. However, only 12 came.

The rat was first since he had hitched a ride onthe back of the ox. They were early and had to waitfor the gates to open. When the gates did slowlyopen, the rat jumped off the ox and ran inside, thusbecoming the first animal sign of the zodiac. The oxwas next, and throughout the day other animalsarrived in the following order: tiger, rabbit, dragon,snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and wildboar.

Many people in Japan and Asia follow theOriental zodiac and expect people to exhibit charac-teristics of their animal sign from the year they wereborn. Some Japanese “nakodo,” or matchmakers,carefully consider future couples’ compatibilitybased on their birth years when arranging marriages.

According to several Web sites such asLovegevity at www.usbridalguide.com , andwww.Chinavoc.com, people born in the year of therooster are flamboyant, feisty and obstinate. Theylike to express their opinions and are proud of whothey are. At the same time, they are seen as veryhard working and honest. While they are blunt andup front, they are veryloyal. As a result, theyhate dishonesty of anysort.

They love to be thecenter of attention, butthey also love the com-pany of others. Once theystart telling a story, theyexpect you to stay to hearthe end and become miffed ifyou can’t. The problem isoften they tend to brag aboutthemselves and their achievements.

Those born in 2005 are born in year of thewood rooster, which makes them a little different.These people enjoy being part of a team rather

February heralds Year of Rooster

than taking the spotlight. They develop genuinefriendships and enjoy the company of others.

Furthermore, they have a real desireto work for the improvement ofsociety.

When it comes to love,rooster people are hard to live

with. First of all, they are upfront with their feelings.Either they like you or theydon’t. Rarely is there any

in between. They can alsobe bossy and stubborn. But

once a person gets pass thatexterior, they find a very romantic

and caring individual underneath.Still, rooster people need a

stable partner who will standup to them when necessary.

Good matches are people born in the year of the ox,or snake. People born in the years of the horse,sheep or boar can have a good marriage to a roosterperson. Those born in the years of the rat, monkeyor rooster would be the worst possible matches formarriage.

In business, those born in the year of the roosterare highly motivated and hard working. They havethe eye for detail, which makes they good atfinances. They rarely quit project once they begin.Rooster people make excellent actors, soldiers,dancers, bookkeepers, insurance agents, musicians,dentists and bankers.

Some famous rooster people are Groucho Marx,Errol Flynn, Steve Martin, Benjamin Franklin, LarryKing, Melanie Griffith, Bette Midler, Michelle Pfeiffer,Eric Clapton, Mia Farrow, Rod Stewart and YokoOno.

PAGE 10 COMMUNITY BRIEFSTORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005 SPORTS PAGE 11TORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005

LAST MAN STANDING PAINTBALL TOURNAMENTSaturday, 8 a.m. at the MCCS Paintball Range. Register for $35 at the

IronWorks Gym front desk. For more information, call Outdoor Recreationat 253-3822.

UNIT PT KICKBOXING KICK-OFF (PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE)Feb. 4, 5:30-7 a.m. Enter your unit in this kickboxing event and earn 20

points towards the Presidential Challenge. The military unit with the mostfitness points in the challenge wins $500 for their unit PT party fund. Allparticipating units receive 20 points towards the President’s Challenge.Call 253-5051 for further details.

RUN FOR YOUR HEART 5K RACEFeb. 11. Check in at 10:45 a.m. The race begins at 11:30 a.m. Partici-

pants complete in the following categories: ages 13-17, ages 18-34, ages 35

and older, and a unit competition. Registration is open until Feb. 4. First andsecond place units participating win money for their unit party fund. Formore information, call 253-5051.

EXTENDED $1 TUESDAY HOURS$1 Tuesdays hours have been extended. Now starting at noon, U.S. and

Japanese active duty service members play golf for $1. Then 1-8 p.m.,service members show their $1 green fee receipt at the Eagle’s Nest Loungeto receive a $1 draft beer and a $1 small order of buffalo wings. Only oneorder per service member is allowed. Call 253-3402 for further informa-tion.

LIFEGUARD CLASSMonday through Feb. 11, 5-9 p.m. Get certified and get hired. Work for

MCCS Aquatics. Call 253-4966 for details.

IWAKUNI SPORTS SCENE

Lunch MenusWeek Of Jan. 31-Feb. 4Monday –Soft Shell Beef Taco W/Lettuce & Tomato, SpanishRice, Chilled Peaches, Chocolate Cake, MilkTuesday – Hamburger on a Bun, Lettuce, Tomato & Pickles,Curly Fries, Awesome Applesauce, Rice Krispie Treat, MilkWednesday – Spaghetti W/Meatsauce, Garlic Bread, Seasoned

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

MCCSNihongo de...

Club Iwakuni (253-3727)n Sunset Garden: Sunday, 7 p.m. in the ClubBallroom. Open mic for musicians, poets, sing-ers and comedians.

Youth & Teen Center (253-6454)n Monthly Birthday Party: Saturday, 3-5 p.m.n Passport To Manhood Meeting: Sunday, 3-5p.m. Males ages 13-18 are invited to the TeenCenter for plenty of free food and an afternoonof fun.n SMART Girls Meeting: 10 to 12-year-oldgirls meet Feb. 5, 3-5 p.m. Come on over for feefood and fun.

Single Marine Program (253-3585)n Madden Football Tournament: Saturday, 6p.m. Prizes for first, second and third place win-ners.n Committee Meeting: Tuesday, 10 a.m.n Geihoku Valley Ski & Snowboarding Trip:Feb. 5, 5 a.m. $10 transportation. ¥5,000 for aone-day lift ticket. Checkout skis andsnowboards at the IronWorks Gym Gear Issue.Bring yen for lunch and souvenirs.

Think Light Healthy Cooking ClassTuesday, 6-8 p.m. The “slow-carb” low fat reci-pes that train your body to release and burnstored fat. Sign-up for $5. Call 253-3696 for moredetails.

Tuesday Night Happy Bookers ClubTuesday, 7 p.m. in the library multipurposeroom. The group is reviewing The GoodEarth by Pearl Buck. March’s book will be Mid-wives by Chris Bohjalian. Call 253-3078 for de-tails.

NHK (TV & radio station) Tour And Shop-ping In HiroshimaFebruary 4, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This tour in En-glish is free except for transportation fees. Thetrip includes a TV studio tour, 3-D scenogra-phy experience, weather camera experience andmore. Call 253-6165 to sign-up.

Home Buying WorkshopThursday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call the office toreserve a seat. This course is a must for experi-enced and beginner home buyers alike, for thosewho will be purchasing soon and those juststarting to think about taking the plunge. Call253-6250 for more information.

Australia Travel Club Yard SaleThis club will sponsor a yard sale Saturday, 7a.m. to 5 p.m. at the triangle. The club consistsof some of the seniors graduating with the 2004-2005 class. The Travel Club is in no way associ-ated with any school.

OTHER

Green Peas, Chilled Pears, Cookie, MilkThursday – Chicken Sandwich, Carrot & Celery Sticks, RanchDressing, Crispy Potato Wedges, Baked Beans, Fresh Fruit,MilkFriday – Chicken Burrito, Letttuce & Tomato, Spanish Rice,Assort Fruit Juice, Brownie, Milk

PFC. MARK FAYLOGA

Combat Correspondent

The President’s Challenge willbegin Feb. 4, with a President’sChampions Unit Physical TrainingKickboxing Kickoff. The challenge is a10-month competition where Stationunits can earn up to $1,800 for theirparty fund. The challenge is open toany unit on Station.

The president’s challenge consistsof 12 events, beginning with thekickboxing kickoff and ending withGladiators the Ultimate Unit PTChallenge Oct. 14.

The kickboxing kickoff will be theonly opportunity for units to sign upfor the president’s challenge. In orderto be eligible for any challenge event,at least 10 percent of a units worksection must be present, said Tracy D.Morgan, IronWorks fitness coordina-tor.

During each of the president’schallenge events units have a chanceto win trophies and cash. Units canwin $100 for their party fund and atrophy for taking first place in anyevent. Second place in any event willearn a unit $75 for their party fund anda trophy. Aside from the cash andtrophies the events are a great way toPT as a unit and earn respect andrecognition from other units, saidMorgan.

“ Our unit decided about this time

last year to acceptthe challenge andcompete in all theevents not only forthe cash prize butalso to becomebetter known onbase,” said MasterSgt. Michael D.Henderson, staffnoncommissionedofficer in charge forMarine Air ControlSquadron 4.Henderson’s unitwas last year’schallenge winners.

Each eventthroughout theyear carries acertain point value.All units earn thesame amount ofpoints at each event, as long as theyshow up. The exception is the finalevent. During the gladiators challengepoints are earned through a nine-event competition, said Morgan. Theteam with the most total points at theend of the final competition wins $500for their unit’s partyfund.

“Events are spreadout through the entireyear because offrequent deployments,”said Morgan. “By

Station units called for President’s Challenge

Photos courtesy of IronWorks Semper Fit Division

Sgt. Jacob J. Witt, Headquarters and Headquarters Squad-ron maintenance and lighting noncommissioned officer incharge, pushes a teammate during the Gladiator's Chal-lenge, the final event of the President's Challenge.

Feb. 4Feb. 11March 11April 24May 25May 27June 10July 22Aug. 5Aug. 14Sept. 9Oct. 14

Kickboxing KickoffRun For Your Heart 5KPaintball Unit PT CompetitionKintai Marathon (team of 4 to run 10.5K each)Indoor Triathlon Unit PTMemorial Day Fun RunPoker Run Unit PTPaintball Unit PT CompetitionWater Polo Unit PTSprint TriathlonPT Strength and Endurance ChallengeGladiators “The Ultimate Unit PT Challenge”

20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points20 points25 points for attend-ing with the ability toearn up to 90 points

DATE EVENT POINTS

President’s Challenge Events

having the events spread out throughthe year and the opportunity to earnbonus points at the gladiator’schallenge, we were able to keep thepresident’s challenge as fair aspossible.”

“The great thing about the

Marine Aircraft Group 12, puts forward maximum effortto win the tug-of-war competition at last years Gladiator'sChallenge. The Gladiator's Challenge is the last event inthe President's Challenge.

president’s challenge isthat most of the eventsthrough the year areevents that units are goingto be involved in anyway.So the challenge is a goodway to earn cash forsomething you werealready going to do,” saidMorgan. “The president’schallenge is a great chancefor unit PT and to see allthe semper fit programsavailable to Marines herein Iwakuni,” saidHenderson. “It made ourunit tighter. We willcompete again this yearand barring any deploy-ments, we will win again.” Any units interested inparticipating in the

president’s challenge must be presentat the kickboxing kickoff to sign up. Ifthere are any questions, comments orconcerns about the challenge, unitscan contact Tracy Morgan at 253-5051or e-mail her at MorganTra@usms-mccs.org.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ( 2005 ? 1? 18 ? ) --

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 3?000? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? 175,000 ? ? ? 178,000? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2004? 10? 8 ? ? ?

? ? ? 2005 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? 3?000? ? ? ? ? ? 3? ? ? ? ? ? ? ( 1 ? ? ? ? 1,000? ? ? ) ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? · ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? 3,000? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? 24 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? 3,000? ? ? ? ? 2?000 ? ? 24 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? 24? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 100? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? · ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 425? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 425? ? ? ? ?278 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 135? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?2006? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? 2007 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2008? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 120 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 60? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 60 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? 45 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? CH-53D? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? 20? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ? ? 3,000 ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

PAGE 12 SPORTSTORII TELLER, JANUARY 28, 2005

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

PFC. LUKAS J. BLOM

Combat Correspondent

More than 300 players and familymembers sat in the gymnasiumbleachers mesmerized by the pulsatingdrums of the Yuu Zenitsubo TaikoDrummers, anxiously anticipating thebeginning of the 2005 youth basket-ball season. The Station YouthBasketball League got off to a rousingstart during its openingceremonies at IronWorksGym here, Jan. 22.

“Welcome, allparents and playersto the Youth Basket-ball Opening Ceremo-nies,” said Jaime D.Buning, Semper Fityouth sports coordinator.“We will have a very busyseason ahead of us this year.”

The games kicked off following theYuu Zenitsubo Taiko Drummers set oftraditional Japanese drum music.

Each team has Japanese players aswell as Americans.

“We’ve never had a real problemwith the language barrier,” said NakiaW. Witherow, head coach of the 7-9-year-old Celtics. “They pick upeverything very quickly by watchingand just having fun with the rest ofthe team.”

The Celtic team began their seasonin a fast paced match up with theTimberwolves.

“We played extremely well,” said

Young players kick off new seasonWitherow. “I’m very proud of theway they played. We’ve beenrunning and shooting a lot more inpractice than we did last year. Ithink we’ll have a very goodseason, we’ve got a lot of talent onthe squad.”

The 7-9-year-old Pistons tookon the Knicks in a pulse racinggame next.

“We’re pretty good this year,”said Rori T. Stubbs, 9, Pistons

center. “Everybody can runreally fast and play prettygood.” A total of 20 teamswere divided into fourdivisions by age;ranging from four to 12years old, said Buning.

This year is the first thatchildren as young as four

years old will be able to participatein the basketball season. The players in the 4-year-old tothe 7-9-year-old division play in anoncompetitive format where thescore is not posted. The noncom-petitive format is designed to havethe players focus on the fundamen-tals, sportsmanship and have fun,said Buning.

Motivating the players withsharp dance moves and creativechants throughout the day’scompetition were members of threecheerleading squads: the LittleAngels, All Stars and the Sun Fires.

“I would like to thank all mycoaches and players parents ahead

of time for their supportthroughout theseason,” said Buning.“I’m sure this will be afun and excitingseason.

LEFT: Bulls’ player Andrew Erwin, 5, practices his jump shots in the pre-game warm up sessionwith his team. The Bulls went on to face the Lakers in their season opener. ABOVE: Membersof the Yuu Zenitsubo Taiko Drummers captivated the crowd at the youth basketball openingceremonies with the rhythmic beats of their traditional Japanese music.

Justice Lasyone, 9, drives down the court and dazzles a Pistons' playeron defense with a vicious crossover. The youth basketball season kickedoff at IronWorks Gym here, Jan. 22.