the pacific connection · november/december 1997 the pacific connection 3 necessity: invention is...

Pacific ConnectionThe

Inside

Volume 31Number 9 ClickArt® EPS Illustrations ©1987 T/Maker Co.

US Army Corps of EngineersPacific Ocean DivisionNovember/December 1997

FallHolidaySafety

...0

Corps familyanswers whencalled

...Page 4

See “VERA/VSIP,” page 15

Story by Alexander Kufel

VERA/VSIP attracts 35 applicants

ProductivePeople

...Page 19

The incentive buy-out and early-retirement programs thatwere offered to Headquarters POD and HED employeesat the grade levels of GS-13 and

below in an effort to minimize the effects ofreorganization drew 40 formal inquiries frominterested employees. Of those, 35 met thedeadline of submitting the appropriate pa-perwork by Nov. 14 with 28 people request-ing optional retirement, three requesting earlyretirement under VERA (Voluntary EarlyRetirement Authority) and four requestingseparation from federal employment underVSIP (Voluntary Separation Incentive Pro-gram).

The criteria used for determining accep-tance involved weighing each applicationagainst mission requirements and an aggre-gate net savings to the organization over atwo-year period, said Vernon Kajikawa, chiefof POD Human Resources. Consequently,every application was approved, and thingswill now progress fairly rapidly, with allearly retirements required by regulation tobe completed by Dec. 30.

HED Commander, Lt. Col. Ralph H. Graves, said that theimplications of this buyout were that it clearly avoids the need forinvoluntary separtions at a later date. The downside of this action

is that the people leaving are the ones withexperience.

The whole process went by much moresmoothly than the last time POD offeredthese incentive programs, said Kajikawa. “Mygoal was to make sure people understood theimplications of VERA and VSIP. Judging bythe types of questions we received, I think wesucceeded,” he said.

Kajikawa also said that organizationalobjectivity had to be maintained throughoutthe process to ensure the decision was of eachperson’s own making, and he was satisfiedthat they succeeded with that too.

The projected RIF (reduction-in-force)action will take place in early January andis the procedure required to assign em-ployees to two stand-alone organizations.Thus, RIF letters are anticipated to go outJan. 7. All RIF actions are expected to becompleted by March 15, and the physical

Full-servicepartnershipdeveloped

...Page13

Strategic Vision a little hazy but coming into view

See “Clarifying vision,” page 6

Vernon Kajikawa, chief of Human Resources,said, “My goal was to make sure peopleunderstood the implications of VERA andVSIP. Judging by the types of questions wereceived, I think we succeeded.”

A clear view of the Corps’ Vision is still a long way frombeing 20-20 in Headquarters POD and HED, if a recent

random telephone sampling is any indication.An informal, albeit non-scientific, survey unearthed the per-

haps not-so-startling conclusion that a very small percentage ofemployees have a firm grasp of the Strategic Vision’s three majorgoals or seven substrategies. About one in seven appear to haveknowledge of the Vision’s existence and only about one in 20 can

cite the seven substrategies.“Gee,” said one respondent. “I’ve been working with this

so much that it’s kind of disheartening to know that mostpeople don’t know much about it. Hey, PA, you better get theword out!”

The word is that the Corps’ Vision is called “Corps Plus”and it has major goals involving people, mission, and efficiency

Photo by Alexander Kufel

Commentary

Photographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Dung

The Pacific Connection, an unofficial publication autho-rized by AR360-81, is a monthly newspaper produced bythe Public Affairs Office, Pacific Ocean Division, US ArmyCorps of Engineers, Fort Shafter, HI 96858-5440, (808)438-9862. This command information newspaper is foremployees and others who request it in writing. Contentsare not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, theU.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the De-partment of the Army. Circulation: approximately 1,300.

Division Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Col. (P) Carl A. Strock

Chief, Public Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Hawthorne

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexander Kufel

Commentary

2 The Pacific Connection November/December 1997

Commander’ s Comment

By Col.Carl A. Strock

POD Commander

Customer service serves us, too

This newspaperis printed onrecycled paper.

Democracy:

“I’m convinced

that we area respected

institution in theeyes of the

American people.

”—Col. Carl A. Strock

Democracy arises from men’s thinking that if they are equal in any respect, they are equal in all respects.—Aristotle, Greek philosopher, 384-322 B.C.

It is hard to believe that three months have passedsince I took command of the Division from Col.

Robin Cababa. I have learned much in that short timeas I concentrated on understanding who we are andwho our customers are. To do both, I felt it importantto visit each district, each field office and a represen-tative number of projects. I have been universallyimpressed with everyone I met andeverything I saw. We clearly enjoya dedicated and competentworkforce, exciting projects, anddemanding but appreciative cus-tomers.

I came to realize that our cus-tomers fall in three broad catego-ries: end users, taxpayers, and re-sponsible officials. Our responsi-bilities to each category are inter-related but each has a different setof requirements that are addressedin different ways.

First and last, we must neverlose sight of our most importantcustomer, the end user: from theAlaskan fisherman who now has asafe harbor at Kodiak; to the airmanprocessing passengers in the termi-nal at Hickam AFB; to soldiers inKorea who are moving from Quonset huts to modernbarracks; to families who live, learn, shop, play, heal,and worship in our facilities. I assure you that theyknow and appreciate all you are doing to enhance thequality of their working and leisure environment.

Taxpayers provide the resources to do our workand give us direction through their elected represen-tatives. We owe it to them to be stewards of both theenvironment and the national resources entrusted toour care. We do this through striking the balancebetween responsible growth and preservation of theenvironment for future generations. I am convincedthat we are a respected institution in the eyes of theAmerican people.

Responsible officials include local authoritiesin civil works projects, but our supported command-ers are perhaps our most demanding and visiblecustomers. They must make tough decisions on howto allocate their severely limited funds to keep theirunits trained and ready while also tending to quality oflife issues. The success of almost everything they do

relies on the quality of their facili-ties and infrastructure.

The needs in this area aregrowing due to advances in tech-nology and the continuing agingof our installations. With require-ments expanding and fundsshrinking we cannot continue todo business as usual and stillprovide the quality support ourcustomers demand and deserve.Change is an imperative, particu-larly in our region of the worldwhere customers have otherchoices. Recognition of the im-perative to change forms the basisfor our Corps Vision and our strat-egy for change.

The three pillars of our strat-egy are to Revolutionize Effec-tiveness, Seek Growth Opportuni-

ties, and Invest in People. I charge each of you torededicate yourselves to these pillars with the realiza-tion that our ultimate objective is to satisfy, no, delightthe customer. In that way you will contribute to therecognition that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is,in the words of our Vision, “—a vital part of the Army,the Engineer team of choice, and a values-basedorganization - Respected, Responsive, and Reliable.”

And keep in mind, too, something that SamWalton, the founder of Walmart said, “There is onlyone boss: the customer. And he can fire everybodyin the company from the chairman on down, simplyby spending his money somewhere else.”

We want our customers to choose to stay with us.

November/December 1997 The Pacific Connection 3

Necessity:Invention is the mother of necessity.—Thorstein Veblen, U.S. economist, 1857-1929

By Lt. Gen.Joe N. BallardUSACE Commander

Ihave been on the road lately and I canattest with personal experience to the

breadth of our organizational geographyacross the Pacific. Although we may bescattered throughout the region —from Anchorage to Seoul to Tokyo,Honolulu and to Agana — we arebound tightly by tradition and acommon purpose. That sense ofcommitment and purpose thatbrings us together shouldcarry over at this time ofyear, to the spirit of theHoliday Season as wegather with family,friends and co-workersto celebrate andworship according toour own personalchoices. It is a time topause and reflect on ayear of successes andprogress marked by majorstrides to restructure our organization andposition ourselves for an even more fruitful 1998.

Holid ay message from the Chief

This past year ranks as one of the best of mycareer. I am truly blessed to be leading this

great organization and working with some of thefinest people in the Department of Defense.

As I reflect on the past year, I have amplereason to be proud of the way you have supportedthe United States and our soldiers. The Corps hasprotected U.S. forces in the Middle East andcontinues to support our soldiers in Bosnia. Webuilt numerous facilities at Army and Air Forcebases around the nation to enhance their capabili-ties as power-projection platforms, and toenhance the quality of life of families. We alsohave the lead in renovating the Pentagon, thenerve center of the entire Department of De-fense.

As always, our support to the nation remains

Ample reason to be proudsteady. Corps team members saved lives and property byfighting floods in California, the Pacific Northwest,and the Ohio River and Mississippi valleys.

The Corps continues to restore wetlands andwildlife habitat, including taking an active part inrestoring the Everglades, the world’s largest environ-mental restoration project.

We cleaned and decontaminated toxic wastesites, including former defense sites in order to turnthem back to public use.

Perhaps most importantly, we continue to look tothe future, and we have established a Vision andStrategic Plan to guide us as we face the comingchallenges. I look forward to the coming year withgreat anticipation of what we can accomplish together.

The Corps family wishes you and your familyhappy holidays and a joyous and prosperous New Year.

Holid ay message from the Commander

POD: United by tradition, purposeBy Col. Carl A. Strock,POD Commander

Everywhere I’ve gone over the past severalmonths I have seen evidence of our commit-

ment and the accomplishment of a veryimportant mission in our part of the world.

There is much to be proud of and to bethankful for. Still, the best is yet to

come as we move past our currentrestructuring pains and emerge in

1998 as a robust organizationwith a clear view of where weare headed.

Meanwhile, as we take awell-deserved break over thenext several weeks, I wantto wish all of you a joyousHoliday Season. Julie,Chris, John and I wishyou and your family avery Merry Christmasand a Happy NewYear. Enjoy your-

selves, celebrate sanelyand safely, and we’ll

gather again next year tocontinue the important work we have to do here

in the Pacific.

—Col.Carl A. Strock

“We are

bound tightlyby tradition

and a commonpurpose that

brings ustogether at thistime of year.

”


Xenophobia (fear of strangers) doesn’t benefit anyone unless you’re playing high-stakes Scrabble.—Dennis Miller, American comedian.

Corps family answers when called

Fear:

A fter hearing the phrase “corps family,” haveyou wondered if the Corps really is that close?

If so, your doubts will dissolve after reading howpeople from the Kansas City (KCD) and Far EastDistricts (FED) worked together in support of theKeast family.

When Mark Keast left his job as a civil engineerin the KCD for an assignment in Korea two yearsago, he had no idea he would return to the District assoon as he did, and especially not under the circum-stances that led to his return. Nor did he realize theresponse he would receive from his former teammembers and friends.

Mark and his two children, Michelle and Ryan,had journeyed back to Missouri for a short vacation.Sandra, his wife, remained in Korea where she hadjust started a new job. As Mark and the childrendrove across southwest Missouri to the resort area ofBranson, their plans changed abruptly: a pickuptruck crossed the highway center line and crashedhead-on into their automobile.

Mark and Michell were rushed by ambulance toa Springfield hospital. Ryan, who had been sitting inthe back seat, went via Lifeflight medical helicopterand was operated on immediately because of anintestine torn by the seatbelt. Mark and Michelle alsowere seriously injured and Mark was put into amedically induced coma for three weeks as part of histreatment. He had two broken legs, a broken arm,two broken ribs and a punctured lung. Michelle, inthe front seat with her Dad, sustained a broken ankleand a fractured left femur. Finding out about theaccident from her brother, Sandra Keast left Koreaimmediately on a 17-hour flight to be with herhusband and children.

With news of the wreck, KCD employees quicklyrallied to help their former teammate. Bill McFarland,the District’s point-of-contact, working with Lt. Col.William E. Ryan, the deputy district engineer; JerryAdams, executive assistant; Cliff Shaw and JanieCavitt, office of counsel; and Clarissa Grill, of thehuman resources office, contacted Sandra and twomembers of the FED—Frank Doyle, constructiondivision, and Jeoffrey Mueller, office of counsel—todetermine both the immediate and future needs of theKeasts and how best to meet them. KCD quickly

dubbed this group Team KEAST, for Keasts’ Extraor-dinary Assistance Strategy Team.

Upon regaining consciousness, Mark Keast indi-cated that because his rehabilitation needs would belong-term, he desired reassignment to his former dis-trict rather than return to Korea. Coordinating with thefamily and Corps personnel in Korea, Team KEASTworked to achieve the transfer, and to obtain power ofattorney that would allow Sandra to return their car andhousehold goods from Korea and negotiate closure ofthe lease on their Korea apartment—no small task.

FED willingly met these challenges. Doyle be-came the Korea point-of-contact and obtained medicalrecords from the 121st Hospital and school recordsfrom the American School in Seoul. Mueller assistedin the process of obtaining power of attorney forSandra and worked out legal questions concerningMark’s pay, leave, and transfer from FED to KCD. Healso resolved the family’s apartment lease obligationsand utility bills.

Linda Sapulo-Warner, Sandra’s co-worker, helpedto pack up the Keasts’ household goods and personalbelongings. Gordon Cheatham, another co-worker,assisted in getting their car shipped to St. Louis, Mo.Richard Brown and Mary Beth Martinez of the 8thArmy Personnel office, and T. S. Kim of the housingoffice were invaluable processing the necessary paper-work.

“This story is clear evidence that the Corps isindeed a family. And, that that family is there whenone of its members needs help,” said Mueller.

The story doesn’t end there. In Kansas City, theneed was to renovate the Keasts’ home, occupied byrenters for two years. The call went out. On a Saturdaymorning, 17 District employees, together with Sandra’sparents, Loren and Elizabeth Kling, and brother, David,took it upon themselves to help. Some looked at thepossibility of making several interior and exteriorrenovations to accommodate wheelchair access. Oth-ers repainted the inside of the house, did generalcleaning and worked in the yard.

Today, the children are attending school in ShawneeMission, Kan., a suburb of Kansas City. Michelle is nolonger on crutches. Mark, who was transferred fromSpringfield to a rehabilitation center in Kansas City, isnow home, walking with crutches. He did get reas-signed to KCD in September.

The Corps’ family is indeed close. Just ask theKeasts.

Story by Gloria Stanley, Far East District,and Larry Crump, Kansas City District

The “Ohana” or extended famil y concept is not limited to Ha waii


Just Thinkingby Alexander Kufel

Opinion

The perils of visiting the doctor

Ideas:An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe in it.—Don Marquis (1878-1937) U.S. humorist

aspirin.”That was the beginning. Over the years, I’ve

had my share of sprains, strains, rashes, colds andcomplaints. It’s never failed. No matter what it was,when I hobbled in to see him, he was hobblingworse. When I had a cold or the flu so bad I couldbarely make it to the doctor’s office, I would be

routed to another doctor; mine was homesick. When I complained that a medica-

tion didn’t seem to work very well, hewould suggest another, saying that thenew one had just worked fine for him.

It can’t possibly have anything todo with me, but I still feel guilty. It

has gotten so bad that I findmyself waiting until the last

possible moment to go to thedoctor, simply because I can’t

stand the prospect of having myfavorite medic limping around,

wearing crutches, or being too sickto go to work.

Recently, I went to the emer-gency room of the hospital on aweekend with a badly infectedfinger. The doctor treated it unevent-fully and told me to follow up with

my regular physician in a few days. Itold him the story and my fears.

“Hey!” he said. “You’re the one! We’ve beenhearing about you for years.”

I know it’s ridiculous, but I’ve been unwillingto participate in flu-shot programs at work becauseI’m afraid this might be catching.

Before I take on this alarming concept, I wantto try out an idea. I’ve been thinking of conductingan experiment. I’m going to watch what I eat,exercise regularly, shed some weight and go in tosee my usual doctor.

“How are you?” he’ll say, no doubt strugglingwith confusion as to why I’m there.

“Great!” I’ll answer, showing him how myclothes no longer fit like sausage casings, my chestrings clear, and my blood pressure is lower than it’sbeen in years.

If he answers, “Me, too!” and shows me howhis clothing is even looser than mine, it’ll be worthit. Then, I’ll see what happens when I elect to getthe flu shot at work.

I can tell you to the exact day each year when Iwill get the flu. My prediction is more reliable

than some clocks. Some people may consider itan uncanny ability on my part to foretell thefuture. But, I can tell you this — it’s no secret—it’s always the day after I get my flu shot.

I’ve learned to take advantage of this realiza-tion. I don’t schedule anything important forthe next couple of days following the shot. Istock up on soups and fruit juices; I getstarted on a good book and have a videomovie or two ready that’s perfect for acouch-potato. And, I seek solace in theknowledge that the version I’m ex-periencing is nothing compared tothe full-blown one I would surelyget without the shot, or so theysay. I also get the flu early andout of the way before the holidayseason’s parties and vacations. Bydoing that I skip the weeks andmonths of anxiety that others maysuffer waiting for the dreaded in-fluenza to strike.

There’s more to this than itmay first seem. I feel that I havean obligation to help my familydoctor plan his year, too. For,whatever I have, he is almostguaranteed to have it at the same time as me.Only worse.

When I first went to see him I was veryapprehensive. I was coming down with a cold. Icalled my health plan clinic and they assigned meto a doctor. I didn’t know him. He didn’t knowme. Not only did I have a cold, I had a sore armand was sure that he would take me to task forapplying an herbal adhesive pad over the spotinstead of making an appointment with an AMA-approved doctor.

When I took off my shirt, he stood upexcitedly, blew his nose in his handkerchief, andsaid, “Salonpas! You’re using Salonpas!”

With that, he put his foot up on a chair, rolleddown his sock, and stifling a sneeze, said that hewas using it, too. He had turned an ankle whilerunning and was using the topical aspirin in theherbal pad to help reduce swelling. “This is goodstuff!” he said. “It contains two different types of


At the recent Senior Leaders Conference in Honolulu, representativesof POD and its four districts worked in seven groups to developinitiatives in line with achieving the seven substrategies of the Corps’Vision. A starting point was each group’s definition of an end state—the “perfect world if the Vision were attained”—for each substrategy.The “expectations,” as they were deemed, required each group todefine the substrategy and reach some conclusion with regard to theproper approach in its implementation. Following are the expectationsfor the seven substrategies:

Align for Success. Transform POD through successfulorganizational change and strive to realign organizational structureand business processes to focus on customer needs.

Satisfy the Customer. Satisfy the Customer by fulfillingexpectations of quality, timeliness and cost effectiveness throughimproved business processes and and greater incorporation ofnew strategies and technology.

Build the Team. Embrace a “unified team” concept whichencompasses Army engineer soldiers, members of US Army Corpsof Engineers, and members of installation Directorates of PublicWorks as part of the total Army engineer family. For our part, wewill provide “one door to the Corps” for our customers to obtainsupport from the entire Corps team. We will provide seamless andintegrated response through the combined efforts of Corps-wideorganizations and skills.

Serve the Army. Participate actively in senior forums withinPACOM. Develop plans and procedures to support militarycontingency operations in PACOM. Participate with supportedcommands in JCS and PACOM exercises. Train the staff inemergency operations. Develop a rapid deployment capability.

Enhance Capabilities. Retain current customers andworkload and market and capitalize on opportunities for missiongrowth within core competencies. Identify customer needs andexpand core competencies to meet those needs.

Build Strategic Commitment. Educate our employeesand partners with the Corps Vision. Achieve total understandingof the Vision and individual roles and responsibilities needed toattain its goals and objectives.

Reshape the Culture. Shape a culture that reinforcescorporateness, customer service, core values and the importanceof investing in people.

Formula for success: How to

Clarifying (strategic) vision...Continued from Page 1

Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving there is no need to do so, almost everyone getsbusy on the proof. —John Kenneth Galbraith, economistCertainty:

and responsiveness.In a booklet on the subject that was given Corps-

wide distribution, the Vision was described thisway:

The Army Corps of Engineers will become “theworld’s premier engineering organization, trainedand ready to provide support anytime, anyplace. (Itwill be) a full spectrum engineer force of highquality, educated soldiers and civilians (dedicatedto becoming) a vital part of the Army; the engineerteam of choice responding to our Nation’s needs inpeace and war; and a values-based organization(that is) respected, responsive and reliable.”

The “master strategy” to reach this Vision isarticulated in three goals:

• Revolutionize effectiveness• Seek growth opportunities• Invest in peopleEach of the three goals is further broken down

into seven substrategies (See box) — actions morespecific to reaching the goals:

• Align for success, satisfy the customer, buildthe team (Revolutionize effectiveness)

• Serve the Army, enhance capabilities (Seekgrowth opportunities)

• Build strategic commitment, reshape the cul-ture (Invest in people)

“I think we need to keep what we do and whatwe observe in the context of these three goals andseven substrategies,” said Col. Carl Strock, PODCommander, at a recent senior leaders meeting.“Everything that’s important to us should be able tofit within these strategic categories. If they don’tthen we probably need to question ourselves tomake sure we’re on the right track.”

In discussing the purpose of the Vision, Lt. Gen.Joe N. Ballard, Chief of Engineers, stresses the needfor change in the Corps of Engineers to addressperceptions of expense and responsiveness. He hassaid on several occasions that some customers stillconsider the Corps to be too slow and cost too muchand that the actions the Corps Plus strategy pre-scribes can change that.

“Visions don’t mean anything without a burn-ing commitment from the entire organization tomake it happen,” he said. “We’ll make this one areality.”


A year in the life of an internPOD emplo yee relates her training e xperience

If you do not think about the future, you cannot have one.—John Galsworthy, English writer, 1867-1933Future:

ered that I had a mentor in the directorate’sdeputy director. It could have been anybody. Ilearned both to respect hisknowledge and to value hisopinion. No matter how busy hewas, he made time to talk to mewhenever I had something onmy mind. He shared with me hiscareer experiences, the highs aswell as the lows. I am notentirely sure what he felt aboutthe relationship, but I hope hegained something. I know I got alot out of it.

Interns face many difficultiesin the workplace. Not only are welearning about the job but we arefaced with a new work environ-ment every couple of months as werotate around the organization. Ittook me a while to get used to the fact that internsare constantly on view. Their every move iswatched and commented on. I found that a key toovercoming self-consciousness was to believe inmyself. And, the people around me—most of themthe kindest and most helpful individuals I willever meet—were invaluable in helping me do it.Often, too, there are people in the organizationwho themselves were interns; take the opportunityto talk to them. Their experiences may be similarto yours and they have many insights to offer.

As my first year of internship comes to anend, I have mixed emotions. I have learnedvaluable lessons —some good, others not sogood—that will all remain with me for a longtime. What would I tell other interns? “Beconfident in everything you do. Do not beafraid to ask questions. Conduct yourself withthe highest degree of integrity. The way youconduct yourself now is the way people willremember you in the future.”

As someone new to government service, Ifound everything new and exciting. I went in withan open mind and an eagerness to learn as muchas I could from everyone I came in contact with. Iknow now that I have been creating a solidfoundation for my career and I hope that in yearsto come I don’t forget my experiences whenthat new intern walks in for his or her first year.

Editor’s Note: The author is a Department of Army

Intern (Accountant) in POD’s Directorate of Re-

source Management at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, cur-

rently assigned to the Finance and Accounting Divi-

sion, Military Accounting Branch. She is a graduate of

the University of Hawaii. This article originally ap-

peared in Resource Management, 3rd Quarter, 1997.

By Nanette Nicolas

The life of an intern is never dull; it is roughand tough, rewarding and exhilarating. Each

day is constantly changing, posing a totally differentlook from the one before. It brings new challenges,all met with enthusiasm and an eagerness to succeedand please everyone.

The intern experiences many changes, somegood, others not. Each experience is learned andfiled away in the intern’s ever-growing memorybank. Interns never know what to expect. There isno one set routine, no one specific supervisor, noone set of responsibilities. Interns are expected tolearn as much as they can, in whatever situationthey find themselves.

There have been whole days when I felt that Ihad not accomplished much, those countless daysof reading standard operating procedures, manu-als, memorandums and regulations. Then there arethose times when I did feel fulfilled, simply becauseI completed an assignment. I felt as though I actu-ally contributed to the mission of the organization.

Mandatory courses, such as the “InternLeadership Development Course” facilitated bymembers of the Center for Army Leadership, at FortLeavenworth, Kan., can be very important. Thiscourse’s aim is to instill the values and ethics of theArmy, familiarize interns with Army life and helpinterns with career progress decisions. In that it isvery successful.

As we interns begin our careers, we needsomeone to turn to and rely on, a trusted counse-lor or guide—in other words, a mentor. Ideallythat person is a supervisor. From each one of mineI took away values and management skills which Iwill continue to develop as my career progresses.

I consider myself to be fortunate. In thebeginning, I admit, I was uncertain which courseto take in pursuit of my ultimate goal. I discov-



To read without reflection is like eating without digestion.—Edmund Burke, British statesman, 1729-1797Reading:

Kno wing what to look out f or can reduce hazar ds

Staying alert can add Food preparation tips to help keep holiday meals safe

Practical advice extracted from consumerpublications and safety bulletins.

•Shop in the company of other people.

•Lock your vehicle.

•Put packages out of sight or locked intrunk.

•Park in well-lighted areas.

•Carry bags, backpacks or purses closeto your body.

•If you feel threatened or that someoneis following you, seek out police orsecurity guards.

Personal Safety

I t’s that time of year again! The time forgiving thanks, visiting relatives, preparing holi-

day meals and celebrating a happy time ofthe year all the way through December.

Here are a few helpful tips to fol-low, so you can enjoy a healthyholiday.

Bacteria is the main cul-prit which can lead to food-borne illnesses (such as salmo-nella poisoning), particularly withpoultry. This can be most harmfulto pregnant women, the elderly andpeople with weakened immune systems.

•Thaw poultry slowly in the refrigeratorPleasant room temperatures promote the

growth of bacteria on the outside surface of poultrryeven though the chicken, turkey, duck or gooseremains frozen inside. Thawing poultry in therefrigerator can take from one to five days depend-ing on the size of the bird.

If you must thaw more quickly, place the birdin its unopened bag in the sink or large containerand cover with cold water. Thawing in cold watercan take from four to 12 hours. Change the waterevery 30 minutes to keep it cold.

If you buy fresh turkey, refrigerate it at 40

degrees Fahrenheit for no more than one to two daysbefore cooking.

•Rinse poultry before cookingWork with a clean bird on aclean working surface, and do

not stuff poultry until youare ready to cook it. Then,stuff loosely (no morethan two-thirds full) andremove immediatelyafter cooking.

• Cook turkey at oventemperatures of at least 325

degrees Farenheit Lower temperatures will notsufficiently kill bacteria. Always cook to the well-done stage so there is no pink color to the meat, andjuices run clear. Never partially cook to finish later,for this also promotes bacterial growth.

•After cooking, transfer food to shallowcontainers

Don’t let food sit out in the hot sun! Refrigerateleftover poultry within two hours after cooking.Food does not have to cool completely before refrig-erating, so you can’t put it away too soon. The bestway to store food is to divide it into small containers.Turkey stored in the refrigerator will keep three orfour days, but stuffing will keep for only two days.Frozen food will keep for 30 days.

•Wash dishes that held raw poultry verywell in hot, soapy water before re-using.

The same goes for any serving utensils.Wash anything that touches raw poultry withsoapy water before it’s used again to prevent thespread of any bacteria. This includes hands,utensils, kitchen counters, sink and cutting boards.Wooden cutting boards should be carefullycleaned after cutting raw poultry. If not, thebacteria can remain in the wood contaminatinganything else cut on the board. Supermarketsnow carry sprays which kill bacteria which areexcellent for cleaning countertops.


Competitiveness:

to holiday happiness

Exercise good judgment on the highways andbyways. Don’t drink and drive! Allow extra

time to reach destinations due to increased trafficcongestion caused by holiday shoppers, tourists,family visitors and travelers.

Make sure that your vehicle is in good workingorder: Check water and oil levels whenever you fillup with fuel; check belts and hoses for wear, nicksand tears, and looseness; check brakes frequently;have someone stand behind the vehicle while youturn on lights, turn-signals and press the brake pedalto check that lights work; keep tires properly inflatedand watch for pre-mature wear; keep safety inspec-tions current.

Stay alert! Don’t drink and drive. Select adesignated driver when partying. Avoid driving whiletaking medications that cause drowsiness.

Obey all traffic laws. Don’t enter an intersectiononce the green light changes to yellow.

Come to a complete stop at all stop signs and beforemaking a right turn after a stop, where permitted.

Ensure that all vehicle occupants are wearingseatbelts, including back seat occupants

Secure baby-carriers in the back seat. Be aware

Fire is the second leading cause of accidentaldeath in the home. Each year, more than 3,500

people die in home fires, and nationwide there aremore than 400,000 residential fires se-rious enough to be reported to firedepartments.

With increased use of electricaloutlets for decorations, a fused outletstrip can help avoid trouble. Also, in-stall smoke detectors in each room andkeep fresh batteries in each unit.

About 90 percent of U.S. house-holds have smoke detectors installed.However, a recent Consumer ProductSafety Commission (CPSC) surveyshowed that the smoke detectors in 20 percent ofthose households — about 16 million — were not

Anyone who believes that the competitive spirit in America is dead has never been in a supermarketwhen the cashier opens another checkout line.—Ann Landers, American advice columnist

Avoiding fire hazard at home critical during holidays

working, mostly because the battery was dead ormissing.

“Smoke detectors can save lives, but they won’twork if they are not maintained,” saidCPSC Chairman Ann Brown. “Theyshould be tested monthly, and the batter-ies should be replaced at least once a yearor when they make a ‘chirping’ sound.

Long-life smoke detectors with 10-year batteries have been available toconsumers since 1995. These long-lifedetectors also should be tested monthly.CPSC recommends consumers place asmoke detector that meets the require-ments of Underwriters Laboratories’

(UL) standard outside their bedrooms and on eachlevel of multistory home.

•Make provision for pets to be taken care of while you are gone.

•Lock all doors and windows before leaving home.

•If your residence will be unoccupied during your absence, make itlook lived-in: use timers for lights; have mail held; cancel newspaper.

•Turn off water heaters and flammable appliances.

•Ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your residence.

•Secure cash, tickets and valuables separately from primary luggage.

•Don’t leave bags unattended at the airport, hotel or enroute.

•Report losses of wallets, credit cards, identification immediately.

Travel Safety

Motor vehicle safety extends to both car and driverof air-bag limitations and hazards.

Give pedestrians the right ofway regardless of the situation.

Give yourself enoughtime to get someplace.

React to special condi-tions such as inclementweather or slippery roads andadjust speeds accordingly.


It’s beginning to look a loSnow? Who needs sno w to create the holida y spirit?

I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.—Winston Churchill, British statesmanEquality:

Christmas cheer starts

building a full head of

steam shortly after

Thanksgiving. People

around POD put up

decorations and make

and set up the annual

display Christmas card.

They also collect items

for distribution in the

community.

(Left) For HED secretary Judy Awaya it’s“back to work” now that the decorations areup. (Right) The POD Christmas card takes itsplace on Chapel Field with a message foreveryone.

Photo by Jim Dung

Photos by Jim Dung

(Above) Provost Marshal Maj. Linda Fischer announces witha porcelain bell that “the holiday season has begun!”(Right) Sybil Hamasaki, ET, extends her “Season’s Greetings”through the help of light shining through an office window.

(Right) PaahanCliffordfrom LintallingChristmNot worr“over-buthey isupportsenough stand premi le -pegusts oWithin was one ostill stan


ot like Christmas

Christmas is atime for lookingout for others

Christmas is just around the corner,but it’s not too late to set aside

canned goods, toys, books and clothingfor POD’s annual Christmas Project,coordinated through the division EqualEmployment Opportunity (EEO) office.

Lolly Silva, ET-PO, said that thisyear is particularly hard economically fora lot of people in the community so she’scertain that the efforts of POD will begreatly appreciated. The SpecialEmphasis Program Committee (SEPC)will meet to identify the communityorganization that will receive POD’sdonations this year. POD employeesmay e-mail suggestions to the EEOoffice in care of Anita Naone.

Throughout most of December,

until the19th, collection boxes will be setup on each floor in buildings T-1 and 230at Fort Shafter. Other buildings will beserviced directly by members of the SEPC.

POD employees have a history of gen-erosity. It is estimated that during the 11years SEPC has been doing this project,several tons of goodies have been col-lected and distributed.

Of all the mysteries of the stock exchange there is none so impenetrable as why there should be a buyerfor everyone who seeks to sell.—John Kenneth Galbraith, economistStock Market:

) Stevenna andd OliveraLogisticsg the POD

mas card.ried about

building,”installedts strong to with-

redicted 30er -hourof wind.hours, it of the few

nding.

(Above) Volunteers Sgt. StephanieJones and 1st Lt. David Troutmanare hard at work painting theChristmas card. A group effort by HQPOD and HED employees, notpictured are Kit Lee and Roland Stinefrom IM; Alexander Kufel, PA; andSonyo Graham, EM. JeannetteAnderson,LO, provided logisticalsupport.(Right) Deborah Tindell, ET-T, putsthe finishing touches on her office’sChristmas tree.

Photo by Jim Dung

Photos (above and below) by Alexander Kufel

Photo by A

lexander Kufel



WASHINGTON, D.C. — U. S. Senator Daniel K.Inouye announced that the Senate approved theHouse-Senate Conference Report to the Fiscal Year1998 Department of Treasury, Postal Service, andGeneral Government Appropriations Bill. The billcontains an extension of the Cost-of-Living Allow-ance (COLA) rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and theU.S. territories to the Year 2000. The COLA rateshelp an estimated 17,000 federal employees in thestate of Hawaii.

As a result of controversies and litigation sur-rounding the COLA program for federal employees inAlaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories outside the 48contiguous states, the 1992 Treasury, Postal Serviceand General Government Appropriations Act directedthe Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to con-duct a study of the new methodology used to setCOLAs, and while the study was underway, it barredany reduction of existing COLA rates.

The authority for the Hawaii COLA stems fromExecutive Order 10,000 signed by President Harry S.Truman in 1948 to provide additional compensationfor federal employees outside the continental UnitedStates to help ensure that qualified federal employeeswould accept positions in remote areas to performnecessary government functions. The criterion for thisadditional compensation was, and continues to be, thatliving costs are substantially higher than in the Districtof Columbia.

Despite the uncertainties ofour times, 362 POD

employees contributed$43,538 to the 1997 Hawaii-Pacific Combined FederalCampaign (CFC).

Gary Shirakata, ET-TA,POD’s project officer said thathe was impressed by people’sgenerosity, noting thatstatistically, while the numberof POD employees is down8-percent from last year, thecontributions are down only

4-1/2 percent, thereby indicatingan increase in contributions.

“The contributions willhelp ensure that health andhuman services in our commu-nity will be made availablethroughout the year for thosewho need them,” saidShirakata.

He said that he is especiallythankful to everyone whocontributed for making thisyear’s campaign a successand for being a “good neighbor,”caring for their community.

CFC deemed successfulContrib ution le vel held its o wn


Hindsight: It is the mark of good action that it appears inevitable in retrospect.—Robert Louis Stevenson,Scottish author

Senate approves extension of COLA


Change:A competitive world has two possibilities for you. You can lose. Or, if �you want to win, you can change.—Lester C. Thurow, American economist

Story by Paul LevesqueReprinted with permission from the Rock Island Arsenal Target

Rock Island Arsenal and the Rock Island Districtof the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have

joined in a partnership that is the first, but probablynot the last, of its kind in the Army.

Under the partnership, the Rock Island Districtwill take over the day-to-day operation of most ofthe functions now performed by RIA’s Directorateof Public Works. The Arsenal commander willretain responsibility for planning, programming,budgeting, funding and setting priorities for publicworks requirements on the installation.

The partnership officially took effect on Oct. 1and will continue on a test basis through fiscal years1998 and 1999. At the conclusion of the test, themove of PW functions to the Corps could becomepermanent.

The success or failure of the test will be trackedvery closely by the Department of the Army, whichis considering the idea of turning public worksfunctions at all Army installations over to the Corpsof Engineers.

While two other installations are testing publicworks partnerships on a limited basis, RIA canclaim to be the only installation testing a full part-nership with the Corps.

In remarks delivered at a ceremony marking thepartnership, Rock Island District commander Col.James Mudd described it as a “brave effort” that wouldrequire a lot of trust and cooperation on both sides.

“I believe this partnership has a really good chanceto succeed,” Mudd said, “because of the hard work anddedicated effort of the people involved in it.”

RIA commander Col. Steven Roop admittedthat he was skeptical about the partnership at firstbut agreed to it when he realized its implications forthe future of the Arsenal and the Army.

“This is our chance to be part of setting a newpolicy, rather than reacting to a policy imposed onus,” Roop remarked.

Dan Holmes of the Rock Island District, who isserving as the district’s primary liaison with theArsenal, said that the partnership shared similaritieswith the consolidation efforts that led to the forma-tion of organizations such as the Civilian PersonnelOperations Center and the Defense Finance andAccounting Service.

“Unlike CPOC and DFAS, which are new orga-nizations, the Corps was already here,” Holmes said.“But this partnership allows us to consolidate certainengineering functions into one organization, withthe goal of achieving efficiencies and improvingservices.”

According to Holmes, the Rock Island Districtalready performs nearly all of the functions that areperformed by the Public Works Directorate. Thesefunctions include management, contract oversightand engineering support in areas such as the con-struction, renovation and repair of buildings, roads,grounds and other real property assets; utilities;snow removal; environmental compliance; historicpreservation; janitorial services; and pest control.

“Now we will do them at the Arsenal as well asat other sites in the district,” he said.

Holmes stressed that Arsenal was not ceding con-trol of public works and would still make managementdecisions and set priorities in the DPW arena.

At the time the partnership was formed, DPWhad about 70 employees on board. Nearly 90 percentof them have been detailed to the Rock Island Dis-trict, where they will work in a separate projectoffice under the district’s Operations Division.

The other former PW employees will be assignedto a public works cell within the proposed Base Opera-tions Directorate, where they will carry out the manage-ment and oversight functions retained by RIA.

No employees were displaced from their jobs asa result of the partnership. In fact, as former DPWdirector John Ruble pointed out, the vast majority ofdetailed employees are still performing the samejobs they did before, are still at their old desks on thefirst floor of building 102, and still have the sametelephone numbers and e-mail addresses.

“We wanted to complete the transition with aminimum of disruption,” Mr. Ruble said, “and wewanted to make it transparent to our customers.” Henoted that procedures for calling in work orders andreporting problems with services have not changed,and that messages would continue to be sent by theArsenal’s public works staff informing employeesof bridge closures, planned power and water out-ages, and other items of interest.

During and after the test, audits will be con-ducted to determine whether or not the partnership issucceeding.

Unique relationship co vers pub lic w orks functions

Full-service partnership developed


Homeowners forced to sell low can get assistanceHAP can mitigate a loss


The Department of Army recognizes that buyinghigh and selling low is not the road to economicsurvival in real estate. The financial impactson employees displaced suddenly in adeclining housing market due to base closuresor realignments can be considerable. Undera program administered by SacramentoDistrict and supported locally by HonoluluDistrict, the fiscal bite is lessened for somefederal government employees on Oahu.

The Homeowners Assistance Program(HAP) was initiated locally late in 1996 inresponse to the imminent closure of BarbersPoint Naval Air Station. Sacramento’s HAPoffice is one of three nationwide, with othersin Dallas and Savannah, Ga. The Corps isexecutive agent of the program for the entireDepartment of Defense and the Coast Guard.In its support role, the Honolulu Districtprovides on-site appraisal assistance toSacramento District. All homeowner’squeries and applications have to be madedirectly to Sacramento. (See telephonenumber at end of article.)

Sacramento District office realty specialistDan Kelly said that a marketing survey of Oahuseveral years ago painted a bleak picture and aclear need for the program. Projections at thetime pointed to 350-500 homeowners who mightrequire assistance. Close-of-calendar-yearnumbers listed some 323 applicants for theprogram.

“That really exceeded our projections,” saidKelly.

The program is scheduled to run throughfiscal 1999, and could be extended, he said.

Prior to enrollment in the program, thehomeowner has to assemble proof of owner-ship, transfer orders, or even retirementorders, or a separation letter, and receiptsfrom the utility company verifying that theapplicant occupied the house being sold onthe date of the base closure or realignmentannouncement. In the case of Oahu, the dateis Oct. 5, 1994, according to Mary Jorgenson,chief of Relocation Services Branch.

A signed and dated statement describingefforts to sell the house, such as Realtor

listings or newspaper advertisements can helpexpedite an application. If the house has alreadybeen sold, a copy of the deed transferring theproperty to the buyer and a copy of the closing/settlement statement also has to be included.

When a house is put up for sale locally,HED sends out a real estate specialist to evalu-ate the home and pass that information on toSacramento District. Jill Tomishima, who is theHED HAP coordinator, said she looks forobvious signs of condition, such as any holes inthe walls, or broken windows and the like.

“I have to work quickly and provide theinformation back to Sacramento as fast as I can,because there is a lot of work to be done withthe program,” she said.

Ray Takamiya, HED Real Estate, said theworkload is heavy and the District needed toestablish a new position just to handle thequeries locally.

“There’s plenty for a full-time person tohave to handle,” he said.

Eligible individuals who qualify for benefitsunder HAP receive them in one of three forms:

• the government can reimburse an indi-vidual for part of the loss from selling the home;

• the government can buy the home bypaying off the mortgage;

• or, HAP can provide assistance if thehomeowner defaults on the mortgage.

If the HAP application is approved and theapplicant meets all the eligibility requirements,payment can be an amount up to the differencebetween 95 percent of the fair market value priorto the 1994 announcement of base closure andthe appraised value at sale time.

It is worth noting that HAP literature advisesthe homeowner to sell at the best price possiblebecause HAP will not reimburse for the totalloss in value.

Eligibility is restricted to military membersof all services, federal civilian employees andNon-appropriated Fund employees assigned oremployed anywhere on the island of Oahu.Civilian employees with reemploymentrights also are eligible. To obtain furtherinformation and application forms,call 1-800-811-5532.

There are a hundred sides to every question, until you know the answer. Then there’s only one.—C.S. Lewis, English writer, 1898-1963Bias:


VERA/VSIP...

Continued from Page 1

separation of Headquarters POD and HEDwill take place at that time.

Each employee retiring or resigning under theseprograms was granted a monetary “incentive” at a ratedetermined by the formula used in calculating sever-ance pay. While there was a ceiling of $25 thousandper person, the actual amount received was based onthe base pay of the individual, the number of years ofcivilian service, and an adjustment for age. The netpayment is dependent upon the individual’s tax bracket.

The underdog in many products can pick and choose where it wants to hit the giant; the giant, by contrast,must defend itself everywhere.—George H. Lesch, former president, Colgate-PalmoliveCompetition:

POD commander tours HED

V isitors to Honolulu Engineer District arenot particularly rare, but when the caller

turns out to be the division commander, withoffices on the third floor of the same building,something is afoot. This was noted whenPacific Ocean Division Commander Col. CarlA. Strock made his rounds recently of HED aspart of his ongoing division orientation toPOD's four districts. Only this time, the dis-trict was down the hall rather than across thePacific as in the case of earlier visits Strockmade to Korea, Japan and Alaska. It's all partof the continuing process leading toward aseparate division and district here in Honolulu,said HED commander Lt. Col. Ralph H. Graves.

Thus it was during the first week of De-cember that the POD commander made officeand site visits that took him to Maui, the BigIsland, and around Oahu. He visited virtuallyevery office at Schofield Barracks and FortShafter. Depending on one's point of view,said one employee, these are either the finaldays of a POD/HED operating division or theearly days of the restructured separate divisionand district organization.

As POD and HED growincreasingly closer to be-coming stand-alone organi-zations, this sort of thingwill become a frequentevent, said Raleigh Sakada,acting-chief of EngineeringServices Division.

Structural engineer RolandChong, ET-TA, says, “This isgreat! This is the first time I’mmeeting the division commander.Because of my job I probablywouldn’t meet him otherwise.”

Photos by Jim Dung

(Above) Col. Carl A. Strock talking shop withsurveyors (from left) Richard Abe, Henry Yonamineand Hollis Fletcher.

(Right) It’s “high-tech time”as architect James Pak, ET-TA, demonstrates 3-Dmodeling to Col. Strock as1st Lt. David Troutman andRichard Schiavoni, ET-TE,look on.

The Electronic LibrarThe Electronic LibrarThe Electronic LibrarThe Electronic LibrarThe Electronic LibraryyyyyBy Ruby Mizue


Greatness: Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrustupon them.—William Shakespeare, English playwright

In a few weeks, we will be introducing our re-vamped INFORMATION Page on the POD websiteas the new Electronic Library. Visit our PhotoGallery to view various project sites, or signifi-

cant events and people in POD history. Drop by theReading Room to browse the online publicationsfor current events, local news, or armed forcesactivities. Connect to our partners, counterpartagencies, and community groups, by linkingthrough the Related Resources room. Check oncurrent POD regulations, forms, and Commander’sPolicies through our POD Collection , Publications/Forms page. Need a copy?—just click and print!

Be a part of this constantly evolving “informa-tion central” by offering your ideas and usefullinks to the Suggestion Box . Watch for theannouncements unveiling our new INFORMA-TION page and instructions for accessing theElectronic Library!

Official Digital Visual Library

Another exciting, new resource now available onthe Web comes from HQ USACE at http://images.usace.army.mil/. This website was devel-oped as a joint effort of the Information Manage-ment, Public Affairs, and Department of Historyoffices at Headquarters. This searchable libraryof high quality photographic images featuresCorps of Engineers civil and military projectsthroughout the Corps and from around the world.The site has not yet been officially introduced, andguidance on procedures for submission of photo-graphs is forthcoming. In the meantime, visit thesite and try the Controlled Search to view thepossibilities for adding many of our unique PODphotographs to this outstanding collection.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, theCoalition for a Drug-free Hawaii is proud of the

role it plays in young people’s lives in the community.Executive director Sandra Lacarsaid recently that the basis of theCoalition’s approach to fightingsubstance abuse involves enhanc-ing positive influences while re-ducing known risk factors. Thismeans helping youngsters developpersonal skills and strengths suffi-cient to make positive decisionsand avoid the pitfalls of an anti-social lifestyle. These goals areaccomplished through a programof education within Hawaii’sschools, and cooperativeness withother community organizations.

Maj. Linda Fischer, POD Pro-vost Marshal, agrees with the ef-fectiveness of this approach, as at-tested to by her own involvementin the organization. She has been amember of the board of directorssince 1996. Her current term endsin October 1999.

Coalition f or a Drug-free Ha waii

Developing personal resiliency

“I think it’s a fantastic organization,” saidFischer. “People from all aspects of the communityare working together to provide kids with positivealternatives to drugs.”

Lacar points out that in just a few short years, theCoalition has been able to change the focus ofHawaii’s people from one of helplessness in the faceof drug and alcohol abuse to one of hope.”

The Coalition for a Drug-free Hawaii could usemore assistance from other volunteers. If you’d liketo get involved, call 545-3228.

Maj. Linda Fischer, PM, places her team’s “piece of thepuzzle” at the Coalition for a Drug-free Hawaii’s annualmeeting to complete a board depicting how everyone in thecommunity can contribute to create a “drug-free” Hawaii.

Photo by A

lexander Kufel


Current programs• Prevention Resource Center (PRC); the state’smost comprehensive library of books, periodicals,and videos on drug abuse.• Strengthening Hawaii Families (SHF); trainingfacilitators to work with entire families in a culturallycomprehensive environment.• Youth Helping Youth (YHY); teaching youthleadership through aYouth Advisory Board madeup of high school students from across the state.• Lei ‘Ilima; based at Ilima Intermediate School inEwa Beach, emphasis is placed on preventionprogramming for girls.• Community Partnerships; Ke Kumu Ho’olaha(The source from which things are spread) workswith groups in Kauai, Maui and Oah’u to developcommunity involvement.• Drug-free Hawaii Awareness Month; conductedeach February raises awareness about substanceabuse issues.• Drug-free Hawaii newsletter; official bimonthlypublication that provides information aboutalcohol, tobacco and other drugs.• Drug-free Workplaces newsletter; business-oriented, this quarterly publication focuses onsafe and drug-free workplace issues.

To purchase Entertainment ‘98 books call:David Lau, PP-MC, 438-8881

Helen Stupplebeen, ET-PP, 438-0430Tim Young, ET-PP, 438-7013Bingo Chee, ET-CS, 438-6965

Ron Pang, ET-S, 438-9530Jody Yoshishige, ET-TC, 438-8416Cyndee Oleyte, ET-CB, 655-5275

Dora Nishihara, HR, 438-2072Val Lee, PP-MD, 438-2573

Wendy Mow, PP-MD, 438-6907


The POD Ho’okupu Ohana still has Entertain-ment ‘98 books for sale and will be happy to

help you give someone a wonderful Christmaspresent. Particularly if you needa last-minute gift.

Chairman David Lau saidthat they have books avail-able for $38 and that $7.50from each sale goes directlyto the Ohana.

Ho’okupu Ohana is a stand-alone organization that providessupport to POD in ways notavailable through normal fund-ing, such as providing refresh-ments for the savings bond drive,lifeguards for Organization Day,gifts for hospitalizations andcondolences for funerals. TheOhana also purchases flowerleis for retiree day, the execu-tive board luncheon, and vari-


Respect for the flag more than a gestureKno w what to do when retreat sounds

Entertainment Books still availableous ceremonies.

“Ohana” means family in Hawaiian. If you arepart of the POD “family,” this is your “ohana,” too.

place your right hand over your heart until the flag islowered, or you can no longer hear the bugle.

According to Staff Sgt. William J. Davis, NCOICHeadquarters Commandant Office at Schofield Bar-racks, if you answered “d,” and simply stop your car,

you are correct. At one time, exiting the vehicle wasrequired, but that practice was discontinued be-

cause of safety reasons. Stopping the vehicleand waiting quietly is not necessarily a

matter of regulations for civiliansand civilian employees, but ameans of rendering courtesy tothe flag of the United States ofAmerica, and to the militaryinstallation that one happens to

be on.Military personnel have the

option of exiting the car. If they are in uniform, they’rerequired to display full military courtesy to the flag:that includes exiting the vehicle, standing at attention,and saluting.

In the morning, when “reveille” sounds, no actionis required. Courtesy is shown only at the end of the day.

I t’s 5 p.m., you’re driving in your car on-post. Thesound of a cannon punctuates the air, the strains of

a bugle sounds “retreat” shortly afterward. You knowthat the behavior of someone who’s in themilitary might be guided by regulations.You’re a civilian, a civilian employee ofthe federal government, or a member ofthe U.S. armed forces wearing civilianclothes. What do you do?

a. Pretend you don’t hear anything outof the ordinary and keep going.

b. Hunker over the steering wheel andmash the gas pedal to the floor.

c. Go around the idiot in front of you, who juststopped for no apparent reason, and show him yourspecial salute, reserved for occasions like this.

d. Stop your car where you are, wait quietly untilyou see the flag has been lowered, or can no longerhear the bugle, then continue.

e. Stop your car, get out, stand at some semblanceof “attention” facing in the direction of the flag, and

Conscience is like a baby. It has to go to sleep before you can.—AnonymousScruples:

18 The Pacific Connection November /December 1997

POD has launched its own home page on the World Wide Web. Find it at: http:// www.pod.usace.army.mil

Salesmen with gimmicks John Henry James was 6 feet 6 inches

and weighed 245 pounds. He was an ex-pensive dresser who made his rounds in achauffeur-driven limousine. At each stop,the chauffeur would leap from the car androll out a red carpet. Then he would enterthe store and announce, "Ladies and gentle-men, Mr. John Henry James has arrived!"James would enter, open his sample case,and croon, "I do believe we're going to dosome business today."

Nine times out of ten he was right.

PRODUCTIVITYPRODUCTIVITYCORNERCORNER

Unification:

In the FieldIn the FieldIn the FieldIn the FieldIn the Field

A new community center and new family housing at Helemano Military Reservation wereinaugurated in late-October grand-opening ceremonies by Maj. Gen. James T. Hill, commander of the 25th InfantryDivision (Light) and U. S. Army Hawaii; Lt. Col. Ronald W. Pontius, commander of the 125th Signal Batallion; Maj. Gen.(Ret) Alexis T. Lum, executive assistant to Sen. Daniel K. Inouye; Col. (P) Carl A. Strock, commander of the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers, Pacific Ocean Division; and Rev. Kordell Kekoa of Kamehameha Schools. —Photo by Jim Dung.

Loyalty is developed through the unifying of action. The more decisive the action becomes, thegreater the bond.—S.L.A. Marshall, U.S. general, historian, 1900-1977

The second superseller—Bob Englud—wore a raccoon fur coat year round. Engludsaid it wasn’t a fur coat at all. The coat washis icebreaker, his trademark. With it,Englud never had to worry about how toopen conversations with clients, and henever had to explain who he was and whathe wanted to talk about. When they sawthe coat, they were ready for business.

—Victor Kiam, in Going For It!, Speaker's

Library of Business Stories

On listening to naysayersWhen IBM invented the self-correct-

ing typewriter, everybody told Vic Barouh,president of the company that made Ko-Rec-Type, a product that corrected typingerrors, that his company was doomed.

Instead of believing the naysayers,Barouh went to an IBM showroom and

had the salesperson demonstrate thenew self-correcting typewriter. Barouhwent back to his plant, gathered hisemployees around him, and told them,"Here is what we have to do. We have tomake this ribbon, our product is per-fect for this application. Then we haveto make the cartridge, because the car-tridge isn't available, and we have to gointo the injection-molding business tomake the spools that hold that tape.Then, we have to develop the machin-ery that will do these things for us. So,we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us."

Within six months, the companyproduced the first ribbon. Within sixmonths, it went from a problem to theonly company in the world that made aproduct everybody was going to need.

—Speaker's Library of Business Stories


PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE

Jane ShimonishiHometown: Wahiawa, HawaiiYears with Corps: 17-1/2Works in: POD Executive Office

Robert Wah Kwai Lau, Jr.Hometown: Waipahu, HawaiiYears with Corps: 11Works in: Resource Management

Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are.—George Santayana (born Jorge Augustín NicolasRuiz de Santayana), Spanish-American poet, philosopher, 1863-1952Intelligence:

Responding to what needs to be done is away of life for Jane Shimonishi, secretary

to the commander. She said that throughout her34-year-long career she has worried thingsthrough until they’re successfully completed.Thus, she brings to her daily work not only theability to keep things organized, but a great dealof skill as well.

“I still use shorthand,” she said. “It’s quick andaccurate. If I were to transcribe from tape-record-ings, that task alone would be a full-time job.”

The ability to respond doesn’t end with herworking hours, and Shimonishi said that it’s soimportant to her to stay healthy and feel fit thatshe lifts weights three times a week, does step-aerobics three times a week and walks for exer-cise with her husband of 34 years, Fred, anotherthree times a week. “I love the way exercisegives me so much energy,” she said.

Her two children — Sterling and Stacy —are grown now, and on their own, but Shimonishiburns off any excess energy she might have as aweekly practitioner of Japanese flower arrang-ing. She has studied ikebana for many years andlikes the sense of beauty that natural arrange-ments bring to a room.

Then, she adds that she can’t imagine whythere do not seem to be enough hours in a weekand she feels like she’s always rushing around.

Jane is making POD more productive.

Work-oriented thoughts never seem veryfar out of mind for finance and account-

ing officer Robert Lau. For the past two years hehas been involved with the development of POD’sability to disburse foreign currency, and the cre-ation of a foreign currency module for CEFMS,the newly instituted automated accounting sys-tem. The intensity of his involvement shows.

“We’re one of the first DoD agencies to workwith foreign currency outside of the host nations,”he said. “We’re disbursing in both Japanese yenand Korean won. There hasn’t been anyone toshow us the way so we’ve been in steady contactwith USACE, the Defense Finance and Account-ing Service, and the Corps’ systems programmersin Huntsville, Ala., to ensure disbursements areprocessed timely and in accordance with regs.”

Lau said that he likes being a part of thingsand enjoys working in a job that gives him asense of purpose.

“The uniqueness of what we’re doing inPOD kind of ties in with the fact that I like toplay as hard as I work,” he said. “I love tennisand have played it since I was eight. But, whatI really enjoy most is playing in tournaments.I’m not as fit as I was when I played on theUniversity of Hawaii tennis team, but for meit’s the challenge to compete in a win-losesituation where only the winner will advance.”

Robert is making POD more productive.


Division Shorts

Wealth:

Do you recall Captain Honolulu? Elsie Smith, PA,reports that her former husband, Robert S. Smith, Jr.,popularly known as Sgt. Sacto on the “Captain Honolulu”television show in the 50’s and 60’s, died Oct. 17 in Fresno,Calif., at age 69. Sgt. Sacto answered to a phantom Capt.Honolulu on the KHVH show and eventually becameknown locally as Capt. Honolulu because the “real”captain never appeared. A mason and Korean Warveteran, Smith was buried in Fresno with Masonic Templerites and military honors. He is survived by two sons,Keith and Robin, as well as six grandchildren.

Aloha means Goodbye to Sgt. RebeccaBring, POD military personnel NCO, wholeft active-duty service in early November inanticipation of the birth of a baby girl inJanuary. Baby Anneliese, however, couldn’twait until then and came into this world on

Nov. 21, weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces andmeasuring 17 inches tall. So, Congratu-lations are also in order! Rebecca was on

loan from the 29th Eng.Bn. on a part-time ba-sis since June. She will

remain in Hawaii untilMarch, when husband,

Robert, also in the Army,will finish hiscurrent assignment and attend warrant

officer’s training on the mainland.

Aloha means Goodbye to environmen-tal engineer Kathleen Dadey, ET-PO, uponher leaving at the end of November to enterprivate business as a consultant with PlanningSolutions, Inc. Kathy was with POD for fouryears.

Congratulations to Lt. Col. Ralph H.Graves, HED Commander, on being namedto the O-6, Colonel, promotion list.

Congratulations to Hilton Kalusche, SO, andhis wife Brenda on the adoption of their daughter MaryJoycelyn Quitan from Guangdong, China. Mary Joycecelebrated her first birthday Oct. 22.

Aloha means Goodbye to mechanical engineerRyo Nakamoto, ET-PO, upon his leaving at the end ofNovember after 13 years with POD to work for Head-quarters PACAF Energy Management Division atHickam AFB.

Aloha means both Hello and Goodbyeto auditor Walter Kobayakawa, AO, who re-turned from three years in the JED Finance Of-fice long enough to wish everyone well and retireafter 35 years of federal service. Walter was withPOD 15 years.

Congratulations toSusan Ireland,RM-P, and herhusband, Vincent, onthe adoption of anewborn daughterfrom Oregon. KathieMarie entered thisworld on Oct. 10 at 7pounds, 12 ounces andwas 20 inches long.P

hoto

by

Sus

an Ir

elan

d

It was announced in early November that Brig. Gen.Henry S. Miller, Jr. , commander of POD from July1994 - Aug. 1995, will retire after completion of morethan 31 years of service. Since Sept. 1995, he hasbeen serving as the Commanding General, South-western Engineer Division in Dallas, Texas.

Former POD commander retires

Photo by Hilton Kalusche

The good thing about being rich is when you drop a Tic Tac, you don’t have to pick it up—until nobody’s looking.—Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the Washington Redskins

the pacific connection · november/december 1997 the pacific connection 3 necessity: invention is...

Documents