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Friday, August 23, 2013 Vol. 48, No. 33 Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
Charlie Company graduates
Page 15
“The noise you hear is the sound of freedom.”
n Movie Schedules n News Briefs n Weather n In The Community n Around The Corps n Graduates
2 3 3 8 10 15
MALS-31 family day Page 6
New commissary app Page 8
Sustaining Fightertown Page 13
Lightning strikes twice in Beaufort
The F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is showcased during a debut to the Beaufort, S.C. community aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Aug. 20. The F-35 will replace the Marine Corps’ aging legacy tactical fleet providing the dominant, multi-role, fifth-generation capabilities needed across the full spectrum of combat operations to deter potential adversaries and enable future naval aviation power projection. MCAS Beaufort is expected to receive the aircraft in 2014 along with Marine Fighter Attack Training squadron 501, the Marine Corps’ first F-35B training squadron, which falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 aboard MCAS Beaufort. Sgt. Marcy Sanchez Comm/Media Chief
when the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter was debuted to the Beaufort, S.C., community during Distinguished guests and me- a showcase of the aircraft aboard dia witnessed a first in Marine MCAS Beaufort, Aug. 20. Corps Air Station Beaufort history The showcase featured Maj.
Gen. Robert F. Hedelund, the commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, introducing the aircraft to the community with two F-35B Lightning II displays
and two more F-35B Lightning II some capability it is,” said HedeJoint Strike Fighters performing lund. “It is an astonishing leap in two flyovers above the hangar. capability in what is available in “Today is another step to the initial operating capabilities of see JsF, page 4 this aircraft and what an awe-
Officers not guaranteed retirement Sgt.Terika King Press Chief
Marine Corps captains and majors are the next group to be impacted by the drawdown in troop strength according to Marine Corps Administrative Message 401/13. The message details changes to Marine Corps Order P.1900.16F, namely the provision that states twice-passed majors and those captains with 15 years of service who have been passed over twice will be able to remain in the Corps until eligible for retirement. From now on, the officers who meet the above criteria will only be retained if their “[C]ontinued service is in the best interest of the Marine Corps.” Officers who are passed over twice will then be put on a continuation board which convenes immediately after the promotion
boards. The continuation board has the ability to recommend up to 100 percent retention. The drawdown in troop strength has already affected the enlisted ranks in various ways. MARADMIN 548/12 outlines the Enlisted Career Force Retention Controls, which sets the term limits for noncommissioned and staff noncommissioned officers. Corporals are capped at eight years, sergeants must be promoted by the 10 year mark, and staff sergeants top out at 20 years. The more senior staff NCOs have term limits as well, however, there is no guarantee that staff sergeants and above will be allowed to reenlist if they are not competitive assets to the Marine Corps. For more information, see MARADMIN 401/13 for officer retention, MARADMIN 548/12 for the enlisted side, or call your unit career retention specialist.
DoD extends benefits to same-sex couples Sgt.Terika King Press Chief
The Department of Defense plans to extend benefits to same-sex spouses of service members and DoD civilian employees. In an Aug. 14 press release, the Defense Department announced spousal and family benefits will be available no later than Sept. 3 as long as service members provide valid marriage certificates. The decision comes amidst the Supreme Court’s ruling that Section Three of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. Coupled with the Sept. 20, 2011 repeal of Don’t Ask
Don’t Tell, the changes put same-sex couples on equal footing with their traditional counterparts. TRICARE enrollment, basic allowance for housing and family separation allowance will be retroactive to June 26, 2013, the date of the Supreme Court’s ruling. For members married after June 26, entitlements begin the day of the marriage. Although benefits and entitlements are now equal to their male-female married counterparts, there still exists the unique situation that same-sex couples must first find a state that permits them to marry. To remedy that, the Defense Department plans to allow same-
sex couples to take nonchargeable leave in order to travel to an area where they can get legally married. Marines may be especially grateful for such a benefit since many East Coast Marine Corps bases are located in states that don’t currently allow samesex couples to marry. West Coast Marines shouldn’t need to travel much, as California is one of the 13 states that permit samesex marriages. Civilians employed by the Department of Defense will fall under the federal government-wide guidance set up by the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Labor.