European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 20, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday. September 20, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 9 gun smoke 8� military roundups a Tholo by j. King cruder sgt. Mark Roberts foreground and senior airman Mike Johnson of the 81sl tac fighter Wing s loading learn make preparations to gel the bombs loaded. 8jsf tac fighter s prospects brightened by bad weather by j. King Cruger 5j.k. Bureau Raf Woodbridge. England most people curse the rot Len weather England has had this summer but the team chief for the 81st tac fighter Wing s entry in this year s gun smoke gunnery Competition reckons it s something to cheer about. The weather did t cooperate for our gunnery prac Tice this summer said la. Col. . Smith the Lead Pilot and chief of the list s team. It was Lousy with rain poor visibility and Low Ceil Ings. We also routinely dropped our bombs Wilh 30 knots of wind blowing. In that kind of wind we arc continually fighting it in order to control the Jet. But when we get out to the Competition in the desert at Nellis fab. Nov. Well have Little wind and Good visibility and Well be Able to concentrate on delivering our bombs he said. The Adverse weather we Are used to Here should make things easier for us when it conies to the actual  Smith is also the Squadron commander of the 78th tac fighter so. One of the 81 St s six fighter squadrons. The 8i St makes its Home on the twin bases of Raf Woodbridge and Raf bin Waters 87 Miles Northeast of London. The bases Are the main operation locations for inc a-10 Thunderbolt 11 anti Lank aircraft assigned to the Wing. The Wing Wilh its complement of 119 tank busters is organi de under the concept known As rearward maintenance Forward employment. The Wing s four Forward operating locations Are at Simbach a Germany and on the German air Force bases of Leitheim Ahlhorn and nor Mcnich. To get inc Best pilots maintenance and Load Crews for the gun smoke compaction inc 81st skimmed its six squadrons for the Cream. Back in May we went through the records for the past year of All pilots in our squadrons and picked the top nine Smith said. We spent the month of june evaluating the pilots As they flew one Mission a Day. That culminated in a we Klong gunnery comp Lilion at the end of june and from those nine we picked the top half dozen. The six then flew four and a half Days a week for More Han a month and from them we finally picked our team of four pilots an alternate Pilot and a spare. During All their practice runs on the bombing ranges and Wilh All the bombs they delivered the top five pilots had average bomb scores that were Only four feel apart. That number is minuscule when you consider Hal approximately 2.000 practice bombs were dropped by them during thai time Smith said. Laic last week the gun smoke team consisting of inc four air cafe and their pilots who will compete plus a spare plane Back up pilots and 40 maintenance person Nel left for Davis Monthan fab. Ari/., where they Are getting in a couple of weeks of practice in desert conditions before the gun smoke Competition. Gun smoke will be held at Nellis fab from oct. 9 through oct. 18. The contest pits the Best Crews from the air Force s tactical air forces against each other in All kinds of conventional weapons delivery missions. The a jul s a los will be competing against other a los in their category of the com petition As Well As against f-4. F-16 and a-7 aircraft and their Crews in the Overall Competition. The 81 is s team won the a-10 Competition in the last gun smoke. Besides Competition in gunnery gun smoke also Pils maintenance and weapons loading Crews against each other. When they started out their average Lime for preparing the plane and then loading it with bombs was 32 min utes now they arc averaging 26 minutes a Load said master sgt. Bob Johns the team s training no if the team can do it in 27 minutes i Luul making any mistakes we should win  3rd inf old guard seeking applicants for warrant officers fort myer. A. The 3rd inf old guard. A tinned at fort Mcyr is seeking qualified warrant officer applicants for the position of Caisson platoon Leader according to a unit spokesman. The unit with an Aulhorn cd strength of 32 members and 38 horses provides the horse drawn caissons and Ca Pari soned horses in support of armed forces and army full Honor funerals in Arlington National cemetery. It also participates in parades reviews and special military historical pageants in Washington. The position requires a thorough knowledge of Riding horsemanship and stable management and training and leadership ability. More information is available from the commander. 3r . Inf the old guard. Attention Deputy commander Forl Mcyr. Va., 22111-5070. Phone numbers arc Aulo Vor 222-0070/0071 or commercial 202 w2-0070/oc71. 52nd tac fighter jets get first harm missiles in Europe  a. Germany is aircraft of the 52nd tac fighter Wing have become the first planes in Europe to be equipped Wilh the agm-88 harm missile a Wing spokesman said. Harm is an anti radiation missile that will be used on Thi Wing s f-4g wild weasels whose Mission is to seek out Anc destroy enemy anti aircraft artillery and surface to air mis Siles. Harm replaces the slower agm-78 Standard Arm. The missile can be programmed for a particular target Anc  go against inc entire array of current surface to air mis Siles and radar threats according to capt. Joe May the Wing ? weapons officer. May said it also allows aircrews to unleash a effective a Spaull from a greater distance. Center announces Price hikes for air Force uniform items Dallas Texas the defend pen Onnel support Center has announced Price increases for some Issue air Force uniform items sold in military clothing sales stores. The Price changes effective oct. I. Affecting women s air Force clothing items Are a Black Vinyl handbag in creases from $12.19 to 113.82 a polyester Wool coat from j4i.3i to $47.90 the Beret from $7.27 to $8.82 a skirt from $10.67 to $13.67 and Slacks from $16.45 to $18. Increases of men s items Are safety boots from $25.91 to $27.09 the Garrison Cap from $3.37 to $3.66 and undershirts from $1.55 to $1.65. Decreases include trousers from $16.94 to $15.47, polyester Wool coat from $53.37 to $49.46, All weather coat from $39.93 to $37.92 and the Utility Short from $6.72 to $6.19. Cafes Sells disc procured air Force uniform items in its military clothing stores along with its own Stock assortment of military uniforms and accessories. Prices for army uniform items will Rise oct. 1, Center says the defense personnel support Center i for some Issue army uni Dallas has announced Price changes i form items sold in military clothing sales stores. The Price changes go into effect oct. I. High demand items affected by the Price increases arc. Leather combat boots from $22.91 to $29.09 gloves from  to $ 12.36 and Blu Field jackets from $34.72 to $39.61. Items reduced in Price include Blu trousers from $15.44 to $12.56. Duffel bags from $12.83 to $11.86. And the All weather coat from $38.86 to $37.53. Cafes Sells disc army uniforms and accessories in military clothing sales stores along Wilh cafes procured merchandise. New yorker son finally travel to Lourdes shrine by Diana Valde. Staff writer it look time and an Anonymous Dona lion from a generous new yorker but Virginia Rubino and her handicapped son have finally travelled to the Catholic shrine at Lourdes. France. A month ago chances looked slim for Rubino and her Blind retarded son. An Drew Ever to get to the shrine. The two had boarded a Condor airlines charter flight aug 17 at John k. Kennedy inter National Airport in new York bul just before Takeoff the Crew Lold the Rubinos they would have to leave inc plane. Crew members though the 14-year-old boy. Who was moving around in his Seal and Biling his forearm would Upsel of her passengers. Airline officials called the boy s be Havior  his family said it was a nervous  Andrew s sister Virginia Dominici. And her husband. 1st 1.1. Robert Donie Nici of co a 1st in 52nd inf 1st army div in Bamburg booked inc original flight through aces military charter service on Condor a subsidiary of Luft Hansa German airlines. When the Rubi nos left the plane As requested Virginia Rubino expected a refund of $520 paid to aces. The charter company and air line refused to pay. When the Rubinos Story appeared in inc new York daily news fellow new yorkers opened their hearts and offered to help. My Mother in Law received Al most 100 offers for help but she refused every one except for one said Robert Dominici. Thai person Only identified As Barbara donated nearly $2,000 to Book Rubi no and her son on an All cd Pensis paid pilgrimage for the sick and handicapped to Lourdes. The trip is sponsored by the Catholic travel office in Chevy Chase. My. This is really like a dream come True for my wife said Domenici. Since i be known her this is All she Ever talked about getting her brother to  late Friday afternoon the Rubinos boarded a chartered dc-8 at Kennedy a Airport for their Long awaited trip to the shrine. Andrew s Sisler Mcl them in Lourdes. She was very excited when she Gol inc word that someone in new York had donated inc Money for inc  Robert Dominici said