European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday december 27, 1993 the stars and stripes Page 3duo makes Iceland a family affair father son manage to keep close while working at Kef Lavik by Joseph Owen Quot staff writer Nas Kef Lavik Iceland after John a. Woods 10 children grew up in Iceland they All left Home and moved to the United states. But the United states sent one of them Back a and put him to work right Over Woods head. Woods and his son air Force capt. Brian v. Woods occupy offices in a two Story building at Nas Kef Lavik. The elder Woods is a management coordinator for the naval air stations Public works department. The son who works in a second floor office directly Over his fathers is Deputy Engineer for the 35th civil engr so. A i hear him stomping his feet sometimes a the father said laughing. Capt. Woods assignment to Iceland in october 1992 was not entirely coincidental. As the son of an icelandic Mother he Speaks the native language fluently. And his skills were in demand Here. A a even so considering the tendency of Young adults to leave Iceland to seek employment and adventure elsewhere Woods is Lucky to have even one child in the area. Another son died in 1976 in los Angeles and is buried in Iceland. The rest live in the United states mostly in the Southeast. John Woods and his wife Aslaug visit the states at least once every two years and some of his children Fly to Iceland for vacations. He Speaks of the separation with stoic resignation. Quot its their life Isnit it a he said. Woods 70, has lived in Iceland longer than the . Forces have been Here. A native of Omaha neb., he served in the army during world War ii including two years in new Guinea and the Philippines. After the War he signed up for work in. Iceland in 1947, intending to save Money so he could attend College Back Home. His employer was american overseas airline a contractor hired to operate the Airfield that the wartime allies had built and then abandoned. A amps Joaeph Owen capt. Brian v. Woods left and his father John work in the same building at Nas Kef Lavik Iceland. The elder Woods has worked in the country since 1947. In those Days conditions at the Airfield were primitive. The roads All gravel were studded with big rocks. Quonset huts provided the Only shelter from the harsh environment. Quot there were no windows and no doors when i got Here. They were All broken out a Woods said. Woods who started work As a meal Cutter and then became a Cook remained on the payroll when Lockheed took Over the Airfield contract in 1948. He was still there when the . Air Force arrived in 1951. He never returned to America to go to school. A at that time i met my wife and we started having children. I just  pick up and go like that Quot Woods said. So what was to have been a Brief stay has lasted 46 years. Woods said heaven rejected the thought of moving his entire budding family to the United states. The Airfield offered him Job Security that was vital to the father of a growing Brood he said. The family first lived in Aslaug Woods native Reykjavik the capital 35 Miles from the Airfield. John Woods then shift worker quickly grew impatient with the Long hazardous drive out onto the brutally Windy Peninsula where the Airfield is located. Quot i almost drove off the Road a couple of times and killed myself a he recalled. So the Woods family moved to Nard Vik a Village near the Airfield then later to next door Kef Lavik John Woods became an assistant restaurant manager then Tost his Job when the air Force transferred control of the Airfield terminal to the icelandic government in 1961. That s when he found a position with Navy Public works. All but the first and the last of the 10 Woods children were born at Home with the help of a midwife. They attended . Schools on the air station. Brian Woods the ninth child went to Arizona state University and earned an engineering degree in 1988. Then he joined the air Force. Quot i guess being around the military base my whole life. It was the thing to do a the air Force officer said. A i enjoy  his career took him to Macdill fab fla., then to Korea where he met his wife Unchong. Then he got the Iceland assignment which is scheduled to end next  Woods said he  recommend that Young americans who come to Iceland today follow the path he took. Iceland Hasni to been the same since thousands of people moved from the islands far Flung villages to Reykjavik he said Quot maybe its Good in a Way but a lot of family values have gone by the Wayside a Woods said. What advice would he give new arrivals Quot gel off the base. Meet the people. I love them a Woods said. As for himself Woods has no solid retirement plans. His future at Public works he said Quot depends on Uncle Sam what he has in mind 1 can to read his  delays gis holidays in Washington fort Lewis Wash. A nearly 300 soldiers returning from Somalia arrived Home in time for Christmas dinner after a snowstorm delayed their flight for More than 24 hours. About 185 fort Lewis based soldiers originally were scheduled to arrive Home at 3 45 . Friday but a snowstorm closed the Canadian air base where their plane landed for refuelling. The chartered Jet finally landed at Mcchord fab at 8 47 . Saturday a duty sergeant at fort Lewis said. A a it a been Long. Everyone is anxious to get Home a sgt. Peter Montoya said. Most of the fort Lewis soldiers were members of the 40th trans co which was sent to Africa on sept. 3 to help transport fuel and water for United nations forces in Somalia. A staff sgt. Tom Johnson gets a kiss from his wife Angela at fort Lewis Wash., on Christmas morning. Some getting dividends on insurance policies Washington a amps some government life insurance policyholders will receive annual dividend checks ranging from $200 to $600 this year according to department of veterans affairs officials. The officials estimate that up to 2.5 million veterans Are eligible for dividends including about 8,000 policyholders overseas. The policies were issued beginning in 1917 and were last issued in 1956. Seven versions of the policies were issued Over that period according to the a. Checks Are mailed on the anniversary Date that the policy took effect. A officials mail the dividend checks to addresses supplied by policyholders. Dividends vary according to the age of the policyholder and Type of insurance. In All $955 million will be distributed. Veterans of the korean War will average payments of $405, while those who be kept their policies Active since world War ii can expect $392. A this is the real thing. It  be confused with the g1 insurance hoax that seems to come up every year a said Ken Mckinnon a a spokesman. A said various insurance scams have involved government life insurance policies for years. Most recently con artists have told veterans to a Send us Money and we in do the paperwork for you a he said. The dividends Only go to veterans holding certain types of policies Mckinnon said. A because of the continuing scams we have a lot of veterans who get caught up in the idea that they re due a refund when in fact they re  for example while the a sponsors Serviceman a group life insurance for Active duty personnel and the reserves Sigli does not pay dividends. A officials said dividend amounts have risen in recent years because insure Ance Trust funds Are earning higher profits. The funds Are invested in Long term government securities. Policyholders with questions about the dividends can Call toll free 800-669-8477 in the United states for More information