European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 26, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                -.-. ?. Is Carlos Morigl panel personnel from patrol so 24, who Wear Light reflectors to help make them visible under dark skies frequently work in unpredictable weather conditions. Col Means fend of Bomar Mcfann . Bureau or the sailors of patrol so 24, the end of the cold War and the breakup of the soviet Union signalled the end of their existence in Iceland. Obviously it does not make sense to spend the kind of Money we have in the past preparing to go to War with someone that is no Long there said cmdr. Ken Deutsch executive officer of patrol so 24, or As it is commonly known vp-24. There is no doubt in my mind that patrol so 24 is going away because there is no longer As much of a threat out there As there was in the  vp-24, which was commissioned in april of 1943, Falls under the administrative control of commander patrol Wing eleven at Jacksonville fla., but operates under commander Fleet air Kef Lavik when deployed to the naval air station in Kef Lavik. The Squadron was last deployed at the air station in 1991 and will officially end its Iceland experience and existence in april 1995. Historically our Mission has been Blue water deep water anti submarine warfare Deutsch said. We continuously tracked soviet submarines and their anti submarine forces that target our submarines. We were very successful at  the Squadroni which has about 190 people in Kef Lavik flies five Lockheed p 3c aircraft its prime anti sub warfare weapon. -.  -. Although the Squadron still shadows russian submarines its Mission today involves More nato operations and exercises anti submarine warfare anti surface warfare and intelligence collection Deutsch said. I is Carlos Bongioanni airman apprentice Gabriella Espinoza Heads into the rain to Check fuel samples from a p-3c Orion. While duty and the weather in. Iceland May not seem Ideal most of the people assigned to the Remote location seem to enjoy it. The worst part is definitely the weather said Petty officer 2nd class James Wynn assistant supervisor for air frames. Air frames Are the non engine parts of the plane having to go out and work on the aircraft in the cold High winds and rain is the most challenging part of working Here the other Day it was hailing so we were getting kind of beat up out  Petty officer 3rd class Michele Thorne a lineman at the Squadron agreed. Two Days ago when the wind started blowing real Strong we were out in freezing weather for Over two hours putting More chains on the planes to hold them Down Thorne said. It s actually funny. Sometimes we re out Here handling planes and can t even stand up  but despite the weather Squadron members like their assignment. With  rain blowing Thome s co worker airman apprentice Gabriella. Espinoza put on her wet weather Getlir grabbed her equipment and headed for an air plane. I love it up Here said a smiling Espinoza. It s clean and there s no smog. I d live Here if i  continued on fit 16 closer look ., Iceland enter a new re 1 a to nosh in the shrinking of the  Military has meant a new Way of thinking for american troops in Iceland who serve As that nation s Only defense Force in january the  And icelandic governments negotiated the makeup of american military forces in Iceland after the cold War. The result was a document called the agreed minute. Iceland does not have a military Force of its own said rear adm. Stanley w. Bryant commander of the Iceland defense Force. We Are Iceland s Only military Force. And even with the breakup of the soviet Union everybody is still maintaining a defense  / a a /7v one of the major provisions of the agreed minute was that the 12 f-15 fighter aircraft v supporting the Iceland defense Force will no longer be permanently based on the Island. Instead four f-15s will be deployed to Mas Kef Lavik on a rotating basis. Even As the air Force reduces its fighter presence to four f-15s, the air defense of Iceland will not change nothing is compromised said Fri Thor Eydal the Deputy Public affairs officer for the Iceland defense Force. " a a /,-.-the primary Mission of the Fiss with the 57th fighter so in Iceland is intercepting aircraft that violate the Island s airspace. However there has t been an air intercept since september 1991, Eydal said. The air Force had intercepted As Many As 170 soviet military aircraft a year during the mid-1980s, he said. / the decision has been made to do business in the same Way but in a different fashion said Bryant. We Are just going to do it with a temporary duty Type arrangement instead of having a permanent party Squadron up  How much longer the 57th fighter so will continue its presence in Iceland has not been determined.  i l m going to it the air Force and air combat come figure out How they can Best do that Bryant said. Bryant who arrived at Nas Kef Lavik in August considers Quality of life issues an important part of his responsibilities. Keeping the upward slope going with Quality of life is my Job said Bryant. I see a lot of initiatives Here like improvements in housing commissary construction and other things that take  Bryant who wears Many hats As commander of All military forces in Iceland was the commander of the aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt before going to Iceland. A look out the window and i feel responsible for everything that goes on Here Bryant said. In that respect it is the same As when i would look out Over a Carrier deck., Here the families Are an integral part of this command and they Are right Here. I have a real time responsibility for there housing education playgrounds  Marc Mcfann Bryant wednesday october 26, 1994 the stars and stripes 15