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Show HILL TOP TIMES Page 4 i Editorials . . . L. ' Comment M tt . Most Fires Result of Carelessness Air Force real property and resources are being destroyed by fire to the tune of $4 million each year, and this does not include losses involving aerospace down in '65, '66, and '67. In the first six months of fiscal year 1968 there was an alarming upward trend of fire losses which almost equaled the total Air Force loss for the entire year of 1967. Hill Air Force Base through diligent fire prevention efforts and excellent cooperation from base personnel established a low and enviable fire loss record of four fires at a loss of only $405 in fiscal year 1967. All four of these fires were in Family Housing and were caused by acts of carelessness. It is almost inconceivable that with all of the high energy flammables and hazardous processes found on the installation that most of our fires are occurring in Family Housing. Most fires are the result of negligent and careless human behavior. A $2.2 million personnel facility and a $100,000 warehouse were recently destroyed by fire. Reports indicate the most probable cause was a coffee pot left plugged in and unattended. On our own installation fire losses for the first six months of fiscal year 1968 have already doubled that of 1967. Recent fire incidents include a grease fire in a $3.5 million facility and, even though the fire loss was relatively low, due to fire department response the value at risk was very high. This incident was inexcusable and like most others was caused by complacency and carelessness. Any large fire loss has a direct bearing on our ability to achieve the Air Force Mission. All potential sources and causes of fires regardless of magnitude mut be put under control. This requires positive individual response. There is no room for fire prevention apathy in personal actions at home or on the job. We are eliminating unsafe and fire hazardous conditions. Will you strive to eliminate careless and unsafe acts? irStim11 1 By Chaplain (Lt. CoL) Dugene A. Blitch, Jr God in his wisdom made each one of us different p deals with each person differently. Every ability which gjves to the individual is given as a part of God's total p&: for the redemption of the world. Capsule Law The law itself suggests various ways of saving taxes: by splitting income between husband and wife, by investbonds, by ing in rate of accelerated an using depreciation on property. And tax-exem- pt there are many tax-savi- ng methods which, even if not actually suggested by the law, are at least within its per- missible leeway. Then where does lawful avoidance end and unlawful evasion begin? The most obvious evasion is simply to file no tax return at all. But there are other telltale signs "badges of fraud" law looks for. that the There is no doubt 6, that God makes every effort to sea tht' to the the right talent goes right person ; to the one who wff one who can be expected most and the from it, T profit it to the fullest. When asked to use your talents to advance God's Kink dom, what is your answer? The opportunities of service to God are immeasurable. Blind is the man who says there fa nothing for him to do. Every church and chapel program has a great need for men who will faithfully use their abilities for God instead of waiting to let someone else do the job and reap the blessing. talents equally represent responsibilities. Too often w.e try to offer excuses to our f ellowmen and to God for not serving Him and the church's program. Take your Bible and turn to the Gospel of Matthew When you have read this chapter 25, and read verses ask these then questions : What talents do yourself parable, I have? Have I been using them to the fullest in God's If not, how can I begin now to be a faithful servant unto the Lord? Be honest with yourself and enjoy the happiness and the riches of this life as well as storing treasures in heaven. God-giv- en 14-3- 0. ? ; One such sign is a double set of books the first to show the Government, the second to reflect the real facts of a business operation. Another is a dummy bank account, in which to hide unreported income. And another is a fake claim of "charitable contributions," to - fatten the amount of deductions from total income. All devices of this kind have one thing in common: they indicate a dishonest state of mind, an intention to deliberately cheat Uncle Sam. Of course, even the honest person may be tempted to venture close to the dividing Quote of Note We're only a few weeks into the year and the 1968 elections are already a major topic of conversation. There is little doubt that this is a political year ond courses of action of national and international importance will be decided at the polls. Your right to vote is one of the strongest pillars of our free society. Throughout the course of history, men have given their lives in order to have a voice in the affairs of their government. Unfortunately, many of our citizens fail to realize the importance of voting. They neglect this privilege and obligatiin and attempt to justify their neglect by saying, "My one vote wouldn't make any difference anyway." When one uncast ballot is multiplied by the hundreds, or thousands, of eligible voters who stay at home, the total reaches staggering proportions and could make the difference in the outcome of an election. It's obvious then, that every vote does count. But how do you, the man on military duty, ensure that your vote is counted ? The first and most important step is to make sure that you are properly registered to vote in your home state. With state primary elections beginning as early as April, right now is the time to register and begin compiling all the information you will need to vote intelcomes. ligently when f Talents Represent Responsibilities line between avoidance and evasion. But outright skulduggery is relatively rare. The Internal Revenue Service says that 95 per cent of all returns are completely honest. Your Chance To Be Heard ' CHAPLAIN'S CORNER vehicles. Fire losses reached an all time high in fiscal year 1964, but due to improved cooperation and fire prevention behavior on the part of personnel, fire losses were ' "We can no longer delude ourselves that the term 'limited' can be equated with 'simple' or insignificant. Whatever the condition of the country engaged in aggression, the battles fought over that country can involve clever people and highly sophisticated weapons. Furthermore, where technology is not native to a country, it can easily and quickly be imported. The illusion that our enemies are night crawlers in black pajamas, poorly armed and poorly fed, is the great myth of the Vietnam conflict." (Gen. James Ferguson, oommander, Air Force Systems Command, Los Angeles, Feb. 15, 1968.) Roll up your sleeve to save n a life,... v It's Your Responsibility The time of the year has again arrived for us aS to face the spectre of one of life's two unavoidable sit taxes. At least, that's what the old ations click-state- j Everyone has received his W-- 2 forms and, after initial shock of seeing how much we really made during 1967 wears off and we have convinced ourselves that we really do have our correct withholding statement (not the one that shows the income of the commanding to general or the department head), it's timeincome tax gathering the necessary data to compute our determine return. Of course, in the process we try to show where it all went and why we don't have more to in the way of savings or other assets. However, the moment of truth has arrived Ji time to compile figures and actually compute exemption con deductions, credits, etc. Although we have a highly plex tax law, the government has made every as pw to make your income tax computation as easy the - aw sible. When you compute your tax or, if necessartS someone else do it, remember this: the not want you to pay more than your fair share oil w If you are in doubt about a deduction to t claim, fl your legal officer or other tax expert, don simpiy accepted be it with the idea, "It wouldn't the gow you are legally entitled to a deduction, icant s you to take it. " The "dirk the other hand, don't try and be IRS takes vigorous action against those pg attempt to shirk their responsibility f.nd w faVen individual tax burden to other conscientious mrvtel for W a is tax system Our rest of the world and depends on the nonesv tegrity of the individual taxpayer. On self-assessme- .fl nt one Your annual federal income tax is rights oi sponsibilities that comes with the Alt that is expected is that you meet this reF honestly, accurately and by April 15. jp. 0$ j |