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Show Page HILL fOP TIMES 6 March 12. 1976 Ifiew From The Top Someone sa'd , "The person who does not read is as bad off as the person who can? ; read." Essentially, the sam holds true for the person who ignores the hard - won knowledge about cancer. Much has been learned in tho past few years about the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer. Still, so incny people refuse to concern themselves with the available information. For them, it is almost as though all the research and labor devoted to the problem of Cancer had never been done. As you know, we are conducting a cancer awareness program on base. We are showing films, giving lectures and making physicians available to answer questions. For many years, we have known the danger signals of cancer, we have known what to do for most types of cancer if detection is early. It is a highly treatable disease but there are some things we need to do for ourselves. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent for our benefit. urge each of you to take advantage of this opportunity to enlighten yourselves. Hundreds of thousands of cancer victims are alive and well today because they recognized the onset of the problem and took immediate action to combat it. That is what we are attempting to promote through this program. But, here more than anywhere, the burden of action rests squarely on you. You must assume the responsibility for your own safety. The price of safety, as always, is vigilance. And, as always, the first requirement of vigilance is knowledge of the enemy. Please let us equip you with the knowledge you need to prevent the unnecessary tragedy that often accompanies apathy and ignorance. I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to see the films that will be shown on base and read the material that will be published in the Hill Top Times. Then, if you have any questions, call your doctor - promptly! T -- s- Edmund A. Rafalko Maj.(;en., USAF Commander A Relief For The Second-Rat- e Citizen; The Soldiers And Sailors Civil Relief Act By Capt. Frank M. Wells. USAF (Reserve); Attached to the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate DEAR ABBOT: A friend and I were discussing your column and have a personal question to ask. Are you married? INTERESTED DEAR INTERESTED: Is this a proposal? THE ABBOT The active duty military member often laments that he receives the treatment of a second-rat- e citizen. To alleviate many of the hardships and inequalities accompanying active duty which have given rise to such feelings. Congress enacted the Soldiers and Sailors' Civil Relief Act. This provides remedies for servicemen, not readily available to civilians, of which servicemen should be aware. DEAR ABBOT: Recently, I was riding in the nonsmoking section of an airplane when an old woman ahead of ine lit up a A young woman across the aisle leaned over and said loudly, ".Madam, your cigarette is offending ine. Either put it out or move." The old woman, trembling with anger, refused to do either. With that, the younger gal sought out a stewardess and brought her into the fight. Not even the tactfulness of the stewardess could overcome the loud and angry voices. Finally, the old woman ended up moving. All of us who saw the scene were embarrassed. How do you feel about what happened? RED IN THE SKY cigarette. DEAR RED: Few things are harder to endure than a publicly staged display of self - righteousness! It would help to know if the old woman didn't know she was in a "no smoking" area or if she was just being obstinate. In any case, the conduct of the younger woman, as described, was just plain rudeness. Rightness is no justification for rudeness. Some people have so little selfesleem that the only way they can feel good about themselves is by putting other people down. And the more the better. I've seen husbands publicly public the down their wives, parents their kids, and bosses their put subordinates. In each instance, I mark it off as immaturity, insecurity, and lack of ego strength. When we're right, we can afford to be generous. Certainly, if we want to communicate, we do well to take an "I count - you count" stance, affirming the dignity of both the other person and ourselves. Let me share an old prayer with you: "Lord, make my words sweet today, for I mav have to eat them tomorrow." THE ABBOT put-dow- n, Are our VALUABLES SECURED m i. fa) primary reason for the enactment was to provide protections for the draftee suddenly jerked from civilian life without adequate time to properly deal with his obligations or provide for his family. The Act was made applicable to all active duty military generally. Major areas to be discussed in this article include taxes, civilian court actions, financial or contractual obligations, and lease agreements. Treatment may vary depending upon whether the obligation arose prior to or during active service. Due to the extensiveness of this subject, these areas can only be treated here in a cursory manner and any specific questions can be directed to the Staff Judge Advocate offices, ext. 67'j6 or by contacting them in Bldg. 1287. A matter" which servicemen encounter daily is that of taxes. Most often the ones of concern, aside from the ever present sales tax for which there is no special immunity, are income, personal and real property taxes. The Act provides that the only stale which may tax military pay is the home state or the stale which is the permanent residence of the service member. Howev er, all other forms of income may be taxed by the state in which earned, as well as by the home state which will give a lax credit for taxes paid to other states. As to personal property, the permanent residence state is the only one which may exact a lax and frequently then only when the property is present in that stale. Real property taxing is straightforward with only the stale wherein it is situated taxing it. Returning to income taxes, another provision of the Act allows a delay in collection of the tax until six months afler discharge under certain circumstances. The member must show that his ability to pay the tax was impaired by his military service. Also, a stay may be available with regard to a sale or foreclosure as a result of any tax or assessment. As to this, too. the military member must demonstrate that his ability to pay was materially affected by virtue of his military service. Additional stay provisions come into play, as well as the A Everything advertised in this publication must be made available for purchase use or patronage without regard to the race, creed, color, national origin or sex of the purchaser, user, or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this polk of equal opportunities by an advertiser will tolling of statutes of limitation with respect to civilian court actions or potential court actions. This is as to actions which may be brought by or against the service member. Such action must have arisen prior to entry on active duty. In that event, a stay may be available until such time as the serviceman may properly appear and represent himself. In the situation where a stay is not granted or invoked and a court enters a default judgment against him, a serviceman may thereafter obtain relief by having the judgment set aside. This applies to court actions initiated during military service as well. He must show that military service prejudiced his making a defense, that there was in fact a meritorious or legal defense available, and that the application to have the judgment set aside was no later than 90 days after his discharge from the service. It should be noted that a serviceman might inadvertently by some deed or action subject himself to a ' court's jurisdiction so that a judgment could properly be entered against him. Protection in the area of financial or contractual obligations is available where the obligation arose prior to entry on active duty. With proof that military service impaired the ability to meet the obligation, a court can suspend the enforcement of the obligation until after release from active duty. Upon release, the performance period for the obligation might be extended for a period equal to time spent on active duly. However, a creditor could be entitled to arrearages for the period of the suspension of the obligation. With respect to installment contracts, the agreement must have been entered into prior to entry on active duty and a deposit or one iastallment payment must have been made befot r that lime. One last area to be mentioned is that of leases. First, a serviceman may prematurely terminate a lease for a dwelling or business whether or not his to ability pay is impaired. On the other hand, a landlord may not evict a serviceman from a dwelling for which the agreed lo rent does nol exceed Sl.Vi per month whether occupancy was begun prior to or during active service. In conclusion, the second rate citizen soldier is afforded protections by virtue of his military service in the areas of taxes, civil court actions, contractual or financial obligations, and real property leases. This is only a scratching of the surface as to available remedies and specific inquiries may be directed to the legal assistance office, Ext. 6756, Bldg. 1287. trsult in the refusatio print advertising from that source. Mor.Media Sales, Inc., Telephone Ogden 3l WW, Layton, pre-servi- V, Sorry classifieds by mail only: P.O. Box IM, Kaysville, Utah 81037. or Salt Iike City, ce 277- - |