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Show HILL TOP TIMES 0 Friday, Augwcf 17, 1984 O Are Defeonse By Capt. Kevin C. Probasco Staff Judge Advocate Office The Air Force Area Defense Counsel program celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. According to Judge Advocate General of the Air Force, Maj. Gen. Thomas Burton, the program is a success by any standard and one the Air Force can be proud of. At its inception in 1974, the Area Defense Counsel program marked an historic change in the military justice system. Before that date, defense counsel and military prosecutors were generally assigned to the same office and shared the same reporting official. The system was vulnerable to charges that the defense counsel could not truly be independent or remain unaffected by command influence. yimsei The Air Force was the first service to voluntarily undertake the task of creating an independent trial defense service. Defense was made a wholly separate function from the prosecution, staffed full time by specially selected legal personnel who report only to trial defense service officials. The success of the Air Force program led the other services to establish a similar program. Ten years and 15,000 trials later, the Area Defense Program has won accolades from commanders who have praised it as "a real success," "an important resource," and "a step forward in enhancing morale and acceptability of the disciplinary process." One commander added, "If we didn't have an ADC program, we'd have to invent one." Qwnlibin) tanmioinig Whether it 's a prison, manacles, clocks, or doors, Don Cramer, Chief, Civilian Training, has the key to them all literally! Don has a key collection valued at nearly $8,500. His interest started with a key ring from his -- inn) ehfief irks HMd wmveswy The Air Force has always insisted on staffing the ADC program with high quality people, officer and enlisted, and placing emphasis on training. Newly appointed ADC members attend an intensive orientation course conducted by appellate defense personnel at headquarters USAF. Personnel are encouraged to attend circuit workshops and the newly established trial and defense advocacy program at Maxwell AFB, Ala. Located in Bldg. 179, the Area Defense Counsel office is directly behind base headquarters, Bldg. 180. The Area Defense Counsel is Capt. John B. Solan assisted by SSgt. Catherine Turner. Captain Solan or Sergeant Turner may be reached at Ext. 72940. homo, uttrnct - Safeguarding freedom through the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and RULE OF LAW oiiys 'key' hbby state, when all the locks were replaced with electron- bus station locker key. "Management didn't give ic locks. you the key, when you paid for the locker," he said. Another interesting key is the "bailiff's plug" "They put the key in the lock, turned it, and the used by landlord's during the depression to lock peokey number was printed on a paper receipt. The key when of out didn't their ple pay was kept until you returned and presented the they apartments 15 earnest in and about the began grandfather years their rent. .When turned in keyhole, this key receipt.". releases a plug that blocks anything from entering. ago while TDY in Washington, D. C, where he visitAccording to Don, there are many artists who ed the Smithsonian Institute. ""Most of what I know Landlords would remove the key block when the make "keys" called designer replicas. You can find about keys comes from working with the curator person paid their rent. This type key is considered these brass "phonies" in malls and gift shops. They of the Smithsonian key collection," he said. "Their modern because it's constructed by machinery. Don might look good hanging on a wall as decorations, collection is probably the biggest and best in the has seven handmade Class A keys in his collection. but they're of no value to a collector. Some craftsworld." men make casts of real keys and try to sell them on information the keys Researching background The first key he acquired was a replica of the key is the hardest part, but half the enjoyment. For exas authentic originals Most phony keys can be deto Independence Hall; s 200 commemoratives were ample, Don has a commemorative key he paid $15 tected through chemical tests. made for the Bicentennial. In the past three years for in an import store. It was coal black and was If Don has any doubts about a key's authenticiDon graduated to a Class A collector, those having listed as a blank, but Don noticed three small square ty, he photographs it and sends it to the Smithsomarks on the side of the key which he recognized nian Institute or to a reputable collector for qualifikeys with the highest degree of rarity. The most valuable key in his collection is the as an English Hallmark. The cleaned key proved to" cation. The most valuable keys predate 1900 and Croeseur named after Paul Croeseur, the English be 99 percent pure silver, inlaid with gold sides and are made by hand or constructed by a locksmith. One way to qualify or "read" a key is to notice locksmith who developed the process for hardening inscribed. brass. There are only 17 known Croeseur keys in the The key was minted in Birmingham, England, in its alignment or worn spots. The more a key is twisted out of alignment or worn, the older and more world, seven in the United States. One is at the 1931 commemorating the opening of a waterworks Smithsonian and the others with private collectors. pumping station in East Hagborne, Wallingford, valuable it is. Commemorative keys are easily spotObtaining this key started Don working with other England. English officials sent Don a picture of the ted because they don't have any wear marks. The collectors. waterworks which still stands. The justice of the key's wing is the portion you hold; the fan the part Don registers all his keys in his home computer peace who cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony that goes into the lock, and the shaft is in between. y and qualifies them by material, length, type of key, was long since dead, but his nephew still lives in Helping Don collect keys are some reserage, where key came from, casting type, and type East Hagborne. Twelve commemorative keys were vists and friends who are world travelers. One reservist recently brought back an 1853 Chinese sea of lock. made, one given to each of the district constables. chest lock and key from Peking. one is still in the pumpOne of his more interesting keys is one to the Besides the key Don has, Most of Don's keys, though, come from flea marfront gate of the Canyon City prison facility in ing station; the whereabouts of the other 10 is Colorado. When Don read that the facility was closunknown. kets, locksmiths, antique dealsers, garage sales, and for but are to the he wrote for the warden asking Most people think keys locks, only import stores. Buying keys from a locksmith is the ing, any keys hardest, says Don. "They know the keys' value and prison. The warden not only sent a key, but infor- Don has keys to stoves, railroad switch boxes, mation authenticating it as being originally made mausoleums, clocks, and manacles, to name a few. treasure them. If they do sell, they make you pay in 1882, two years before Colorado was made a One unique key in his collection is an old Greyhound the price." He noted that with antique dealers, some keys are terribly overpriced and others amazingly under-price- d if dealers don't know the market value. For key for $15 when example, Don bought a stoke-bo- x it was listed for $315. Don says the easiest way to ruin an antique key is to use steel wool or buff with a wheel. "The original rust, or patina, makes it more valuable," he explained. From original patina you can learn where a key came from, type of casting, whether it was N-, used by a man or woman, age of key, type of materi... al it contained, and type of lock it turned. Don can even tell whether the key was used by a right or person by worn sports where the key is held and twisted. "Men are harder on keys, they twist stronger; women use more finesse so keys they turn aren't worn as much or twisted out of shape," he said. A major happening for key dealers is a convention, but not in the general sense, said Don. "When conventions are held they are Class A type and are held because people want to trade. There are many v h keys you simply cannot buy, and must trade for," he noted. Don would not sell most of his keys, but would trade if he had two very similar keys and if he could trade for something he wanted in his far-awa- ; . jr left-hand- ill ed - U.S. Air Force Story and Photo Don Cramer, chief, Civilian Training, examines one of the approximately 400 keys in his personal r .A ..- .. ........ by Jean Williamson Public Affairs Office |