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Show NEWS March 22, 1991 7 Hilltop Times Prisoners of war tell of mistreatment "It was more physically tiring than by MSgt. Mark Walsh it was physically damaging." Editor, Air Force News Service Trying to coerce him into making a propaganda video tape, the Iraqis appeared to be on a schedule with the prisoners' interrogation, he said. "I was destroying their schedule a their Vietnam-er- a counterparts. little bit. So they increased the intenHowever, solitary confinement, physsity of my interrogation at that stage ical abuse and, in one case, electrical of the game." torture, were constant sources of fear, While many of the former POYrs said they had suffered physical abuse they said March 14. S. an Tice, Maj. Jeffrey pilot at the hands of the Iraqis, none said from the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, it matched anything like the years of Torrejon AB, Spain, told a press con- abuse that American captives exference he w as subjected to electrical perienced during the Vietnam conflict. torture from a device he called the Their separation from each other, "Talkman." their families and the uncertainty of While on a Jan. 19 attack against the future was as brutal as some of the Iraq, the major's aircraft was hit and physical abuse they suffered during damaged south of Baghdad; however, captivity. he managed to glide his. fighter for about 150 miles more before he had to Family L ANDREWS AFB, Md.-T- he eight Air Force former prisoners of war agree their treatment in captivity was not as harsh as that experienced by - I . F-1- 6 eject. He was immediately captured by Bedouins, held overnight, taken to Baghdad the next day and handed over to the Iraqis. Shock therapy Calling the treatment electrical shock therapy, Major Tice said he had wires wrapped around his ears and under his chin, and was shocked periodically early in captivity. "They went from just your average human hand and a couple rounds of the Mike Tyson type of beating to a little bit of electrical shock," Major Tice said. Although he lost some pieces of teeth during the interrogation, Major Tice knew from the beginning that he was not in danger of dying. "You got kind of numb after the first few shocks," he said. thoughts Almost all of their time was spent in solitary confinement, with very little food, no beds and only a couple of blankets, and no news or word from the world outside their cells. Col. David W. Eberly, deputy commander for operations for the 4 th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., said his worst night came a little less than three weeks after he was captured by the Iraqis. The colonel was on a combat mission in an with Maj. Thomas E. Griffith, Jr., also of Seymour Johnson, when they were shot down in western F-15- had to notify my family," Colonel Eberly said. "My family had to go through someone telling them that I might be dead. "That was the toughest night." Relief at the POWs being released has been shown through extensive news coverage around the world. During the press conference, the repatriated airmen expressed thanks for the support and homecoming welcomes given them by the American people. E Iraq Jan. 19. Having been in captivity since Jan. 22, Colonel Eberly said one night in early February, when he was pacing around in his tiny cell, he began to think more and more about his family. "I suddenly realized that someone A hero's welcome Speaking on behalf of the other former POWs, however, Colonel Eberly asked the nation to extend this same type of welcome to the rest of the returning American men and women serving in the Gulf. "We have truly received a heroes' welcome, but we are not the heroes," he said. "The real heroes of Desert Storm, the heroes of this war are the people who are arriving home every day." Noting the people in the fighter and Guard and infantry units, active-dutReserve, he praised the total force of people that made the war a "total victory." "What I would like to do is to eny, courage the same people who have spent a little time watching us come home... get out, shake the hands of these people, and hug them and tell them how proud they are to be an American following the decisive victory that we have won." The eight Air Force crewmen will return to their home bases once they have been medically cleared by doctors from Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews. MEWS BRIEFS Solicitations not authorizod The Hill AFB Education Office has once again begun to receive phone calls about individuals being approached by solicitors, claiming to be from the Education Office, offering information about CLEP tests. Officials at the office stress that these individuals are not affiliated with the office and have not been given authorization to solicit on or off base claiming to represent the office. People approached by these individuals should get their name, the company they actually represent and call the Education Office at tion numbers based on date and time of application. The applicants' position numbers may change, up or down, based on the addition of new applicants to the waiting list and based on changes in the rank-orde- r factors such as promotion. Airmen still remain on the waiting list until the 150th day before then-datof separation. Airmen with approved reservations have only 45 or they lose their CJR. days to For more information contact base career advisers TSgt. James Pinnegar or SSgt. Vincent Feight in Bldg. 180, Room 221 or call Ext. 71222 or 72700. e re-enl-ist 777-271- 0. Bowling tournament plannod The AFAF Bowling Tournament, sponsored by the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, will be today through March 29. Teams should consist of five individuals. Squads will bowl from 12:30 p.m. on each day. Cost is $35 per team and prizes will be awarded. Sign up by calling the Bowling Center at Ext. 76565 or 79911. Job application outlined airmen have limited time to request a career job reservation, according to Hill AFB career First-ter- m Discover cids In decision racking Those preparing for a new career, both civilian and military, can use the new computerized Discover system at the Hill AFB Education Office. The system helps people discover occupational aptitudes. It also gives information about external degree programs, military training, financial aid and job seeking. Discover can be used to learn about job options and how to train for each one. It can also define a. p approach to planning a career. To use Discover, go to the Base Education Office in Bldg. 383 any weekday between 7:30 am. and 4 p.m. For more information, call Ext. 72710. step-by-ste- Association forms new division advisers. Airmen who enlisted for four years must request their CJR during their 35th through 38th months and those who enlisted for six years may apply during their 59th month through 62nd month. The waiting list procedures use a variety of factors to rank airmen applying for a reservation in constrained skills. Applicants will be ranked using grade, projected grade, last three performance reports, unfavorable information file, date of rank and total amount of service, in that order, to determine who on the list will receive reservations. Airmen no longer receive CJR waiting list posi SAN ANTONIO, Texas-T- he Noncommissioned Officers Association of the United States of America announced Feb. 5 that for the first time in its history, it has formed a new division of nonvoting membership for service members in grades E-E-and E-The association was previously open only to noncommissioned and petty officers in grades E-- through E-- veterans of any rank, as well as spouses of members. The announcement was made after the motion to create the Apprentice Division was approved by the association's membership at a general meeting held 31-ye- l, ar 2 3. 4 9, in San Antonio on Jan. 28. The NCOA is now the only military organization serving all enlisted ranks in all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including active duty, retired, veteran, Guard and Reserve components. Apprentice Division members will be eligible for special money-savinopportunities through the organization's National Certified Merchants Program and have access to other sponsored and endorsed programs. However, Apprentice Division members will not have access to endorsed insurance programs until they reach the rank of E-- 4 and join the regular division. Apprentice Division memberships will be $10 per year compared with $20 a year for Regular Division membership. The NCOA is a federally chartered, fraternal organization founded in 1960 to promote and protect the rights and benefits of enlisted service members in all five branches of the Armed Forces, active duty, veteran, National Guard and Reserves. g non-profi- t, American Legion offers support The American Legion is offering Family Support Network, a national program, the centerpiece of which is a toll free number, that provides an emergency action line for military families to turn to if assistance is needed. Using technology, the confidential are categorized, prioritized and referred to requests local American Legion posts and units for appropriaction by volunteers. ate follow-uAmerican Legion departments maintain close contact with National Guard State Family Program coordinators in every state, working with them to avoid duplication of services. The Department of Defense has primary responsiblity for providing assistance to these families and DOD's efforts are being augmented by the American Legion, not replaced. state-of-the-a- rt p hand-in-han- d |