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Show COMMENTARY Hilltop Times September 29, 2005 COUNT THE COST Payday loans have high fees What steps are you taking to conserve fuel? The military pay office can help with financial pressures associated with a permanent change of station move. They can advance pay during the 30 days before the move and up to 60 I walked into the payday loan office, introduced myself and days after for moving expenses. asked how it all works. They were somewhat suspicious, Civilian employees can also find help. No-interest money but cooperative. is available for emergency needs through the Federal On the desk, I saw a chart that showed various loan Employee Education and Assistance Fund. Call 800amounts and the fee that would be charged. The fee de323-4140 for their help. pends on the amount and on the length of the loan. A fee While money for true emergencies is available, of $120 is charged for a two-week $600 loan. The chart also many military families, for whatever reason, showed the annual interest rate represented by the fee - 521 still use payday loans. Gen. Bruce Carlson, the percent in this case! All I had to do was write a check for $720, new Air Force Materiel Command commander, date it two weeks from now, and they would give me a check for has expressed his concern over payday loans. $600. It was simple, and too easy. Too easy to make me stop and He reports that payday lenders are aggressively think about what I was really doing. men and women across the targeting military I went to another payday loan business. They charged a nation, and the lenders are having good success. $126 fee to borrow $600 for two weeks. Again, it was 26 percent of military families Studies show that easy. All I had to do was write a check and they would have made payday loans. give me the money. I could take the weekend trip, To reduce the unwise use of credit, General buy the iPod or the Wireless Internet Smart Carlson encourages commanders to increase Watch. I would deal with repaying the loan awareness of financial education opportunities. later. These opportunities are available in the Base Then I considered how much money $120 and Family Support Center. The Base Family Sup$126 was, especially when I was considering a port Center offers a large number of financial two-week loan. I could do a lot with that money. classes. Among them are "Living Within planning All I had to do was not make the loan and wait two Means," "Rebuilding Your Credit," "Getting Out of Your weeks. That's a pretty good financial return on Debt and Avoiding Payday Loans," "Creating a Spending Plan," patience. and many more. These classes are available to all military memBut what if I really needed the money, and bers, civilian employees and their families. needed it now? What if my car needed repairs or my General Carlson and Ogden Air Logistics Center commander mother was seriously ill and needed me to fly home? What if the landlord was demanding the rent and I didn't have the money? Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Sullivan see eye to eye on this problem. General Sullivan has expressed his concerns about payday loans on several Surely, these situations would justify the loan, right? No! For a real emergency, help is available; you just need to know occasions. He recognizes that people sometimes need money they do not have. He also recognizes that with solid financial planning, where to go. Military members can turn to their first sergeants. patience and wisdom, the need to borrow can be greatly reduced. First sergeants are trained to help. They will direct personnel to When borrowing is the only option, Air Force personnel should the Hill Family Support Center or to the payroll office. The Family Support Center offers money to Air Force members consider the sources mentioned above or commercial lenders that at no cost through the Air Force Aid Society. Money is available for offer fair and reasonable interest rates. Air Force personnel should also seriously consider using the financial planning programs ofsuch things as emergency travel due to a family death or illness, for car repairs for the primary vehicle, and for rent assistance and fered by the Family Support Center. Call 777-4681 to sign up for a workshop or make an individual counseling appointment, utilities. BYJIMTADJE . .. . . 75th Judge Advocate Civil Law Division See related commentary, Page 3 Airman 1st Class Kishlma Estridge 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron supply management . apprentice "My co-workers and I carpool to work now." Senior Airman Monique Peloquin 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron supply management journeyman "I lower the tailgate on my truck and I eat lunch at work." Terrorist acts planned, rehearsed Tech. Sgt. Christopher Schultz 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of customer service "I try to cut down on my other expenditures so I can afford to drive my V8 Ford Expedition." Daren Yingling 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron systems analyst "I bought a motorcycle to conserve fuel costs and I stopped driving my personal vehicle to do official business." Diana Sewell 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron inventory management specialist BYSPECIALAG_ENTERIC BLAINE Air Force Office of Special Investigations Det. 113 The terrorism attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, taught us that the enemies of the United States are capable of striking high-value targets on American soil, and they're will•Ying-to stop at nothing to do so: For that treason, the Air Force^Office of"Special. V Investigations continues to promote the Air Force's "Eagle Eyes" program" At the heart of the program is the understanding that terrorist acts are simply not spontaneous activities that "just happen." Rather, they require careful planning and are rehearsed in advance. While force protection conditions across the globe fluctuate with activities local to each facility, the "Eagle Eyes" concept becomes more important than ever. Base personnel, along with the surrounding communities should continue their vigilance and report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities. It is this high level of cooperation between the base^ and the community that has made the program not only a success, but now a Department of Defense standard. Specifically, "Eagle Eyes" encourages people to recognize the following activi- "My husband and I carpool to work. Better to drive one than two." ties as potentially suspicious and to report der crossings and stowaways aboard ship or people jumping ship in port. them to authorities: n Dry run: Putting people into position n Surveillance. Someone recording or monitoring activities. This may include and moving them around according to the use of cameras (either still or video), their plan without actually committing the terrorist act. This is especially true note taking, drawing diagrams, annotating on maps, or rising binoculars or other when planning a kidnapping, but it can also pertain to bombings. An element of _ vision-enhancing devices. this activity could also include mapping n Elicitation. People or organizations attempting to gain information about mili- out routes and determining the timing of traffic lights and flow. tary operations, capabilities, or people. Elicitation attempts may be made by mail, n Deploying assets: People and supplies getting into position to commit the act. fax, telephone, or in person. n Tests of security. Any attempts to mea- This is a person's last chance to alert authorities before the terrorist act occurs. sure reaction times to security breaches No matter how well trained and vigilant, or to penetrate physical security barriers law enforcement officials simply cannot or procedures in order to assess strengths be everywhere. Your eyes and ears — and • and weaknesses. those of your friends and family — can be n Acquiring supplies. Purchasing or of enormous help in preventing terrorism. stealing explosives, weapons, ammunition, etc. Also includes acquiring military After all, you know best what activities do — or do not — belong in and around your uniforms, decals, flight manuals, passes or badges (or the equipment to manufac- base, neighborhood, and community. For more information about the "Eagle ture such items) or any other controlled Eyes" program, contact Special Agent items. n Suspicious persons out of place. People Eric Blaine at AFOSI Det. 113, 777-1852, who don't seem to belong in the workplace, or to report any activities to the 24-hour neighborhood, business establishment, or Hill AFB "Eagle Eyes" reporting line, call anywhere else. Includes suspicious bor- (801) 777-3056. Action Line 777-7000 • action.line.pa@hill.af.mil John Singleton 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron inventory specialist Col. Sharon Dunbar "I try to consolidate trips to the store and I don't take trips when unnecessary." When you call or send an e-mail, your comments will be recorded and staffed through the agency responsible for action. Please give your supervisor and chain of command the opportunity to work with you in answering questions and solving problems before calling the Action Line. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest will be published in the Hilltop Times. T- CONTACT NUMBERS The base agencies listed below can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: Security Forces 777-5550 24-hr. Crisis Information .777-3056 Services 777-4134 Base Restaurants 777-2043 Retirement/Compensation . 777-6142 (civilian) Socfal Actions ...,.....;. 777-3516 Employee Relations 777-7129 Military Pay 777-1851 Civilian Pay 777-6246 Air Force Suggestion 777-6901 Program IG Complaints . v..... .777-5305 (for appointment), IG Complaints ..:..,. .777-5361 (afterhours)- :.X^';V '"'•/, •^'•'•^&V Fraud, Waste or Abuse . .777-5361 (recording) 75th Medical Group ... .777-4918 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Hill Pride Hotline ....... 777-7433 Public Affairs .777-5201 Military Housing ,. ;.:; .777-2963 Maintenance -:•:•• Safety Office 777-3333 Union..- 777-3257AFOSI Narcotics Hotline .777-1852 Family Assistance Center 775-3090 (when activated) "The U.S. Air Force — meeting the challenge through Global Vigilance, Reach and Power." HilltOg TIMES Weekly Since 1948 Published by Ogdcn Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive whiten contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents o( the Hilltop Times are not necessarily the official views of. or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or Ogden Publishing Corp., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex. national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmcrii factor of the purchaser, user or patron. F.ditcrial content is edited, prepared and provided by the 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office staff in Bldg 152. Call 777-4598 with story ideas or comments, or send e-mail to "hilliop.timcs(u hill.at mil" Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are U.S. Air Force photos. Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Col. Sharon Dunbar 75th ABW Commander Charles Freeman ." Chief, Public Affairs Barbara Fisher Editor Tech. Sgt. Crystal Robles, Beth Young, Shad West, Airman 1st Class Jenny Chong Staff Writers Deadlines: Editorial and "Around the Hill" Items, 3 p.m. Friday; sports articles, 9 a.m Monday; classified ads, 5 p.m. Tuesday, week of publication. For more information, call the editor, 777-4598. TO PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 625-4300 |