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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 1973)
ients 1 sen! Bui t sight of the dual student, i assisted greatly l;, an international stilus found him sensititi ■ and eager to translator. At tine d me, at other tints ireted me to otters i me, and often lit >d me when otters fficult. To this the progress I havi make and much o accomplish in is Dr. Koldus sre ?y are desperately lly in the field oi as A&M University ■ortunate to hare administration, ram Nouyan Fire yC tone.’ / ° Enust ie only casultyof fire at 402 Boy- rnoon. extinguished at i. by the College ■partment. Landua said that s were used and was totally de- vas injured in the n a locked apart- ’ was one of the ie house present ike out. He man- w of his clothes ig else was lost. kelson, a profes- ogy Department e house. He was his home where party to witness Benefits Looking Better and Better Youth Finding Military More Rewarding ($) THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1973 Page 3 By DAVID STASNEY In 1947, Alfred L. Wymola was just nother 19-year-old pondering his uture. “1 had a job at Texas A&M College the food services department. I lidn’t finish high school. I had heard a ut about the service. Of course, this right at the end of World War II, nd there were not many volunteering, tl decided to take a crack at it.” He joined the Navy for a starting ay of $78 a month. In 1970 he etired, a master chief petty officer in irge of food services. “When 1 got out, my base pay was !8 a month. With allowances, my iwnbined pay was over $1,100.” Wymola now works as a postman [time. For his 23 years in the Navy, continues to receive a retirement heck equivalent to 57.5 percent of his base pay plus adjustments for ost-of-living increases. He is now yetting close to $600 per month. In view of today’s tightening iconomy, the military as a career is ieginning to look better and better to oday’s youth. A survey of jobs for college grad ates in the February Changing Times nagazine found that—despite improve- nents in some areas—“The time when jraduating seniors could wait for cor- wrate recruiters to come to them is Untrained high school graduates often resort to 70-hour work weeks to obtain a decent living. And present energy crisis may make igs worse. In 1973, what does the military have to offer? Tony Stigliano, a central supervisor for Air Force recruiting in Central Texas, said that starting pay for those enlisting in the Air Force was $327.10, including benefits. He gave the reasons for recent pay raises: “Number one, we need to attract more men. Secondly, because the economy goes up, pay must go up. We try to stay a little above the economy.” The first reason was caused, of course, by the conversion to an all volunteer armed forces. Department of Defense statistics in The New Republic magazine of July 7 show a desired active-duty forces level of 2.23 million. They show that 354,000 enlistments will be needed in the fiscal year of 1974 (July 1, 1973 to June 30, 1974). The new volunteer programs have increased the military payroll in 1973 by $2.7 billion, and will add another $3.1 billion in 1974. Wymola explained that the benefits go much farther than just the pay. The big one is the opportunity for education. In his first three years he had already received training in fire fighting, fire prevention, and damage control. “Actually, they were geared for Navy and shipboard procedures, but they could be utilized in civilian life, too,” he said. Stigliano said that about 75 percent of Air Force training could be used outside of the military. Free college and high school cor respondence courses are also available. Wymola used these to finish high school. For those who qualify, even more is available. “You can go to college if you want to,” said Wymola. “They’ve actually sent college instructors out onto the ships. There were a lot of guys that finished school like that.” He added that, more recently, qualified service personnel have been allowed to attend colleges in between periods of active duty. “They feel that the more education you get, the better you’ll be.” Even after discharge, the G.I. Bill will pay for college or almost any type of job training. For the already-skilled technician or professional in the services, the bonus is monetary. The U.S. News and World Report of April 2 pointed out that those in critical-skill areas, such as radar and computer technology, can receive up to $10,000 in re-enlistment bonuses. An increase of this amount to $15,000 is being sought. Living conditions have continued to improve. The magazine reported that $3.2 billion had been spent in the 1973 fiscal year for the improvement of barracks, medical facilities, and housing. Another $3.5 billion is expected to be spent this year. Most of the tedious “kitchen police” or K.P. duties have been taken over by hired civilians. “Of course, on ship they are always going to have to have them,” Wymola said. “They can’t recruit civilians to go P J etting Away from City xpensive for Homeowners ise? By CAROLYN HART It was 3 a.m. and an unusual meeting was taking place in the living loom of the farmhouse recently pur chased by Mr. and Mrs. Car! Paschtag. One by one the family huddled around old fireplace while the cold air from outside kept shifting in through cracks between the floor and walls. Mr. and Mrs. Paschtag live in Houston during the week. The farm house is a weekend home they pur chased in 1972 at Washington-on-the- Brazos. The Paschtags represent one of a number of families moving from urban to rural areas in the past decade. “We decided to buy this farm as a weekend home just to get away from Houston, especially for our children,” aid Paschtag, a lawyer. The Paschtags own 130 acres, which in 1972 sold for )0 an acre. “We bought our farm as a retire ment investment and as a place to relax when we can get away from Houston,” Mrs. John Mikulka, wife of a alesman. The Mikulkas raise cattle on their 64 acre farm in the William Penn community, which is cared for by their neighbor. Their farm cost $450 an acre in 1970. The Mikulkas try to buy their eggs i vegetables from their country neighbors to save money. Like the Paschtag farmhouse, the Mikulka home has fallen into a state of disrepair that will take time and money to return to its previous state. According to Dr. A. B. Wooten, director of the Texas Real Estate Research Center, these families are representative of a growing tendency for urban dwellers to purchase land in rural areas. A lot of retirees move into the country. Many urban people buying recreation spots are disappointed because they soon discover that they are too far out and it takes too long to there; and often they get too involved in the city and find it too much to handle. If so, right now they can sell for a profit, due to rising land prices.” Once land values were determined by agricultural prices according to Wooten. However, that is no longer the case in Texas. The land is now being bought by non-farmers. There is increasing beef production in herds of 28 cattle or less. This trend is not reflected in other areas of agricultural production. Cattle are well suited to the scarce time of weekend farmers and ranchers since they do not require much care. According to Organic Gardening and Farming, May, 1973, anyone plan ning on buying a farm had better be a handyman. The Allen Valero family bought a farm in Pennsylvania and discovered that they had no running a»sasA 311 University Drive - 846-1713 m North Gate VALID THROUGH DEC. 23 Valid With Inside Orders Only — Not Delivered — BUY ONE PIZZA AT REGULAR PRICE AND RE CEIVE ONE PIZZA OF THE NEXT SMALLER SIZE WITH EQUAL NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS FREE! Name - Address COLD, DRAUGHT BEER — $1.25 PITCHER (MICHELOB — $1.50) THROUGH DEC. 23 Happv Uohoays § A place happy to eat. The Tokyo Steak House is a place happy to eat. The menu is traditional, the atmosphere authentic, the service polite, the food terrific. In the Teppan Yaki (iron grill) room, your choice of steak, shrimp, or chicken (plus bean sprouts, onions, zucchini and mushrooms) are cooked right on your table. Chef Toshio is a master of the Japanese cooking ceremony which makes cooking an adventure and eating a delight. There are chopsticks for purists, forks for those with hardy appetites and fortune cookies for everyone. Come as you are —but come hungry and in the mood to have a relaxing, happy dinner. TOKYO STEAK HOUSE Townshire/Texas Avenue/Bryan for reservations call 822-1301 Chinese Feast (7 traditional dishes for 2.95) Tuesday-Thursday out of port.” For all of the favorable aspects of a military career, response has been little more than sufficient. The Army—even with its $1,500 bonus for enlistment in combat arms—has fallen well short of its enlistment goals. Many of the non-college-bound prospects are seeking their training from vocational studies at high schools. Gayle Todd, the vocational supervisor for public schools in Bryan, Tex., said that participation in vocational pro grams had more than tripled in six years. I “Vocational education is socially more acceptable than it was several years ago,” he explained. The fact that 15 percent of his students go on to enter the armed services indicates that this group, as a whole, is a prime recruiting area. The programs channel most, however, into civilian jobs. Of those that do apply, a large portion fail to meet the stiffening standards of the services. Stigliano spoke for the Air Force: “If he’s not a high school graduate, he’s not going to get in.” In his district, less than two-thirds of the applicants for the last two years have been accepted. The recruiter said that, in some areas, there is simply a misunder standing of the military. Some have failed to see the favorable changes; others recall too vividly the unsavory aspects of Vietnam. “No one really understands the military,” he said. “That’s why we’re trying to bring the service to the people.” The requirement of a major com mitment, no matter how necessary, is also a deterrent. The Air Force calls for a minimum hitch of four years. The least is two years, in the Army. And even though retirement pay is more than adequate, a minimum of 20 years of service is required for any eligibility at all. As the possibility of an economic downslide approaches reality, however, the disadvantages may seem insignifi cant. As for the advantages, just ask . Alfred Wymola: “It’s getting better all the time.” SANDWICHES Read Battalion Classifieds — — v— — —- " — ROBERT HALSELL TRAVEL SERVICE AIRLINE SCHEDULE INFORMATION FARES AND TICKETS DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CALL 822-3737 1016 Texas Avemie — Bryan. SUBMARINES “Where no two sandwiches are alike!” Situated Right at Northgate Jitjappe Merry Christmas. We will be closed Christmas Day through Jan. 3. 329 University Dr. 11 a. m. til? 846-6428 OUT-A-SITE SALADS CHEESECAKES water. Drinking water was carried in bottles, and water for washing and bathing had to be carried from a nearby stream, but during July and August, the stream nearly dries up. “During these months, we space our baths, change linens less fre quently, and turn the water off when we are brushing our teeth,” Mrs. Valero said. “There are rats, flies, and wasps in our farmhouse, and plenty of holes in the walls and floors to let them in. The fuses blow if the vacuum cleaner and TV are on at the same time.” According to Mrs. Valero, farm families are feeling the pinch of infla tion too. Many country people hold down more than one job, and that (See HOMES AWAY, Page 6) turn your books into Christmas presents It's easy - when you finish with your books, you trade them in for cash! Then go out and blow it on your friends and family. 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