
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 29, 1994                    TAG: 9406280401 
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS                     PAGE: A8    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Medium 
DATELINE: 940629                                 LENGTH:

WEEKLY BRIEFING

{LEAD} JUDGE RETIRES: Capt. William T. Vest Jr., the military judge whose blistering legal opinions criticized the Navy's top brass for how it handled the 1991 Tailhook scandal, has retired. Vest, who served for 29 years, was awarded a special commendation recently for his Tailhook rulings from the American Bar Association.

In that statement, Vest was commended for his ``patriotism, patience and commitment to the law'' for throwing out the cases against three Navy fliers and challenging the credibility of former Chief of Naval Operations Frank B. Kelso.

{REST} ``You assessed the facts, applied the law and had the courage and the integrity to make the tough decision,'' the commendation stated. ``You neither flinched nor wavered, despite the intense pressure.''

\ \ MIGRANTS RESCUED: A Portsmouth-based Coast Guard vessel participated last week in the rescue of 15 Cuban migrants stranded about 20 miles north of Punta Luna, Dominican Republic.

The Legare, a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter, took the migrants aboard at 10 p.m. June 23 before transferring them to another cutter for transport to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The rescue was one of three executed by the Coast Guard last week, bringing the total number of Cuban migrants helped by the service to 3,589 this year.

\ \ SHUTTLE OPENINGS: The doors to NASA's space shuttle program are opening to enlisted Air Force members.

Applications are now being accepted by the Air Force Military Personnel Center in Randolph, Texas, for the next astronaut selection board, scheduled to convene in 1995.

Those interested in applying to become a mission specialist must have a bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science or mathematics and must have at least three years of experience in their field. Contact the personnel center at 550 C St. West, Ste. 31, Randolph Air Force Base, TX, 78150-4733.

\ \ COMINGS & GOINGS

CHANGE OF COMMAND: Capt. John C. Bucelato is relieving Capt. Bruce A. Pieper as commanding officer of Norfolk Naval Aviation Depot. Bucelato is the executive officer at NADEP. Pieper will report to the Naval Air Systems Command in Washington.

DECOMMISSIONING: The Saginaw, a dock-landing ship, was decommissioned Tuesday, in a ceremony at the Little Creek Amphibious Base. It was commissioned 23 years ago.

\ \ BY THE NUMBERS

Graphic\ STAFF\ ARMY PARACHUTING INJURIES\ Though D-Day re-creations made it look easy, parachuting can be dangerous. Here's a look at the number of personnel the Army loses each year in accidents.\ SOURCE: Army Safety Center\ [For complete graphic, please see microfilm]

by CNB