PUFFIN
SEPTEMBER   <4,  1970
KEFLAVIK
VOL   I     NO   I
ICELAND
PUFFIN'S   PURPOSE
The STUFFED PUFFIN is an assertion by Its contributors
that the existing means for Information, Intellectual expression and exchange of views for servicemen and dependents stationed in Iceland Is Inadequate and that a publication such as
this is one answer to the problem. It Is our hope that lt can
become an open forum to any opinion or personal expression so
that the admittedly narrow range of opinion reflected in this
issue might be broadened to a meaningful debate.
The contributors of the 3TUFFED PUFFIN sincerely believe
that they have the right and the obligation to publish.  They
are under no illusion that this publication will bring about
the drastic changes they feel are necessary to eliminate the
Intellectual despondency and apathy which makes this paper necessary.  But they do feel that an attempt should be made.
While the contributors have no doubt that many dedicated servicemen will disagree with what is said in the STUFFED PUFFIN,
they are confident that these same people will defend their
right to say lt.
The staff of the STUFFED PUFFIN has carefully reviewed
DOD Directive 1325.6 of 12 September 1969 which seeks to regulate publications such as this. The directive does not prohibit publication if done "by military personnel off-post, on
their own time and with their own money and equipment." The
most difficult provision of the directive deals with distribution. The commanding officer of a military Installation may ban
on-base distribution.  No effort has been made to distribute
this issue on base, but it is the hope of the staff that the
command at Keflavlk will recognize the value of this lawful
effort to stimulate the minds of military personnel and permit
on-base distribution.  A communication to this effect would
be welcome.
Meanwhile, distribution will be confined to off-base
areas.  This Labor Day weekend the STUFFED PUFFIN will be a-
vallable at places frequented by American servicemen in Keflavlk and Reykjavik.  If you are Interested in receiving future
issues, fill out the coupon on the last page and send us one
dollar so that we can send them to you through international
mall.  Your dollar will help get us on our feet and will guarantee that you will receive as many Issues as we are able to
publish during the next three months.
Finally, we ask you to Join us.  Anyone who thinks that
freedom of expression is a basic right and that a medium of
free expression Is sorely needed, Is welcome to contribute
their time, talent, and money to the STUFFED PUFFIN.  Contact
anyone whose neme you see here (not during working hours),
stop at 59 Hrlngbraut in Keflavlk, or drop us a note through
Icelandic mall to Post Office Box #J>k, city of Keflavlk.  With
your help the STUFFED PUFFIN will be a major contribution to
the morale of the Keflavlk military establishment.
GOING      FIRST
"If you're going to select people to
go early, the unhappy ones might as well
go flrBt."  These words were attributed
to an unidentified Navy spokesman upon
the early separation In Washington, D.C.
of three members of COM — Concerned
Officers Movement — for their criticism
of the Viet Nam War.  Granted such a policy would rid the Navy of many "unhappy"
persons, but at the same time lt would
weed out many individuals on whom the
Navy should be relying to lead lt In the.
future; for not every officer below 0-4
level is unhappy in terms of wanting to
get out of the Navy, nor is every such
officer an outspoken critic of U.S. policy In general and Viet Nam In particular.  Many, If not most, young officers
do want Immediate separation, but Viet
Nam is not the Immediate reason.
Instead of releasing quickly all
those who are "unhappy" why doesn't the
Navy seek to discover the underlying
cause of the discontent and work on a
solution.  Certainly this approach is
better adapted to solving a growing retention problem than early separation.
However, the upper echelons in the Department of the Navy would appear to
prefer early separation to adaptation;
they would rather eliminate those who
"march to a different drummer" than find
out why that dru wirier has nn appeal.  In
fact, lt would appear that the Navy Is
the one out of step.  It has alienated
Itself from modern society and the alienated young officer is merely a Bjraptoa
of a growing cancer.
The military is ultraconservatlve
and extremely reluctant to recognize any
modern Innovations other than weaponry.
It expects to recruit Independent thinking college-educated men an! by a ritualistic commission ceremony transform
them Into war waging automatons (at
least war appears to be the concern of
the Bavy, for lt Is not concerned with
anything else). Until the Navy wakes up
to the fact that conventional warfare
is obsolete, that there Is not a communist behind every tree (in Iceland?),
and that the world is not divided into
"we" and "they", lt cannot rationally
expect to be respected In society nor
accepted as a career by young men.
When the Navy learns to accept and
adopt new Ideas and procedures and rl.1
Itself of formallstlc methods and narrow
minded attitudes, then lt can expect to
retain young officers.  To retain those
now "unhappy" officers, the Navy need
only to give them a definable policy
making role, a role from which positive
results can be seen.  If this is accomplished the collateral problem of Inexperience would be resolved since retention rates would Increase.
The role to be assigned must not be
merely token;  lt must be significant
enough that the scrambled egg set will
have to deal with lt on its own terms.
The most difficult and yet most urgent
task of the elevated Junior officer will
be to instill ;i change of attitude in
those persons who are now dedicated to
the status quo.  These people, respected
only for their uniform and not for their
person must learn that Junior officers
are more than collateral duty garbage cans,
3enlor officers are not taken seriously and they should not expect to be
when they concern themselves with weighty
Issues like haircuts, legislating morals,
and style of dress;  when they advocate
more education through USAFI and the U-
nlverslty of Maryland, but want no independent thinkers;  and, when they let
the landing of sixty-five Russian aircraft on a mercy mission at an international airport assume the proportions of
a full scale invasion.
A building of a close working relationship at the policy-making level
based on mutual respect for ideas is essential If the Navy 19 to successfully
redefine Its role In the world today.
Any new definition that Is not In part
shaped by the young officer and the attitudes he represents will only be valuable as a tool to further dlsillulon
those in control.
If this rich resource, the young
officer pool. Is not utilized, the result will be ready acceptance as well
as vigorous pursuit of early separation,
lip service to policy guidelines, and
smoldering discontent.
Puffin speaks
Face lt.  Living on base In Keflavlk is a screaming drag.  For recreation you can (1) play baseball, football, etc, and freeze;  (P) go to
"your" club and get smashed;  (^) go
bowling;  (4) go to the gym.  And that's
about lt.  Those of you who leave base
have, for the most, part, done not much
more than go to the Reykjavik dances and
try to hustle young Icelandic lovelies.
The STUFFED PUFFIN recognizes the
boredom as Its primary concern.
In future Issues (If there are any)
we'll try to point out some things to
do.  But until then:  Go swimming In
Reykjavik -- lt costs 20$  and best of
all, you can take off your uniform. The
pool Is on Sundlaugarvegur near the
soccer stadium.
More about fun and frolic goodies
on last page
r.