freebie:: bb8 valentine
8 years ago
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I am thankful for my family and friends. I am also thankful our gas price will go down to 2.48 a gallon on Friday.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
GAS rip off on Okinawa
I am upset that we still paying $4.06 per gallon of gas on Okinawa Japan...
The article below is from the Stars and Stripes Jan 2007:
"AAFES Overseas Pump Prices to Better Reflect Current U.S. Market Conditions Beginning Feb. 1, 2007, all Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) OCONUS gas stations will adjust pump prices week-to-week based on the current week's U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) average price. The change is being made in response to concerns from military families who wanted to see the price at the pump updated more often than once a month. According to AAFES' Chief of Communications Lt. Col. Dean Thurmond, "Changing pump and coupon prices every seven days should provide prices that are more closely aligned to those in the states and help reduce the issues monthly pricing tended to create." The first week-to-week adjustment to pump prices at AAFES-operated stations in Germany, Turkey, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Guam as well as the
United Kingdom, Azores and Netherlands will be made on Feb. 1. Thereafter, AAFES will begin modifying OCONUS fuel prices every Saturday morning at 12:00AM local time"
Bottom line is they would adjust the prices if AAFES is making a huge profit!!! But our gas prices have not gone down for 3 months in a row. Gas Price in the States today is as low as $1.80. The Hill AFB AAFES gas price is $1.90 while we here in Japan pay twice as much.
The article below is from the Stars and Stripes Jan 2007:
"AAFES Overseas Pump Prices to Better Reflect Current U.S. Market Conditions Beginning Feb. 1, 2007, all Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) OCONUS gas stations will adjust pump prices week-to-week based on the current week's U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) average price. The change is being made in response to concerns from military families who wanted to see the price at the pump updated more often than once a month. According to AAFES' Chief of Communications Lt. Col. Dean Thurmond, "Changing pump and coupon prices every seven days should provide prices that are more closely aligned to those in the states and help reduce the issues monthly pricing tended to create." The first week-to-week adjustment to pump prices at AAFES-operated stations in Germany, Turkey, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Guam as well as the
United Kingdom, Azores and Netherlands will be made on Feb. 1. Thereafter, AAFES will begin modifying OCONUS fuel prices every Saturday morning at 12:00AM local time"
Bottom line is they would adjust the prices if AAFES is making a huge profit!!! But our gas prices have not gone down for 3 months in a row. Gas Price in the States today is as low as $1.80. The Hill AFB AAFES gas price is $1.90 while we here in Japan pay twice as much.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Does it do any good to complain to the MONOPOLY?
Capt. Jones, on behalf of the AAFES Commander, I would like to thank you for
the opportunity to respond to your concern about gas pricing on Okinawa. I
appreciate your concerns and share the frustration as prices continue to
drop stateside but not here, nor in Japan. Please let me try to explain the
AAFES gas prices on Okinawa, as we discussed earlier on the phone this
morning...
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) determines the standard
gasoline prices for the fiscal year through the Defense Energy Support
Center (DESC). The standard fuel prices are set to support military service
budgetary stability requirements, not to vacillate according to local market
prices. This price is not a marketplace price and we cannot compare the
standard price of fuel with the price of fuel at local service stations, nor
is it intended that the standard price of fuel be comparable with similar
fuels in the commercial marketplace (please see the attachment). The Defense
Working Capital Fund (DWCF) is a revolving fund, not tied to fiscal years,
that must remain solvent (always have money in the account) so DESC can
continuously buy fuel globally.
To keep the Defense Working Capital Fund (DWCF) solvent (to allow DESC to
continue to buy fuel globally) OSD did some fairly unprecedented changes in
the last two years. Normally, the price only changes yearly to allow the
military services to create their annual budget, but because the markets
were so volatile, the DWCF ran out of money very quickly and OSD had to
increase the prices.
From Dec 07-July 08, the fuel was $3.13 (AAFES price was $2.99). Knowing
market prices during this time, DESC was selling at a large loss for a long
time. Multiply that globally and it depleted the DWCF quickly. The
relatively cheap gas DESC can buy in some places is counteracted by the
expensive gas they have to buy to support Afghanistan or places in Africa.
OSD rolls that to an average (standard) price to keep the DWCF solvent and
keep the budget stable for the military services. This fuel is not meant to
be sold commercially, it's meant to support our warfighters. However, AAFES
buys gasoline from the DESC in Japan.
Since July 2008, AAFES has bought midgrade unleaded gas from the Defense
Energy Supply Center for $4.19 and adds .12 per gallon to cover local
dispensing costs, bringing the actual fuel cost price to $4.31. A government
of Japan subsidy of 25 cents per gallon is subtracted, leaving $4.06 per
gallon; the price customers see at the pump.
Knowing this pricing model makes a difference as it relates to AAFES prices
at the pump in Japan and on Okinawa. Japan is in a unique situation in that
it's the only country where AAFES buys fuel from DESC to sell commercially
simply because AAFES cannot get a cheaper price anywhere else.
I trust this explanation helps you to understand why our prices continue to
be $4.19 at the pump. We are expecting some help from the OSD to make a
change in December to lower their cost to AAFES. If they do, we will
certainly pass along the reduced price at the pump to our valued customers.
Thank you.
Jerry L. Broccoli
the opportunity to respond to your concern about gas pricing on Okinawa. I
appreciate your concerns and share the frustration as prices continue to
drop stateside but not here, nor in Japan. Please let me try to explain the
AAFES gas prices on Okinawa, as we discussed earlier on the phone this
morning...
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) determines the standard
gasoline prices for the fiscal year through the Defense Energy Support
Center (DESC). The standard fuel prices are set to support military service
budgetary stability requirements, not to vacillate according to local market
prices. This price is not a marketplace price and we cannot compare the
standard price of fuel with the price of fuel at local service stations, nor
is it intended that the standard price of fuel be comparable with similar
fuels in the commercial marketplace (please see the attachment). The Defense
Working Capital Fund (DWCF) is a revolving fund, not tied to fiscal years,
that must remain solvent (always have money in the account) so DESC can
continuously buy fuel globally.
To keep the Defense Working Capital Fund (DWCF) solvent (to allow DESC to
continue to buy fuel globally) OSD did some fairly unprecedented changes in
the last two years. Normally, the price only changes yearly to allow the
military services to create their annual budget, but because the markets
were so volatile, the DWCF ran out of money very quickly and OSD had to
increase the prices.
From Dec 07-July 08, the fuel was $3.13 (AAFES price was $2.99). Knowing
market prices during this time, DESC was selling at a large loss for a long
time. Multiply that globally and it depleted the DWCF quickly. The
relatively cheap gas DESC can buy in some places is counteracted by the
expensive gas they have to buy to support Afghanistan or places in Africa.
OSD rolls that to an average (standard) price to keep the DWCF solvent and
keep the budget stable for the military services. This fuel is not meant to
be sold commercially, it's meant to support our warfighters. However, AAFES
buys gasoline from the DESC in Japan.
Since July 2008, AAFES has bought midgrade unleaded gas from the Defense
Energy Supply Center for $4.19 and adds .12 per gallon to cover local
dispensing costs, bringing the actual fuel cost price to $4.31. A government
of Japan subsidy of 25 cents per gallon is subtracted, leaving $4.06 per
gallon; the price customers see at the pump.
Knowing this pricing model makes a difference as it relates to AAFES prices
at the pump in Japan and on Okinawa. Japan is in a unique situation in that
it's the only country where AAFES buys fuel from DESC to sell commercially
simply because AAFES cannot get a cheaper price anywhere else.
I trust this explanation helps you to understand why our prices continue to
be $4.19 at the pump. We are expecting some help from the OSD to make a
change in December to lower their cost to AAFES. If they do, we will
certainly pass along the reduced price at the pump to our valued customers.
Thank you.
Jerry L. Broccoli
Friday, November 14, 2008
Steve's New Cast
Steve's visit went well he got a new cast and has the ability to move elbow. He went to school all day today as well as rehearsal. Then this evening Steve and I took Wendy to see Madagascar 2 Escape 2 Africa. It was good. We laughed and really enjoyed the whole movie.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Marine Corps Ball
Stephanie and I went to the MLG Officers ball last night (10 Nov 1775 was the birth of the Corps). It was very uneventful and we left as soon as we could get out of there. Thank you Steve you were our excuse to leave early. Steve is improving slowly. He goes back in to see the doctor on Thursday where they will remove his cast and take a look at how he is healing. Hopefully they will give him a lighter smaller cast as he has a difficult time lifting the cast he has without using his right arm to assist.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Steve's New Hardware
Steve broke his left arm while taking a 4 foot step off of some stairs on Thursday at the Kubasaki High School stage. He had surgery on Friday where they added some plates and screws to mend his broken bones.
He has been really tough. When he arrived at the Emergency Room he simply said ouch, ouch. I was not sure how broken his arm was as the paramedics had splinted his arm so that it was completely covered. The doctor sent us to radiology to get x-rays. As the radiologist was unwrapping the splint he and I realized quickly that Steve's arm was definitely broken as it bent where it should be straight. So we quickly re wrapped his arm and brought him back to the ER where they did the x ray. They sent us home with some pain pills and had us return in the morning to see orthopedics. Steve waited from 7:30 to 15:00 before he went to surgery. Then After the surgery Steve and I stayed the night at the hospital so they could give him I.V. antibiotics and pain meds. Steve is now at home and is getting better.
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