EDUCATION SERVICES

The Karamursel Education Center offers service in all phases of educational activity.  Of primary interest to personnel is its large University of Maryland undergraduate program.  "Resident credit" is earned in 8-week
courses, five terms a year, and is as transferable as that earned on the home campus.  Approximately 16 courses are offered each term.  The center operates a test facility encompassing USAFI, ECI, and numerous scholastic-achievements tests.  It is an official testing center for college-entrance and professional examinations.  Counseling service for high-school and college students is available; career counseling, particularly on the Airmen's Education and Commissioning Program, is a specialty.

Of special interest to most personnel are the 8-week "Spoken Turkish" courses offered year around.  These noncredit courses do much to enliven your stay in Turkey by making communication with your Turkish friends and neighbors easier.  These courses, and many of the other services, are available to dependents as well as assigned military personnel.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

The Staff Judge Advocate's Office is prepared to furnish advice and professional assistance to all personnel and their dependents.  Due to the differences in Turkish and American law, it is essential that all legal matters involving Turkish nationals, especially rental and sales contracts, be cleared with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate.  A Turkish member of this office is available to assist in these matters.

BANKING FACILITIES

There are no banking services in Turkey.  Personnel coming to Turkey should arrange to maintain a checking and savings account with a bank in the United States before leaving the country.

The Accounting and Finance Office provides limited banking services such as check cashing, lira sales, and collecting deposits for the USSD Program.  United States Treasury checks made out in the purchaser's name may also be procured from this office.  These are negotiable at any check-cashing facility.  Money orders and traveler's checks are sold at the EES.

The Officers' Open Mess, NCO Open Mess, Airmen's Club, and EES will honor traveler's checks or personal checks.  American Express Traveler's checks are honored by local hotel establishments.

CREDIT UNION

The services of a Federal Credit Union are open to all military and DOD civilian personnel and their dependents who are assigned or attached to the command.  Military personnel assigned to other units at Karamursel may
also participate.

The Credit Union is chartered and supervised by an agency of the Federal Government and is directed by a group of elected officials from the membership rolls.  Services include loan savings, new car loans, signature loans, and estate loans,  For full information, contact:  Federal Credit Union, Project Officer, USAFSS Box 18094, San Antonio, TX 78243.

DEPENDENT SCHOOL

Dependents in the first 10 grades attend school on base in a modern, well-equipped, educational facility.  Teachers are recruited for the school mainly from the United States.  The school itself is part of the USDESEA Educational System.

Kindergarten classes are being conducted at the Family Service in Yalova and on base.  The minimum age for enrollment in the Kindergarten is 4 years and 9 months.

High-school students currently attend high school in Ankara, Turkey.  Financial assistance is now approved for dormitory students attending the high school in Ankara.

CHAPEL

A full program of religious services and activities is provided on base and in Yalova by Karamursel's 1 Catholic, 2 Protestant, and 1 Jewish chaplains.  Base facilities include a modern chapel and annex, with the dependent
school being used for Catechism and Sunday School classes.  Denominational services are also conducted for Latter Day Saints, Church of Christ, Lutheran, Southern Baptist, Penecostal, and Episcopalian personnel.

POSTAL SERVICE

Complete postal services are available here.  The postal activity provides daily mail distribution and pickup.  Personnel assigned here should immediately advise their correspondents to use the following method of address
until such time as a local box is assigned to them.

                     TSgt John A. Doe, FR000-00-0000
                     TUSLOG Detachment 94
                     APO New York 09324

AMERICAN RED CROSS

An American Red Cross field director is assigned to Karamursel.  He is located in building S-101, telephone 3759, and is available to assist you in any emergency.

There is also an active Red Cross Volunteer Program on the base.  Volunteers work in the dispensary and in the ARC office.

Commercial cable communications to Turkey are extremely unreliable and any emergency communications between personnel stationed here and their families in CONUS should be sent thru the Red Cross.

NURSERY

A small, well-furnished nursery is operated by qualified personnel 7 days each week.  In addition to the normal operating hours, nursery personnel will provide child care at other times for organizations on advance request.

AIRMEN'S DINING HALL

One of the first services unaccompanied enlisted personnel enjoy is the Airmen's Dining Hall.  The Hall is nicely decorated and tablecloths are used to develop a pleasant atmosphere for dining.

Noncommissioned officers eat in a separate section of the Airmen's Dining Hall.  Airmen are not assigned kitchen police duties at Karamursel.

The daily menu provides an a la carte breakfast each morning and a separate snack line for each noon and evening meal.  a "short-timers" table is set up at noon on Wednesday thru Tuesday of the following week for all
enlisted personnel who are departing on PCS orders.

The Dining Hall celebrates the birthday of any of its patrons in the second week of each month.  There is a noon meal served on the designated day, table service is provided, and a birthday cake is baked for the
special occasion.
 

AFRS

Information and entertainment programs are currently being broadcast 24 hours a day by the staff of the American Forces Radio Service.

These include major American network programs and locally produced "live disk Jockey" shows.  Current news is provided 5 minutes before the hour.  There are one 10-minute, four 15-minute, and one 30-minute roundup of the news.

FAMILY SERVICES

Family Serviees at Karamursel is located in building 515, just across from the library.  Designed to assist families upon their arrival and departure, the organization has a large, well-stocked loan closet to assist you until
your hold baggage arrives.  The active welcoming committee helps newcomers feel more at ease in their new surroundings.  The publicity committee puts out a monthly newsletter and the special assistance committee stands by in case of an emergeney.  One of the more important programs of Family Services is the personal affairs orientation course given twice a year.  It acquaints the wives of servicemen with their service entitlements, benefits, and responsibilities.