Covering Whidbey Island’s NAVAL AIR STATION Community
Whidbey
Volume 1, No. 51 | 16 M arch 2012
www.whidbeycrosswind.com Vice President visits with Whidbey sailor in Honduras
Tax time creeps closer
Patrol Squadron 1 Public Affairs
SOTO CANO, Honduras — Vice President Joe Biden visited with forward deployed American servicemen and women located at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras March 6. The vice president was in the region meeting with the presidents of Central American countries to discuss the upcoming “Summit of the Americas,” as well as the continued war on drugs. Vice President Biden visited with Whidbey Island, Wash. Sailor, Petty Officer 2nd Class Josh McClelland assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) One. “It was a great moment in my life,” McClelland said. “We exchanged coins and
SEE Sailor | PAGE 2
Kathryn Boyd gets assistance with her 2011 income taxes from VITA volunteer Tom Ford at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Monday. Kathy Reed/Whidbey Crosswind
VITA volunteers can help By KATHY REED
T
Whidbey Crosswind
ime is running out to file your 2011 income tax. You have about a month until the April 17 deadline. For active duty military personnel, family members, government workers and retirees on Whidbey Island who want a little help, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island offers Volunteer Income Tax Assistance in the Navy Operational Support Center each week day until the end of tax season. Last year the VITA office helped file 2,200 federal income tax returns and another 550 state income tax returns, and the volunteers did it all for free. Roger Pierce, coordinator of the VITA office, said the federal returns are pretty standard, but the state returns can be a little tricky. “There are special rules for each state,” he said. “We work real hard to try to get those right.”
VITA center organizer Roger Pierce logs onto a computer at the tax assistance office on NAS Whidbey Island. Kathy Reed/ Whidbey Crosswind
The VITA office at NAS Whidbey may be the last of its kind, according to Pierce. He said the Navy is mov-
ing toward self-service Tax Assistance Centers which would allow customers to prepare their own returns using free, online programs on TAC computers, with assistance as necessary from trained volunteers. “I think the rest of the region has gone to the self-service centers,” Pierce said. “But that prevents almost all retirees from being able to use the service and only junior personnel will be able to get the free tax preparation service.” Pierce said people who make too much money to qualify for filing free returns would be presented with an opportunity to pay for filing their returns if necessary, and the new system wouldn’t allow active duty personnel to file the forms for state income tax. While he said NAS Whidbey was very helpful in keeping the VITA center this year, he thinks there’s a 50-50 chance the Navy will make NAS Whidbey move to the self-service system next year.
SEE VITA | PAGE 12
this Edition Navy League’s Change of the Watch.....................pg. 2 VFW Ladies Auxiliary prepare for clothing swap.....pg. 3 Sarah Smiley: Brother to brother....................pg. 4 ANA gets a look at Navy warfighters..............pg. 6
6