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September 28, 2004
[Have an opinion about the issues discussed in this article?
Sound
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By Greg Tyler,
Stars and Stripes Pacific Edition
Continuing costs of fighting the war on terror have prompted an
end to free movies for Marines.
The 10 remaining Marine Corps movie theaters worldwide offering
free movies, including the Sakura Theater at Iwakuni
Marine Corps Air Station in Japan, have been ordered by Marine
Corps Headquarters to begin charging, said Ashleigh Pipes, marketing
director for Iwakuni's Marine Corps Community Services.
Moviegoers headed to the Sakura must start buying tickets beginning
Friday - $2.50 each for those ages 10 and older; $1 for children
ages 9 and younger.
"The move is from Marine Corps headquarters and applies to everyone.
No one here made the decision. All we decided here was the price,
and the command approved the lowest price we recommended," Pipes
said Monday.
She said the Corps's decision to charge for movies is part of the
service's ongoing efforts to help pay costs of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The ticket cost also results from a new policy requiring recreation
activities to generate a 4 percent net operating profit, she said.
An MCCS goal, Pipes said, is to continue to offer such services
at 25 percent less than local commercial and municipal sources.
The Army and Air Force Exchanges Services show Marine Corps movies
in Okinawa. Pipes said movies in Iwakuni are the only ones shown
in Japan by MCCS.
Twenty theaters are operated on Marine Corps installations worldwide.
Of those, AAFES operates six and MCCS 14, Pipes explained. For first-run
movies, AAFES charges $3.50 for adults and $1.75 for children and,
for other films, $3 and $1 respectively. Four of the MCCS theaters
already were charging admission, Pipes said: from $1 to $3 for adults
and $1 to $1.50 for children. The other 10 movie theaters have been
free, until now.
All ticket prices apply to civilian employees as well as servicemembers.
In the past, Marine Corps installation commanders determined whether
charges would be levied for MCCS activities and what they'd be.
The new policy allows installation commanders still to set the final
charge, up to a maximum of $3, Pipes said.
"MCAS Iwakuni base personnel and family members will still be able
to enjoy other free services for which there is admission on other
Marine Corps bases," Pipes said. "The swimming pools, fitness classes
and most special events and entertainment, such as the monthly Comedy
Showcase, will remain free."
©2004 Stars & Stripes. All opinions
expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily
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