European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 6, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes May Pentagon reverses stand on pensions now prepared of accept senior officials say by Richard Halloran Washington not the de sense in a surprising is prepared to accept reductions in Mili tary retirement according to senior civilian officials in the few issues Are More sensitive or emotional in the armed forces than proposals that pensions for retirees be the chiefs of the air Force and Marine corps adamantly opposed such cuts in testimony before Congress last they remain but senior Pentagon officials said that pressure for change had been building in Congress and that it would be better to accept smaller reductions now rather than greater reductions accepting a Cut they should Settle the in the officials the Penta gon would have a Large measure of control Over the changes under current proposals for if those proposals were re the officials Congress might not Only reduce retirement pay but might also alter the system in such a Way As to make it less attractive to those considering the armed forces As a the shift in policy became known after the House armed services subcommittee on military manpower and compensation voted thursday to reduce the administrations request for military retirement pay from billion to that congressional officials came on a voice vote approving a measure offered by Les d chairman of the armed services a spokesman said Aspin Felt certain his measure would be adopted by the armed services committee when it meets on under spins Congress would not dictate the method by which the s4 billion would be that would be left to the defense with the condition that pensions of All present and for Mer members of the armed forces remain Lawrence assistant Secretary of defense for said the Aspin Bill presents us with a Challenge to design a retirement system to meet the goals of our Force it is incumbent on the executive Branch to take the Lead on this the changes that the Pentagon chiefs fear most and that have contributed to the sudden reversal on modifying pensions Are contained in a measure sponsored by Paul a spokesman for Simon said he planned to introduce the Bill this the spokesman said the Bill would impose a new retirement system on the armed forces and would reduce pen Sions and costo living current Law permits military personnel to retire after 20 years of service at half their base with later increases to match the inflation for those retiring after 30 years of the pension rises to 75 percent of base Simons a spokesman which also would not affect present and former members of the armed would require personnel to serve 25 years before becoming eligible for retirement a pension for 25 years of service would be 50 percent of base instead of the current percent a pension for 30 years of service would be 60 As against the current 75 beyond costo living adjustments for new members of the armed forces would be an official of the congressional budget office said that Simons proposal would save the government billion in the year it was enacted and that savings would gradually increase to billion yearly after All members of the services Are Cov on the other savings under As pins proposal would come much More depending on How the defense department decided to absorb the billion an administration official senior officials in the Pentagon said that defense Secretary Caspar Wein Berger originally opposed spins measure in an Effort to show support for the Mili tary chiefs and the million men and women in but they said Weinberger had become aware that Aspin had the votes in the House to carry his measure and might be Able to impose it on the Senate in a Confer ence the officials said they were studying several options to see How the billion might be among the leading they was requiring longer service to become eligible for a officers could be for to serve 25 years and noncommissioned officers 22 years before becoming eligible for although they could still be Given higher rates of retirement pay than envisioned in the Simon that change could be made since the secretaries of the Navy and air Force have the authority to order the Marine which is part of the Navy depart would also be another intended to encourage longer officials would Cut pensions for 20year veterans to 40 per cent of base but would increase pen Sions to Reward longer still another possibility would Cut costo living adjustments in half until the retired person reached the age of the association of the United states an organization that seeks to pro Mote support for the has proposed that officers be paid 35 percent of base pay if they retire at 20 years but 78 per cent if they serve for 30 retirement pay for noncommissioned officers would remain As it is comic masterpiece a photo Tom owner of a comic Book store in Man comic Book be bought for Walton said Boms a copy of a 46yearold firs edition super owning the 64page comic is like owning a Mona to movie leads to discovery of kids living with Mother Texas ecologist beats mayor in Runoff in Austin Texas a voters ousted mayor Ron Mullen saturday in a Runoff election that carried Environ mentalist lawyer Frank Cooksey and two neighbourhood coalition backed City Council candidates to Cooksey collected or 54 and car ried precincts that had voted for Mullen in the april 4 Mullen got according to Complete but unofficial turnout under 30 percent voter turnout was estimated at just under 30 the City Council victories of Smoot Carmitchell and George Humphrey were expected to bring majority votes for tougher planning and growth controls on the the four week Runoff Campaign had pitted the stances of Carmitchell and Humphrey on Environ mental and neighbourhood Issue against candidates sup ported by business and development Cooksey said a three term councilman until his election As mayor two years had shown a pattern in the past two years of voting for Road and office projects that would Benefit his private children Are returned to father after nearly 2 years Texas a two children found living secretly with their Mother after a National telecast about missing youngsters were returned to their father saturday by a state after a lengthy District judge Larry Sullivant said be believed he had no other alternative but to return the children to their Edwin Mcdonald of Sullivant said he would Honor a califor Nia court order that gave Mcdonald custody Over Bis who bad them when they were found earlier in the week in Den too and who has been charged ii California with child Teresa and her brother were located in 35 Miles Northwest of the Day after Teresa picture was shown on National television following a telecast of the Story of a missing child later found an Anonymous caller reported having seen the girl at a private school the who bad disappeared nearly two years had been staying with their Terry who authorities said was living in Denton under an assumed police said she had been in Denton 18 the children have been made and they can no longer have the Benefit of a Normal family Sullivant said in announcing his decision about end ing a hearing that began at i Pray to god the children can recover from this traumatic he was arrested on a California warrant alleging child Abdul but she was released on the children had been in the temporary care of the pending the Lanott Mcdonald cried when the ruling came and began screaming after she was helped from the courtroom and into a Hall Mcdonald dropped his head when he Beard the and his present wife reached Over to Bug the children were not after the Lanott Mcdonalds George Carter of said she would not fight extradition to although the woman had custody of the children when they were reported missing in August 1983 while visiting their a California court awarded custody to the father in june in honouring the California Rul said he didst believe it was in the Best interests of the children for their Mother to have fled with after the Mcdonald and his wife left with the children to catch a flight Back to