European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 22, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday november 22, 1985 the stars and stripes Page s House Bill promotes joint chiefs chairman Washington a the House voted 383-27 wednesday to approve legislation making the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff the nation s pre eminent uniformed officer and the chief provider of military advice to the president and key . Officials. Supporters of the measure said the current system leads to mediocrity and least common denominator policy making because of the built in contradiction involved in asking the chiefs of the uniformed services to put aside the interests of their branches and to concen trate on Broad strategic policy. But opponents said the changes would threaten civil Ian control of the military and run the risk of wrecking a delicate military planning system. Defense Secretary Caspar w. Weinberger has Testi fied that he has consistently received Quality advice from the chiefs and does not believe that major changes Are called for in the pcs system. In a series of a ions before final passage the House adopted amendments restoring a Cap of 400 on the size of the pcs staff and requiring the chairman of the joint chiefs to pass on dissenting opinions from other Mem Bers along with his own advice. It also approved an amendment that removed Lan Guage requiring the attendance of the pcs chairman at All meetings of the National Security Council. Currently said rep. Bill Nichols. D-ala., the floor manager of the Bill the joint chiefs Are a negotiating forum in which each chief argues for his  rep. Larry j. Hopkins r-ky., noted that six of seven living former defense secretaries have endorsed the Gen eral thrust of the Bill and have testified that the advice they received from the joint chiefs was neither timely useful or at times even  the advice is coming from a committee whose Mem Bers Are More concerned with protecting their own turf than looking at the big picture he said. Rep. Ike Skelton d-mo., said change is essential but the traditional opposition to change by the uniformed services has been an obstacle. The Only thing harder than getting a new idea into a military mind is to get an old idea out he said. And he said that because All of the five members of the joint c Hicks of staff Are on an equal level with the chairman Only first among equals the result is watered Down diluted or pablum Type  it is not possible to successfully fight jointly if you do not think jointly plan jointly and train jointly Skol ton said from the floor. But rep. Charles e. Bennett. A Fla. Said the Bill would hinder rather the nation s defense Structure and May result in less useful military advice. He also said that single voice advice from a powerful chairman clearly reduces the Opportunity of the president and the Secretary of defense to choose among different solutions and  the measure increases the chairman s term of service from two years to four and gives him a four Star officer As his Deputy. It also permits the president to route the military Chain of command through the pcs chairman makes the pcs staff solely responsible to the chairman and requires that an officer s performance on the staff be taken into account for promotion to senior rank. Structure not seriously damaged Washington Monument hit by truck Washington up a Man drove an 18-Whecl tractor trailer truck up a Grassy Hill slowed through a Fence and Over Park benches and crashed into the Washington Monument on wednesday. Garrow Brigham 36, of Savage md., was under an influence of some kind perhaps drugs or alcohol police said. It was not an Accident they said. Brigham was taken into custody at about 9 30 . And police said he would be charged with destruction of government property and traffic violations. . Park service officers on the scene said the Driver initially refused to step Down from the cab of the truck and would not talk to them. The huge truck apparently drove off Busy 17th Street at 55 Mph rumbling up a Grassy slope and Over storm fences and Park benches. It hit the Side of the 550-foot, Cen Tury old Marble Monument at 40 Mph at 8 54 . Damage to the Structure was limited to a 4-foot scrape caused by the big Rig s right fender but two rows of the Wood and con Crete benches at the base of the obelisk were destroyed. Cost of the damage was estimated at $3,500. Park police maj. Richard Cusick said a bomb squad was called to the Monument grounds which were cordoned off and the trailer was found to be empty. The truck later was driven from the Monument. Wednesday s incident recalled a Decem Ber 1982 siege when an anti nuclear activist was killed by . Park service police sharpshooters after a 10-hour standoff that brought the heart of the City to a virtual standstill. Norman Mayer 66, a hotel maintenance worker from Miami Beach Fla., had be come obsessed with the anti nuclear weapons movement drove a Van up to the in trance of the Monument and told police it was loaded with dynamite. When Mayer tried to escape in his Van police opened fire on the Van fearing a moving time bomb would terrorize other parts of the capital. Mayer was shot four times in the face and body. His Van turned out to be empty. Brigham 36, a Driver for w. R. Grace & co. In Beltsville md., left a Streak of Green paint four feel Long on the Side of the Monu ment and denied the cab of his truck when he hit the obelisk. No one was injured in the crash which delayed the opening of the Monument to tourists until noon. We have not determined a motive but there were no articles in the truck to mid a Woholo police and spectators surround the tractor trailer Rig after it struck the Monument. Cate that he meant to harm the Monu ment said George Berklacy a spokesman for the Park service. An inspection of the vehicle by a police explosives unit turned up Only Insuk Tion materials. Vation said Duncan Morrow of the Park service. Morrow also said the Grace com Pany confirmed that Brigham was an employee who had been delivering building Brigham was taken to St. Elizabeth s supplies but it offered no explanation for Hospital for the mentally Iii for Oscr the incident. Meat packers ratify contract at Morrell co. Sioux Falls . Workers Al the John Morrill co. Meatpacking Plant ratified a contract wednesday thai ends an 81-Day strike and gives them an immediate 25-Ccnt-an-hour raise. The three year contract was approved by 62 percent of the United food and Commer Cial workers Union local 304a members who voted. A separate contract for office workers also was approved in a 96-to-11 vote. Some 2,700 Union workers had been on strike since sept. 1, when the old contract expired. The contract provides immediate base wages of $9 an hour with 25-Ccnl increments to push the base wage to s9.7s when it expires in november 1988. When negotiations began the Union said it wanted a base wage of s10 an hour to make up for concessions made three years ago. In september 1982 the base wage was $11.27 an Nour. The company s initial wage offer was j8 an hour for the life of the three year contract. Sands or time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today nov. 22, 1945 the immediate retire ment of Gen. George c. Marshall and the nomination of Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower to succeed him As chief of staff was announced by president Truman. 30 years ago today nov. 22, 1955 Harold e. Stassen disarmament adviser to president Eisen Hower charged that speeches by Adlai Ste Venson democratic presidential aspirant Are affecting american foreign policy Over seas. 20 years ago today. Nov. 22, 1965 communist troops attacked a battalion of the . 1st inf div 40 Miles Northwest of Saigon but were beaten Back after a fierce fight a . Mili tary spokesman in Saigon said. 10 years ago today. Nov. 22, 1975 president Ford is for mutating a plan to prevent . Involve ment in plots to assassinate foreign leaders a spokesman said. The statement was the first White House reaction to a report by the Senate intelligence committee saying the United Stales had instigated several schemes to kill foreign leaders