European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes g Marcos papers show corruption encyclopedia Page 2 d Early releases to help army Cut costs Page 8 g Bac stairs novel by president s daughter Page 16 i life my of. M the stars and stripes authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces vol. 44, no. 337 saturday March 22, 1986 so daily Ond Sonday retirement Bill expected to Lead to longer service c is photo by Gus Schuetzle Secretary of defense Caspar Weinberger displays a laser Gyroscope intended to become part of the strategic defense initiative during press conference in Wuerzburg. Nato chiefs Back hard line on ski Wuerzburg Germany a nato defense ministers on Friday charged the soviets with making a massive nuclear arms buildup and firmly supported the . Refusal to consider any Star wars concessions in negotiations with the Kremlin. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger spent much of the two Day meeting in this bavarian City assuring the United states allies that the Star wars program would also protect Western Europe. In their final three Page communique the defense leaders at the nuclear planning session harshly criticized what they see As a soviet nuclear buildup. We. Reconfirmed our commitment to maintain a credible deterrent posture in View of the continued qualitative and Quan see nato on Page 28 Reagan vows to continue fight for Contra Aid Washington a president Reagan trying to reverse House defeat of his proposal for military Aid to nicaraguan rebels said Friday we will never give  he told leaders of the insurgency we re in this  Reagan shared a White House stage with Adolfo Calero Arturo Cruz and Alfonso Robelo leaders of the unified Nicaragua opposition before an audience of about 200 invited to the East room because they support the president s plan. Calling Aid to the rebels the single most important for eign policy question before Congress Reagan said we cannot give up. We will never give  he said Nicaragua s communist forces had been emboldened by thursday s House vote denying $100 million in Aid to the rebels. Turning to the rebel leaders Reagan declared we re in this together. You Are the future of Central America and today i give you my solemn pledge. I will not rest until Freedom is Given a fighting Chance in  As Reagan concluded Calero shouted Viva  Reagan also will devote his saturday radio address to the subject of Aid to the rebels the White House said. As for next week s Senate vote presidential spokesman Larry Speakes said we feel Good about our  he said there was  Large Pool of undecideds in the Senate and Reagan would concentrate his efforts on them probably beginning with Telephone Calls Over the weekend. Washington a the House armed services committee in a move its chairman says is intended to encourage Mil itary personnel to serve longer than 20 years has approved a 17 percent Cut in future retirement benefits the panel announced Friday. We Are not reducing the benefits of those currently retired or currently in uni form rep. Les Aspin d-wis., the com Mittee chairman said in a statement. He said the reduction would total $3.1 billion on an annualized basis and not apply to people who stay in uniform 30 years. The statement is sued Friday said the committee approved the changes by voice vote in a closed meeting on thurs Day. We want to encourage people to Aspin serve longer Aspin said. The current sys tem has such generous benefits at the 20 year Mark that it simply encourages them to get out at 20 years. In fact there s a saying in the service that you re crazy to stay longer than 20 years because you re effectively working Only for half pay  the current retirement system provides benefits equal to 50 percent of Basic pay at 20 years of service payable immediately. The. Benefits increase by 2.5 percent for each additional year of service up to a maximum pension of 75 percent of Basic pay at 30 years. Under the Bill the committee is sending to the House floor benefits payable after 20 years of service will equal 40 percent of the average Basic pay for the highest five years ranging up to 75 percent of the average Basic pay for the highest three years for those who retire after 30 years service Aspin said. While this might cause some people to serve Shorter periods than they otherwise would those who decide to make the Mili tary a career Are Likely to serve longer than 20 years Aspin said. He said Best estimates Are that the changes would reduce the size of the Mili tary career Force by 2.4 percent while in creasing the size of the Force with More than 20 years experience by 12.7 percent. In other words we re looking toward a More experienced career Force to handle the increasingly More Complex weapons systems we will be Fielding in the future Aspin said. Last year Congress set off a storm of protest inside the military by voting to Cut $2.9 billion or 16 percent from the Reagan administration s request of $18.2 billion for military retirement. The legislation did not specify How the see Bill on Page 28 an air Force plane with first lady Nancy Reagan aboard is mired in the mud at the end of a runway at the Charlie Brown Fulton county Airport outside at Lanta. The plane was taxiing and making a turn when first lady s plane in mishap a photo the inboard wheel slipped off the pavement and into the mud said an aide to mrs. Reagan. The plane went off the  the first lady and about 20 staff members were on Board. No one was injured