European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 23, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday. August 23. 1986 the stars and stripes Page 3 Royal marines shoot for a record and land it members of the Royal marines free fall Parachute team form a ribbon in the sky u they Complete a Slack Al 14 men to set a world record wednesday in Dun Kerswell England. It was the fourth at tempt of the Day to set inc record. One Al Lump nearly ended in discs. Right when the Chute of Cpl. Robert Scouler collapsed. Scout our was Able la Cut him self free and land safely using a Reserve Chute. He joined the learn again o help set the record. Acs volunteers encouraged by Wickham to defend programs against budget cuts by Chuck v1nch Washington Bureau Washington the army s top officer is urging Community service staffers to resist commanders who Sec people programs As easy targets for budget cuts. Gen. John Wickham chief of staff said wednesday he needs army Community service personnel to Lake an activist role to assure thai local commanders and their staffs not Only Are aware of family program needs bul also Lake solid action to meet  Wickham said thai because of Light funding constraints Over the next few years there will be great temp Iarion to Cut Back. As a result family programs May suf Fer Wickham Lold about 150 acs representatives attending a five Day workshop. I need Strong activist voices at the installation level to assure thai family related programs Are Noi undercut in terms of support or  Wickham noted that in fiscal year 1980. Acs funding Levels were less than $5 Mil lion. For fiscal 1987, funding will be More than $ ii7 million he said. And Over the current five year program we intend to fund child development services construction new initiatives and acs at a Cost of almost $900  while acs personnel Champion family programs at the base Eccl Wickham said he will do the same in he Pentagon and in Congress. I can l guarantee Protection for these programs on Capitol Hill but 1 will argue hard Northern he said. Reduced defense spending Levels Over the next five years will probably mean cuts of about �20 billion in the army budget Wickham said. He said thai most of those reductions will be handled by stretch outs in modernization programs and in reduced procurement of  Wickham said he and other army leaders have sri cd to strengthen the Quality of Lite for single and married sol Diers because morale can affect readiness As much As modernized equipment. Or said Quality of life programs will become even More important As the Pool of eligible recruits shrinks Over the next decade and the army seeks new ways to recruit and retain top notch soldiers. We enlist soldiers but we re enlist satisfied families and cos he said. With 54 percent of the army married family programs that help to satisfy Basic concerns such As medical care child development suicide prevention and sub stance abuse All contribute to making service life attractive off idol Calls for improvements in gis living conditions by Connie Dickey staff writer Frankfurt the army s top equal Opportunity specialist challenged the association of the . Army Friday to take a More Active role in improving soldiers Quality of life. Our main concern should be in help ing to improve the soldiers life living conditions and taking out As much stress As we can from their lives said Judy Miller Deputy assistant Secretary of the army for military personnel equal Opportunity and human resources. We need to remember thai readiness is a human condition. It is not machines. In is soldiers and they must be ready. Without them All the rest is scrap Metal Miller Lold the 3rd amid div chapter of aus a Miller said no room for complacency on any family Issue exists and outlined four areas or the army family action plan where initiatives need to be found. Among those areas Are relocation family support military Medicine and Educa Tion and youth. She said the army is pursuing increasing staffing in military Hospi Las. Child care tops her list As a major con Cern for soldiers. Soldiers cannot be Good soldiers if they Are under stress worrying about their children. When 1 first arrived at my position the military child care facilities were not meeting civilian standards of child care because of sanitary conditions Lack of employee training and inadequate build Ings she said. Now 80 percent have been updated with renovated buildings new buildings and belter employee training Miller said. I look at the children As our future sol Diers. We need to give them the Best of care and the Best education we can. They de serve it. If we can l care for our Littlest How can we care for All the others Miller is scheduled to address the Usa eur child care conference i Nuernberg next week