European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 2, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes the big one stripes Magazine  cold suit a hot item. Page 3 d Frankfurt Airport Security hiked Page Al d France offering 3-year visa Page 24 vol. 46, no. 347 1uthoiiicd undo Pleitt. Publication Fop the . Ahmed fobcc1 thursday april 2, 1987. Iti 0 8693 a panel Likely to delay 2% officer strength Cut by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington the House armed services committee will Proba Bly postpone a planned 2 percent reduction in officer strength for one year to give lawmakers More time to study the Impact or the Cut a committee staffer said tuesday. The delay also would give Pentagon manpower officials time to prove their Contention thai officer cuts of 2 percent in fiscal 1988 and 3 percent in fiscal 1989 would seriously degrade military combat capability that is something manpower officials have been unable to do in a number of hearings on Capitol Hill in recent weeks. Congress mandated the cuts along with a requirement for a i percent reduction this fiscal year that is already being car ried out As part of the fiscal 19b7 de sense authorization act. The House and Senate armed serv ices committees must agree to a delay before in could Lake effect. One staffer said it is unlikely the so talc committee will do that. Sen. John Glenn a Ohio is the driving Force behind the officer cuts. Glenn and of her lawmakers have expressed concern that the officer corps has grown too bloated compared to enlisted strength without any apparent changes in the Force Structure that would justify such growth the House armed services commit tee will probably make a decision by the see delay on Page 24 vote by Senate tentatively oks Highway Bill veto Washington Lyrl named Melissa in the judge s Chambers. Committees differ on extent of pay hike by Chuck Vinci i Washington Bureau Washington a pay raise  and Federal civilians would be limited to 2 percent effective Jan. I under a Senate budget commit tee plan. However the House budget commit tee which is working on its own version of the budget Resolution for fiscal 1988, has agreed to a 3 percent rime for serv inc members and civilians effective Jan. 1, the administration requested $312 billion for defense spending in fiscal 1988, with a 4 percent pay increase for military personnel and a 2 percent in crease Lor civilians. The committees Are off 10 a slow Start in drawing up their budget resolutions. Mouse republicans have been boycotting the proceedings until democrats draw up a Complete plan for consideration although the to skits were scheduled to meet wednesday to try to reach an accommodation a staffer said. The House commit toe plan which would allow for $288,7 billion in defense spending was approved Only by the democrats 13-9. With no Republican input. The entire committee would have to approve a plan before it could be considered by the full House. In the Senate the principal plan under consideration was drawn up by sen. Lawlon Chiles d-fla., the committee chairman. The plan would give the Pentagon about $280 for defense spending next fiscal year a staffer said. A vote on the plan could come in the next few Days he Waitl. Another plan offered by sen. Or Nam mailings. , would provide for a much higher level of defense spending and a .1 percent raise Forse  and civilians but the Mailer said that plan has link or no support in the com Mittee pay raise Rcv Mitiu n a Anions could change in Sui cute Jug stages of the budget process. Once the committee pro Pusuls Are approved by thu House and so talc. Only 1 1"" " nil spending limits Are Imi Din on other Wimmil luvs hint tire Ilin Riu d with Turk in Oul details it Ollil la Lvi is Iii Phil l