European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Miliary Roun Dup Active duty strength Down slightly in March Washington a the Active duty strength of the nation s military services de Ctina in March from the previous month but remained web above the level reported a year earlier the Pentagon said. As of March 31. At army. Navy. Marine corps and air Force had 2,168,180 men an women on Active duly Down 3,927 from the feb. 28 total. The armed services reported Active duty strength of 2,159.511 on March 31.19s6, or 8,669 ewer than tuesday s tally. It n not unusual for military strength to swing up and Down on a monthly basis each year Pri Marily became of difference in the flow of new recruit. Recent total have also been affected by various Early discharge programs offered by the services total with budget on the army ended March with 774,104 men and women on Active duty Down 1,734 fro february Navy strength was reported at 383,354, Down so Gram february and air Force personnel numbered 611,382 last month Down 1.780. The Marine corps finished the month with 198,940 personnel up 169 from february. Maj. Gen. Honor to join staff serving joint chiefs Washington in powder arid a Sligh Pilch like a big bully rocking a car at the drive in movie thai fell Good Cockerham says and fire control confirms what his guts have already said. On target the next five Witt feel better he1 say through face splitting Grin. They planned to fire them one after the other at 4,5-second intervals but plans go awry. After the next rocket launches the computer goes Mack. I Doit believe it. It Ain t never done to risk Cocker Ham says when the computer screen Blacks out but it s not the first Tine Cockerham has been in launcher that misfired for some other reason. He handles the malfunction calmly even joking some with Whitt. Who makes sure the remaining Rock Eis Are Safe Al this  there s More waiting while safely checks Art made then the go ahead to launch the last four rockets. One More rocket leaps Acron the Pond and Hill in its path then Cockerham disgustedly Calls fire control. Mike eight eight Mike eight eight this w Alph Athree two. Same problem As  More waiting More safely checks then Che slow drive off the firing Point. Lighter by half his Rod ets Cockerham is weighted Down with a new nickname one shot a fellow Soldier has dubbed him. While Cockerham and Whitt wonder about their bad Luck other Crews in Btry a such fully launch All six of their rockets in rapid succession watching from about 70 Yards away observer Are beaten bodily by the constant concussion of sound that echoes like dynamite blasts Down a narrow Canyon. The rocked fiery blasts glow eerily amt thick Clouds of smoke that quickly hide each launcher. The blast heat adds another Coal of pallor to the ghostly Pines rimming the Back Arch of the firing Point downrange a portion of Gife Notor training area gets a Lew More pod Nark from a touring rounds buy a has launched. They carry Lead instead of the 644 bomb Teu the rocket would use in Battle. Enough destructive Power to Obi Hiale everything within the area at three football Fields. Military assisting in drug fight but defense still no. 1 priority by William a Bartman Washington bore i Washington the defense department while still opposed to All out military assistance for the nation s War on narcotics says it has helped civilian Law officers put a Dent in the illicit drug Trade. Sen. Alan Dixon 13-hi., had no sooner renewed his. Call last week for military involvement in the War on drugs than Pentagon officials began to re emphasize Why the aimed forces can t gel too tied up in civilian activities. But they also cited remarks from maj. Gen Stephen Olmstead director of the department of defense task Force on drug enforcement who told a Senate panel that the Pentagon is proud to support this nation s Campaign against illicit drug abuse through airborne surynt tence equipment Loans and general support to civilian drug agents. Dixon s request a unrealistic a Pentagon spokes Man said. He wants us to. Seal the Borders he said. Military personnel Are not trained for Border patrol Dixon citing interviews his staff had with serv ice members who aided civilian drug agents said the military personnel believe such work leis them pro vide a valuable service while gaining real world training. But Pentagon officials said the training Sui h work involves is not necessarily comparable to military preparedness. The defense of his country is and should be the military s no 1 priority Olmstead told the Senate government affairs permanent subcommittee on investigations. We must continue to maintain the delicate balance Between providing drug interdiction assistance and assuring our National military readiness and National Secu Rity Toms Lead said most of the military anti drug work consists of airborne surveillance which in creased by 52.s percent in fiscal 1986 to 3,149 mis Sions. During the same year the Pentagon loaned More than $138 million Worth of equipment to Law enforcement agencies battling drug trafficking. This equipment included army Black Hawk cobra and oh-6 helicopters and Mohawk fixed Wing aircraft plus sophisticated communication encryption de vices. Olmstead said All four service branches also pro vide expert personnel assistance to the National narcotics Border interdiction system. The air Force since 1983 has helped Law enforce ment teams finl drugs heading out of the Bahamas White the Navy has used ships to support . Coast guard anti drug teams and to Low drug vessels per mitting coast guard cutters to remain on station. Olmstead said the Pentagon is actively support ing expansion of the program to let coast guard tactical squads aboard Navy ships. The defense department and other Federal Agen cies have been directed by president Reagan to More actively support counter narcotic Effort in Many areas Olmstead said. In keeping with this order the general said the Pentagon is expanding surveillance intelligence communications planning training equipment Loans and other anti drug support