European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 17, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 17, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 9 Gao criticizes army units maintenance by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington poorly performed maintenance Al the unit level is causing numerous breakdowns in creased costs and unnecessary repair Lime for Many of the army s most commonly used vehicles and equip ment the general accounting office has found. The army ii not effects yell maintaining its equip ment id ensure maximum Mission capability at the least Cost and a longstanding problem is poorly performed repair and maintenance at the user level the Gao said in a report issued earlier this month. Inspectors from the accounting office visited units in five of the army s 16 Active divisions including units Al v corns he in Frankfurt and the sch inf div in bad Krui Nan Germany and pored Over hundreds of inspection reports for various vehicles and equipment while 80 percent to 90 percent of the vehicles re viewed by the Gao were supposedly ready for combat 50 percent of those tested failed inspector general and maintenance evaluation team inspections. Military travellers May get lodging plus per diem yet at to installations Ilic Gao found thai operators did nol select As Many of 93 percent of All inc detects in their vehicles resulting in potentially greater maintenance Costi and overstated equipment conditions the report said. Overall less than 10 percent of the problems on equip ment reviewed by the Gao were identified by the person Nel who used that equipment. The rest were found by maintenance inspector. Aside front failing to select defects equipment opera tors frequently did not perform preventive maintenance of even the most routine nature the Gao said. For example tip to 70 percent of the maintenance done on howitzers i corrective rather than preventive indicating that the army is reacting to howitzer equipment Faures More often than it is working to prevent  maintenance training and supervision is also a sore spot. In Europe 57 percent of the army inspection reports cited a Lack of preventive maintenance training for operators the Gao said. Inaccurate records contribute to the problem. Of 28i army inspections Analy de by the Gao 64 percent said daily preventive maintenance checks were nol completed or recorded while 52 percent found incomplete or inaccurate maintenance forms. The report also said the army is nol taking full advantage of millions of dollars in diagnostic equipment. The army makes Only limited use of this equipment at the organizational level relying instead on trial and error substitutions a practice thai is Lime consuming and costly the report noted that i Host problems Are nol new. A Gao report issued in 1978 identified Many of he same deficiencies in the army maintenance system. The Gao called on the army to ensure that equipment operators and maintenance personnel Are properly trained and supervised in Correct procedures. Maintenance personnel Are properly trained and required to use test and d diagnostic equipment. Equipment operators and maintenance personnel Are held accountable for and evaluated on How Well they perform their assigned duties. By Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington after month in limbo the military s new lodging plus per diem system for personnel travelling on temporary duty should get under Way this fall when the fiscal 1988 defense authorization Bill is passed. Payments under lodging plus arc made according to dual food and lodging expenses in 391 areas meaning the new system is More generous and More efficient than the current system Accord ing to Dod officials. For example the of rate under lodging plus is for new York City at si26 per Day currently the maximum per diem payment for any location is s7s, there s no Chance for arguments As to what s allowable for reimbursement and what s not said an official you get a Flat rate for meals and incidentals get reimbursed for your actual lodging expenses and that s  the program has been stalled because last year s defense authorization act required a presidential Senif Calion of the program s Coil. Congress wanted to ensure that lodging plus would nol Cost More than the program it was replacing. Both the House and Senate armed services commit Ces in reports on their respective versions of the fiscal 1988 de sense authorization Bill recommended dropping that requirement. Since both committees agree the action is virtually assured. The defense department has provided information indicating that costs or savings resulting from implementation would be marginal and the Secretary of defense is unable to certify in Advance thai the lodging plus by slim would save Money me Senate report Stales. " but the administrative convenience to Dod and to military members would be significant. The committee therefore recommends repealing the certification  the committee warned however hat it would closely Monitor implementation of the new reimbursement system. The Dod official said removing the certification requirement is important and nol Only because it will allow the lodging plus by slim to gel off the ground. Such a requirement would have set a precedent that might have led Congress to put such requirements on other Initia Tives greatly bogging Down the process of launching new programs. "11 could also mean that Congress would expect us to indefinitely hold costs for a new program below costs for an old program that had been replaced he said. Hut the problem Here is that costs for almost everything lend la go  of general up for promotion Washington a president Reagan nominated air Force maj. Gen. Charles c. Mcdonald for a promotion and new assignment As the service s Dep Uty chief of staff for logistics and Engi Neering the Pentagon has announced. Military Roundup if Mcdonald obtains Senate Confirma Tion he will be promoted to the rank of lieu tenant general As he assumes the new Job. The 53-year-old Barron wis., native is the chief of staff at the air Force logistics come Headquarters. Off Campus riot police clean up Gebru from Kwangju South Korea police station after 100 Rock throwing students attacked the Sta Tion Friday night. One policeman was injured in the incident. It we the first major clash reported off Campus in the recent wave of student demonstration that Bare swept South Korea. Child development seminar offered free in Pitburg bit Flung and Germany the Pitburg family Day care association is hosting a free Chud development workshop May 30 for family Day care pro viders throughout Safe. The workshop called we Don t sit on  will discuss ways 10 promote Quality care increase Community awareness of the professionalism of the family Day care provider and Vicurn More about child development. Sessions will begin at 9 . And continue until 3 30 . Tor More information Contact the local family Day care coordinator or child care Center director or Call Levezu love Al Tilburg ets 453-7012, or civil Ian 06 s6i-6i-7012. Maj. Gen. Elam to speak at trans corps Ball Heidelberg maj. Gen. Fred e. Elam com Mander of the army s transportation Center and school at fort Eustis va., will spunk i the trans corps 4 Jih anniversary Ball on july s. The Ball which will be hold Al the Patrick Henry Village officers club n open to trans corps commissioned and warrant officers noncommissioned Grade e 7 and above civilian personnel Grade gs-7 and above and former trans corps aviators and guests. Interested persons should Call maj. John fintain at ets 325-2695 or 2773. German aids hot line has counselling in English Mannheim Germany americans in the Mannheim area seeking information about aids can Call a German hot line for counselling in English on Friday evenings. English speaking coun Dors will answer the Calls from u . To 10 . The number for file hot line is 062i-im442. The hot line ii run by the group ads Hilife. In addition to Telephone counselling ads Hite offers personal counselling in English and German support groups and education at its heart quarters on Gutie