European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 17, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes thursday september 17,1987 disappointed a Philo an official of pocket books publisher of the paperback transcript of Oliver North s testimony taking the stand is not smiling Over Sain figures. The Buffalo n.y., publishing House expected to unload quickly at least half of its print ran of 775,000 books. But sales have fallen far Short of the goal of to probe charges wives must Aid spouses careers by Norman Black a military writer Washington the air Force a snarled in a controversy Over its Altitude toward working wives. Is convening a task Force to investigate whether it is exerting too much pressure on women to support their husbands service careers. The seven member panel was to hold its first meeting wednesday with orders to report is find Ings by Early december the air Force said in a statement tuesday. Air Force Secretary Edward c. Aldridge St. And Gen Larry d. Welch the service s chief of staff want recommendations on How Best to resolve or minimize conflicts Between the aspirations of world ing wives and the air Force s desire that they Tup port the careers of their husbands by participating in base Volunteer work the statement said. Air Force sources said the fact finding Effort grew out of a controversy that erupted this summer at Grissom fab ind. Over the past two months several wives of rank ing officers assigned to Grissom have complained publicly that col Gary a Ebert. Commander of the 305th air refuelling Wing pressured them la quit their private jobs to belter support their husbands careers. The air Force acknowledged that its St air Force Headquarters at Barksdale fab la., ordered an investigation of the complaints. It said a preliminary inquiry had been completed but the results were still being reviewed by top Mili tary officials. In the Wake of news reports about the situation at Grissom Aldridge and Welch released a statement insisting that the air Force fully supports the work aspirations of spouses. Bush suffers Sef Bocc in dispute with gop backers of Robertson Lansing Mich. A gop presidential Hope Ful Pat Robertson s backers helped hand George Bush his second setback in three Days with the vice presi Dent this time losing a dispute about delegates. But Bush s backers in Michigan say they la go to court o fight the conservative coalition that on tues Day unsealed 1,200 gop delegates at the Jan. 14 county conventions in an Iowa Straw poll at a saturday night fund Raiser Robertson finished first and Bush third. The party Rale adopted by tuesday s 60-41 Vole of he Michigan state Republican committee ban the 1,200 officeholders and failed candidates most of them Bush supporters from automatic seating As at Large delegates. The move to scat them was backed by Bush activists and state party chairman Spencer Abraham. Backers of Robertson and rep. Jack Kemp who control 55 to �0 teats on the committee opposed the move. We know they control the committee. We be Only got 32 vote. We got 41. That s what surprises me Bush Michigan co chairman Peter Secchia said adding thai he expected a Quick Legal Challenge to the vote. The county conventions will select an estimated 1,800 delegates for inc Jan. 29-30 state convention whore the nation s first 77 delegates to the gop National convention will be selected. Bush supporters and Abraham contended state Law allowed the nominees to be sealed automatically Al the conventions thereby boosting the vice president s weak standing in Michigan. Blue Cross Blue shield faces suit for ending Kentucky s plan Frankfort by. Up1 Kentucky officials Are considering Legal action against Blue Cross Blue shield which cancelled coverage for 67,000 employee Sand blamed the state for not paying its premiums on time. Finance Secretary cordon Duke tuesday said attorneys for the state were reviewing whether the insurance company had proper Legal cause to announce monday that it would cancel coverage effective oct. Duke said he was unaware of delinquent Premium payments made to the company by the slate. However. Jim Parks a spokesman for the state department of education said the department was Delin quent in s4 million in payments to the company. Parks said the department had under budgeted for its insurance premiums which were due on june 1. The department did not make a 14 million payment until late july i the Start of the fiscal year. We knew last november it was going to occur Parks said. The amount of Money that was put into the budget for insurance was based on a formula. But in november 19s6 the department of personnel and the department of finance renegotiated a contract with Blue Cross Blue shield that made us 14 million  Parks maintained the insurer was aware of the change. They knew there was nothing we could do about it he said. There Are four agencies that make payments to Blue Cross Blue shield under the master contract the state employees retirement system department of finance department of education and local school District. Parks said the education department is still trying to determine whether local school districts also May have been late in making payments. Duke said the stale plans to open bids for a new health insurance con race with Al least 20 other Compa Nies Starling Friday. In Short where and when the spouse works i j not an Issue that Aff acis the career of the military Mem Ber the officials said. That Broad policy statement however has been contradicted by several wives of officers assigned to Grissom. One of the wives Battaya Lecun bar or has said she defied Eberts suggestions that she quit her civil Ian Job As a substance abuse therapist. She and her husband. Cot John  ultimately resolved the Issue by obtaining a Transfer to a base in West Germany. I asked him Gary i want to know exactly what is my Job " Nataya Leuenberg or said. And he answered me by saying your Job is to go to the officers wives club s coffees luncheons and social events " the air Force in its statement tuesday noted the service benefits from participation by air Force members and their families in activities supporting the air Force  the task Force however should examine the Range of those activities help clarify the concept of participation and identify the extent and causes of pressures and conflicts Between employment or Ca reer aspirations and participation in the air Force Community. The service said the panel would conduct a num Ber of fact finding visits to various bases throughout the United Siaifa and  the task Force is chaired by maj. Gen. Anthony j. Burshnick the assistant Deputy chief of staff for plans and operations. Other members include three women among them Vorence w. Madden the assistant air Force general counsel for military affairs. Senate panel approves Baldrige successor Washington a the Senate Commerce committee voted 14-1 wednesday to recommend confirmation of c. William Verity to succeed us late Malcolm Baldrige at Commerce Secretary. The sole dissent came from sen. Bob Saxten a Republican who voiced concern about ver Ity s outspoken advocacy of increased Trade with the soviet Union. Verity is a past co chairman of the . . Trade and economic Council an organization of american and soviet business officials that advocates closer economic tin be tween the two nations. In testimony hut week at his confirmation hearing the retired Ohio steel executive said he continues to favor More Trade with the soviet although he bad no quarrel with . Controls that restrict strategic i porn to the soviet bloc. Some conservative members of the Senate including Jesse Helms a Republican Are i Pec Ltd to argue against the nomination when in reaches the Senate floor. Nominee to head Fri gets of in Senate unit Washington a the Senate jul " committee on tuesday unanimously a president can s nomination of is. Judge William s. Sessions of texts a Fri director and his overwhelming confirmation by the full sea ate was expected later this week judge sessions extensive Law enforcement a per Ienco Hii commit Iceni to the Rule of Law and Bis Strong moral character exemplify the Type of person who should Lead the Fri said sen. Joseph r. Biden a det the committee chairman. Sen. Edward m. Kennedy a mass said ses Sions was an outstanding Choice to succeed William h. Webster who left to become director of the Cia after the death of William j. Casey. Kennedy said sessions chief judge of the us. District court in san Antonio Texas had made a very favourable impression at a one Day Confirma Tion hearing last week with Hii Promise to maintain the Fri s Independence from political interference