European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday november 25,1987 the stars and stripes Page 9 military pleased with defense Money Bill by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington the defense authorization Bill approved by the House and Senate late last week did t treat personnel programs As kindly As the Penta gon would have liked but most military officials agree it could have been much worse. We knew we could t ask for much considering the current climate so we kept the list modest said a Pentagon budget official. We pretty much got what we hoped for with one exception we could t get the via offset the offset which Pentagon officials have been try Irp of kill ii t it look r 0rv1 two years Aeo. Directs military personnel whose housing costs arc less than the via rate for their area to pay Back half the differ ence Between the two figures. The fiscal 1988 authorization Bill was passed by the House nov. 18 and the Senate nov. 19. It s ready for president Reagan to sign into Law but some provision affecting pay and allowances arc still Uncertain because of ongoing deficit reduction actions Between Congress and the administration. For example the Bill allows for a 3 percent pay raise for military and civilian personnel but the economic Summit Between lawmakers and administration officials that concluded last week apparently will Cut that to 2 percent. The House appropriations committee already has passed its Bill but its Senate counterpart has yet to begin work on its version. Once the Senate finishes the two committees must meet to Iron out differences in the two versions of the Bill. Aside from the raise there Are Only a few other High Cost specific pay items addressed in the authorization Bill that could be affected by the budget negotiations. Two of the biggest involve the Navy an increase of 35 percent in submarine pay and a restructuring of sea pay to make it More generous. Both Are Likely to be eyed As possible cuts by the appropriations commit tees. The authorization Bill contains a number of other personnel related provisions. Among them officer cuts. The Bill orders the defense depart ment to absorb a 5 percent Cut in officer strength but it allows the cuts to be spread across three years in Stead of two. The Bill Calls for cuts of i percent in fiscal 1988 and 2 percent in each of the next two years. To gel that Relief. Secretary of defense Frank car Lucci must submit a comprehensive officer require ments study to Congress by March i 1988. The Bill s report expressed continued concern Over the inability the defense department to provide compelling jus for off incr growth in this decade. Religious garb. The services must implement regulations to allow Scricc members in uniform to Wear neat and conservative articles of religious clothing which arc part of the Observance of the religious Faith practice by the the provision is aimed at such items As jewish Yarmulke is and sikh turbans. It was approved Over Strong opposition from military officials who claim it will erode military discipline and morale. Spouses. Conferees ordered Carlucci to Issue regu lations prohibiting commanders from pressuring spouses who work or taking action against a service member if the spouse chooses to work. The Bill also extends the spouse hiring preference for jobs on military installations to All civil service pay grades. Catastrophic health Cap. Out of pocket medical costs under the civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services would be capped at $1,000per year for families of Active duty service members and $10,000 per year for retirees and their families. Free travel. Conferees approved a Pentagon proposal to Cut the amount of time service members and their families must serve overseas to earn free round trip transportation to and from the states. Personnel must now serve two consecutive overseas Tours to earn the trip. The Bill cuts shul to in louts. Leased vehicles. Vehicles that Are leased can be shipped at government expense in connection with a re assignment next of Kin travel. The Bill authorizes free round trip transportation for two immediate family members of personnel who arc seriously ill or injured if the family s presence is deemed necessary for the Mem Ber s health and package stores. Lawmakers from California wine growing districts pushed a provision directing package Bevc disc Iii is overseas to give appropriate treat mint to items produced in the United states to in clude equitable distribution selection and Price when compared with Host nation defense depart ment officials opposed the proposal calling it pork barrel legislation. Commissary prices. The Bill requires Carlucci to prescribe regulations establishing uniform pricing poli cies for commissary merchandise that would promote the lowest practical Price to offer the Best values Al the commissary the report to the Bill stated. The most significant provision not adopted was a proposal to increase household goods weight allow ances for e-7s through e-9s making official moves. The Bill report said adjustments in the allowance can be justified for most pay grades not just senior enlisted grades. Conferees also noted that Dod wants to create two household goods weight tables for personnel with and without family members. " we will take a comprehensive look at household goods weight Alto Wanic Levels next year with the Hope of providing Relief to All Grade Levels and creating a system for those with and without dependents the report stated. Prince Charles opens talks on cleaning up North sea a photo London police use Bolt cutters to free Greenpeace demonstrators who chained them selves to eight barrels that they said contained toxic waste from the North sea. London up Prince Charles opened the second International ministerial conference on the Protection of the North sea tuesday by urging euro Pean ministers to clean up the waterway that he labelled a As the Prince was speaking inside the Queen Elizabeth ii conference Center six members of the Greenpeace environmental group were outside wearing Gas masks and while protective suits. They hand cuffed themselves to eight barrels that the said contained chemical toxic waste dumped into the North sea. The Bright red barrels were marked with the International Symbol for Poison and each bore the name of one of the eight nations attending the two Day conference. Police arrested the demonstrators and firemen carefully hauled the barrels away reporting later that the liquid in the containers was harmless. Environment ministers from Britain Norway Sweden Denmark Belgium Netherlands France and West Germany were attending the conference. In opening the conference Charles noted the North sea has been one of the world s richest fishing zones and a source of inspiration for poets and but Over the past Century we have made it into a rubbish dump Charl Essaid. The North sea is not a bottomless pit for our do not. Ladies and gentlemen have a lot of time left in which to act. Even if we begin today the damage of the past few years will be with us for some time to come. Military Roundup journalism winners for Usa eur announced the following Are the Usa eur first place winners of the 1987 Keith l. Ware journalism awards. The awards Are Given to department of the army soldiers and civilians working in Prim and broadcast Media Aad photography around the world. Cd journal of the year Mac tidal s Mowrer. Public affairs office. Sot support group. Heidelberg. Putt Media awards category a. Authorized non commercial Flut end letterpress newspapers Frankfurt Frankfurt military come i my. Category b. Authorized photocopied newspapers must Loti newspapers or author had Homograph and Othar spirits newspapers the sue of Newsell ten Darby Public affairs office. . Army Community activity Uvonn. By Cancu Jeri k. Single published photograph Larry Rosenberg pubic Al uni Elfoe. Mara a whary Community. Germany. Category o. Special achievement m print Media Champion edition pubic affairs once. Baum older military Community Tomii. Germany. Broadcast Media awards category a. Radio internal information series from an on air armed forces radio Adte Tewson service outlet Christmas tone machine american forces network Europe. Frankfurt. Category c. Television Mlo Mabon series from Art on Etc arts outlet passport. Aft Frankfurt category e. Local radio news or sports stories or features used on me air aids an Frankfurt category f. Local television news or sports stories or features used on the air iranian 1st army div Ansbach Germany. Category of radio spot pro Duclona vote an Frank Furt category h. Television spot production Southern european broadcasting. Vicenza. Italy. Category i. Specie internal information radio program from an on air a fits outlet cons thai seb. Category m. Single television newscast with Strong emphasis on local news Tram an arts outlet seb. Category n. Tingle radio newscast with Strong emphasis on local news irom an a fits outlet Berlin newscast an Berlin. Category my. Single radio newscast with Strong emphasis on local news non arts Bava Laland 1st int dry. Ansbach Ger Many. Winners in each category will be submitted to the joint service department of defense Thomas Jefferson award contest. Holiday greetings going to persian Gulf troops the United service organization is sponsoring a program to Send Christmas messages to service Mem ers stationed in the persian Gulf. Poster sized Holiday greeting cards will be available in every Uso Center or lounge in Germany Between nov. 30 and dec. 6 for anyone who wants to add a Holiday message. If there is no Uso nearby messages should be sent on a Ivi Inch diameter coloured paper Circle to Uso fac Box 10, Apo 09710. Mailed Holiday messages must arrive by dec. 6 and will be added to the greeting cards. Safe personnel get Job performance awards personnel assigned to Safe units have received honors for distinguished performance of duties. Ronald s. Gross with the Deputy chief of staff for engineering and services at Safe he won the 1986 Gen. Thomas d. White award for Community planning. In the morale welfare and recreation Merito rious award program Burgit Baldwin Span Dahlem a was named Best recreation Center director James h. Kelly Raf Ben Waters England was the top sports director and Mary Bomar Raf upper Heyford England was selected the outstanding Bowling Center manager. Staff sgt. Nathaniel Young jr., a Netherlands has been selected the air Force s Sug Gestur of the year. Young has submitted about 70 suggestions through the suggestion program in the last four years
