European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                D senior of no reassignment changes Page 2 d drones help Navy get the picture Page 3 q sunday s pro football results sports Section the stars and stripes author died unofficial publication Fob the . Armeo Force vol. 46. No. 248 tuesday december 22, 1987 " � � d 8693 t 1,500 feared in ship Tanker et5msion a to Manila Philippines a nearly 1,500 people arc missing and feared drowned after a passenger ship packed with Christmas travellers collided with an Oil Tanker sunday and Sank in a sea of flames shipping sources said monday. The Oil Laden Tanker also caught fire and went Down after the collision Sun Day night. Eight ships including a Pas Senger vessel that rescued 26 people and three . Air Force helicopters reported seeing no other survivors in the shark infested Waters. As of Nightfall monday there Wen reports of other survivors from we pc Rcd to be one of the conto id worst maritime disasters. The 2,215-ton my Bona Paz was bound for Manila a Fri the Leyte Island City of tac Lobao men it hit the 629-ton philippine Taal for it Victor at 10 . Of Eusebio go general Man Ager our sulpicio lines. Be survivors told reporters that i ships had lights on when the Acci see collision on Page 28 file photo of the ill fated my Dona a which bore the name sulpicio until it was remodeler and renamed a few years Giro. Navy to open up More jobs in combat support to women by Chuck Vinci Washington Bureau Washington women in the Navy will be Able to serve aboard More combat logistics ships and in Shore based air reconnaissance squadrons under new guidance issued by the service. About 9,000 billets on 27 ships and 500 billets on aircraft will be opened to women Over the next few years Secretary of the Navy James Webb said at a press conference monday. T a. Iview there arc about 5.000 billets aboard ships now open to women according to Navy statistics. The Navy has about 54,000 Webb women on Active duty representing about 9 percent of the Force. Webb responding to increasing con Gressional pressure to open More naval combat support positions to women announced the changes based on recommendations contained in a study group s report on How women Are assigned in the Navy. At the heart of the policy is a new definition of combat Mission in Navy regulations. Ships will have a combat Mission if one of its primary objectives is to seek out. Recon Noilar and engage the enemy the Navy study said. Webb said that prohibits women from serving on combat logistics ships proceeding with Battle groups. But there Are other support ships carrying ammunition or fuel that Only make shuttle runs to Battle groups and those arc the ships that now will be open to women he said. The policy covers selected ships of the Navy s combat logistics Force including oilers ammunition ships and stores ships As Well As Orion ep-3 patrol air Craft Webb said. He said the changes will take time be cause the Navy has the most difficult task among the services in assimilating women into the Force because of the arduous and isolated nature of Many of its missions. This in t going to happen Over night he said. It in t going to happen next  the new policy will require a careful ship by ship approach because Large scale living adjustments will have to be made on Board he said. The Navy has been criticized in the past for the Way it has defined which ships have a combat Mission traditionally the principal criterion for deciding whether women can be assigned to those ships. Many of the ships not open to women specifically logistics support ships have been perceived not Lolu a a combat Mission the Navy stud stated. Webb announced the changes less than a week after rep. Beverly b Ron. D my. Who chairs the House armed serv ices military personnel and compensation subcommittee introduced a Bill that would have mandated the same actions by Law. Byron s Bill proposed a two year test of opening Many combat support functions to women not Only in the Navy but in All the services. The air Force would have to allow women to Fly strategic reconnaissance missions and the army would have to let More women take com Bat support jobs calling for duty near front lines under the Hill. Webb s action makes Byron s Bill moot As far As the Navy is concerned. The defense department is conducting a larger study of the role of women in the military which will address the Issue As it concerns the army and air Force according to a Pentagon spokesman. He could t say when that study would be completed. The Navy study also made changes in the training and assignment of women. If More non traditional jobs Are opened to women the Navy will have to take Steps to grow a sufficient number of females to fill those jobs Webb said. The study addressed a wide Range of other issues affecting women in the Navy including fraternization sexual harassment and Quality of life. Webb said no major changes regarding sexual harassment or fraternization Are planned other than to have commanders emphasize that harassment won t be tolerated. We re going to push the counselling see Navy on Page 28 Kohl chides . For not backing Buck Bonn a the United states should do More to help boost the falling Dollar. Chancellor Helmut Kohl said in an interview published monday. Kohl again urged . Legislators to reduce the huge american budget deficit saying that was the Only Way the Dollar would be Able to win Back International  our american friends must take greater responsibility for the Dollar Kohl was quoted As saying in an interview with the conserva Tive die Well newspaper. The Chancellor also rejected predictions that industrialized nations Are headed for a recession As some economists have warned. I have not yet found anyone who believes such fears Are Justi  the Chancellor said. West German officials have repeatedly called on the United states to trim its budget deficit to improve Long term economic prospects and help boost the value of the Dollar. The Dollar closed marginally higher on most major european Money markets monday in Light trading in Advance of the Christmas Holiday. Sec cunts Ion table on Pace 27. Meanwhile officials in Washington monday said the world s seven major Industrial nations Likely will Issue a statement Reaf see Buck on Page 28