European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 11, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes wednesday May 11,1988 Bill giving Dod base closing Power has lawmakers on political tiptoes Washington a an Effort to save Money by closing unneeded military bases ii the stickiest wicket in the Pentagon budget Bill for the fiscal year starting oct. I sen. Alan Dixon dial said tuesday. Senators discussed whether to give the defense department authority to close Baas with Many legis Lator Loath to soul Down facilities and lose jobs to their states. Dixon reflecting 1hc political sensitivity of the Issue sail the plan was the stickiest wicket in this  Bill includes a provision creating a seven Mem Ber commission that would recommend by dec. 31 Wlinich of the 3,800 . Military installation could be shutdown. The proposal is an attempt to circumvent congressional opposition to shutting bases. The military has not closed any major bases since 1977, when Congress erected a series of stiff rules. Pentagon officials say that Between $2 billion and is billion a year could be saved if Unn coded installations were closed Dixon noting that the proposed base closing com Mission does t include any legislators has suggested increasing the panel to 13. The other Sii members would All be Senate at House members including Dijon. The Way his is Fri Lien would give absolute Power to the department of defense said Dixon. Sen. Carl Levin d-mich., said the Public in our communities rely on these bases. When and if we close any bases it better not look  adding legislators is the Best Way to give ibis credibility he said. Between 1961 and 1977, the Pentagon dosed or reduced 3,600 installations saving an estimated is billion a year. Bui because of the Legal roadblocks erected by Congress none has been closed since then. The Pentagon has even Given up formally proposing base closure because of the Strong Capitol hid opposition. Last week in announcing the seven member com Mission defense Secretary Frank c Cali cd doled thai some have suggested that this May be an citrate in  the proposal in the Senate Bill will be considered by the House As separate legislation. As the Senate Beean work on the Bill monday the Leaden of Hie Senate armed services committee warned thai Pentagon spending probably wont be in creased for several years unless Federal budget prob lems arc  Bill authorizes the Pentagon to spend s299.s billion in fiscal 1989, about the same amount permitted in the current year. The Bill would provide the fourth consecutive year of Little or no increase in Pentagon spending after the Large increases during Reagan s first term. Drug policy defended in Wake of boat s seizure Washington a the Reba administration will continue to enforce its toughened drug seizure policy. Transportation Secretary James Burnley said tuesday As he defended the seizure of a $2.5 million yacht for carrying lest than a Teaspoon of marijuana. We did t decide that we were going to go out and seize big expensive yachts Over Liny bits of marijuana Burnley said on Abc to s Good morning  1 announced a few weeks ago was if we find any illegal drugs on a vessel we re going to seize a vessel we redoing to Lum it Over to customs and we re Kline to let them make the final determination about whether the vessel should be returned 10 the owner or sold at  the 133-foot Ark Royal was confiscated saturday in International Waters off key West a. After a coast guard boarding party found about 10 marijuana seeds and two stems in a trash can and Dresser drawer the Crew and the coast guard said. Custody of the ship owned by Tomima corp., was turned Over to customs service agents in key West. The yacht s six member Crew was put ashore but not charged sunday night. The vessel could the $2.5 million Ark Royal seized for carrying less than Teaspoon of marijuana. Be auctioned As forfeited property filler several hearings authorities said. The government s toughened policy provides for seizure of any vessel when any amount of illegal drugs is found. Previously boats were seized Only when Large amounts of drugs were found and the vessels were held in lieu of a Fine based on the weight of the drugs. We be got a massive National prob Lem Burnley said. We be got people out there whether they own big boats or Little boats big cars or Little can we be got people of All economic classes who Are buying this stuff and we be got to get at the demand Side of this problem or we re not Ever going to be Able to gel it under , interviewed from Boston said the owner of the Shin will be be imbued 10 make whatever Case he wishes to about Why there were drugs found on it and  make the final determination about whether the boat is resumed to the owner or sold at  nobody will lose a boat without l bearing Burnley added later. But James Powell National Legal director of the american civil liberties Union said the policy violates the Constitution. What s wrong with it is the same thing that s wrong with shooting some one or hanging someone and then saying we re going to give you a trial to tee if you re guilty " Powell said. In our society we have always held thai a person is innocent until proven guilty and the Burden is on the govern ment to prove someone of guilt before taking such drastic  Powell interviewed with Burnley said the Constitution prohibits the govern ment from taking property without due process and that s tial s happening in this  is military service advantageous study focuses on Job prospects for minority vets by Chuck v1nch Washington Bureau Washington Black veterans have  pcs Landing civilian jobs than Blacks with no military service a new study says but minority Veu generally fare poorly in the Job Martel when compared with while vets. Minority veterans have More difficulty Landing civilian jobs and usually end up making less Money than White vets because they arc Over represented in the Mil itary s administrative and clerical jobs which Don t provide the Type of High tech training and experience Many civilian employers Are looking for the study says. Thai is the principal finding of the study by three College business adminis ration professors examining factors that attract and retain racial minorities in Thi armed forces and what happens once they leave the service. What we tried to do is find out whether military service is Good for minorities both in terms of their tenure in the service and in terms of any advantages they might have in he civilian labor Market because of their military experience said Paul j. Andrisani of Temple University in Pennsylvania. Co authoring the study were Thomas daunt on also from Temple and Robert Phillips a retired army col Onel who spent years in the service s recruiting Field and is now on the staff of Texas tech University in Lubbock Texas. The study was spurred by the fact that almost one of every two qualified Black youths enlists in the military while the participation rate is Only 16 percent for White youths and 17 percent for hispanics Andrisani said. The authors used portions of data from the . Census Bureau and the Center for human resource research a Ohio stale University. Researchers Gath ered information through annual interview Between 1980 and 1984. Talking to More than 4,000 people in the military and the private sector who were Between the Ages of 18 and 22 when the Survey began. Blacks Are More Likely to join Trie military because in the civilian Market they encounter lower earning potential jobs with Little advancement potential and a higher Chance of overt discrimination the study said. The first advantage of the military for Black youths is obvious employment Opportunity Andrisani said. Black  also report higher Job satisfaction than Whites which is reflected in a first Lerm re enlistment rate for Blacks that is 50 percent higher than for Whites he said the big problem for minorities is in military assign ments which have an Impact on Post service careers. Andrisani said those assignments Are made based Pri Marily on initial aptitude scores. In National samples two thirds of Whites scored in the upper half while Only one third of Blacks had such scores with hispanics somewhere in Between. That Means Many Blacks often arc Given administrative and clerical positions and jobs in relatively unskilled service and Supply Fields. Because of that Black vets have More trouble find ing Post service jobs and earn less than their White counterparts after leaving the military Andrisani said. The study offered a number of ways the military could address thai problem. Among them encourage Blacks who leave the service to attend College and enter the Reserve officer training corps boosting the number of minority officers. Launch a program to get minorities into the higher aptitude skills by providing a Short but  period a prep school for skills Andrix Sani said. Set up a special veterans administration program to help separating minority vets take advantage of their of Bill benefits by guiding them to training pro Grams in their geographic area that have a High probability of resulting in a Job. Consider special outplacement programs for All Servi members who Urve in a skill that docs i have a civilian sector counterpart. Military officials in the Pentagon said they have not seen the study and could not comment on its findings