European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday december 30, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 7 women take combat roles in Panama by no Stuy Panama City. Panama the platoon of  troops opened fire with machine guns and rifles when the shooting was Over the corpses of three panamanian defense forces soldiers were slumped on the floor inside the  was an attack like Many others in Panama Over the last week but there was one difference the platoon commander and 10 others involved in the assault were  was never so scared in All my life recalled spec. Viola Puletasi a 22-year-old native of Hayes. Mont. I asked myself. Will i Ever Sec my kid and husband again Pul clasps unit the 988th my co was led into action by capt. Linda l. Bray. The unit s first action was an assault on a Kennel that also housed an unknown number of psf troops. After deploying her unit around the Kennel Bray waited two minutes before giving the order to open fire with rifles and heavy machine guns. The next Day a search of the building revealed three bodies her troops  commands about 130 soldiers and 30 vehicles belonging to the fort Binning. A. Unit. The unit has about 12 women including three officers All of whom fought alongside the men in Panama  female soldiers served in Vietnam and Grenada the panamanian operation probably haste highest percentage of females Ever to participate in a . Military operation. Army spokesman Paige Evrsole said  a Good number of them particularly the 39 women among the More than 400 military police airlifted from fort Bragg . May have found themselves under fire As they patrolled heavily con tested areas of Panama  congressional mandate and military policy exclude women from units most Likely to be involved in direct combat it is not against regulations for women to be sent into combat situations. We have a combat exclusion policy for women said eversoll but that does t mean women Are excluded from combat. They Are going to face hostile fire and they Are prepared for it. That is what has been happening in  the combat rating of army jobs ranges from Pilo p7 said eversoll who is stationed at the Penta gon. Only the i classification which includes in Fantry Armor and artillery is closed to women. But eversoll added with front lines and protected rear areas largely non existent in modern warfare women will be casualties in direct proportion to the numbers in which they Are  of the 23 . Troops killed in Panama has been female but spokesmen say they do not knowhow Many if any women arc among the 322  988th has not had any casualties but other my companies with women have had personnel killed and wounded. Still the infantry and other combat units that did the bulk of the fighting in Panama did not have women combatants. Several Days before the invasion of Panama sol Diers said the women in the 988th were told the would be pulled out if the unit was sent into action. But that did t happen. Staff sat april Hanley of the 21st my co airborne sits atop an armoured vehicle in Panama City. Hanley is one of 39 women maps in Panama Many of whom have been in Active combat since arriving. Blonde with Beretta May be typical of .-a/ded Panama by the Baltimore Sun Panama City Panama the steely eyed blonde with a 9mm Beretta bulging from her blouses something of a Symbol of the new government of president Guillermo Endara. Operating out of two foreign ministry buildings the new Endara government is so awash with Security experts military men and mysterious aides most of them american that an Endara Man lamented i sometimes wonder if this is the Bush  on the floor below Endara s office is a Small room reserved for american Security men. In Porras Park outside sits an american armoured car and a squad of gis. About 500 soldiers occupy key strategic Points near the Park which also contains the cuban and Spanish embassies. Endara and his two vice presidents continue to spend the night in a heavily guarded compound on an american base. As for the gun toting blonde she refused to answer any questions about her origins or Job. She smiled pleasantly and said with an american accent suck an  we do not want to make this the 51st slate said a senior american embassy official. What we d like to do is work with them to fix in right because we Damn sure Don t want to do this again and we won  american official likened the situation in Panama to the american Conquest of Japan in which the powerful japanese military was Dis mailed and rendered powerless. The american vision of the new panamanian Mil itary is that of a police Force Wilh almost no military capability inc senior official said. This policy appears to have been adopt cd by Thendara government although Ricardo Anas Calde Ron inc first vice Percsi Donl told reporters that the military might Csc Lually have some defense Capa Billy because of the  ironically in was inc americans who Buill up inc panamanian forces to enable them to defend the canal when it reverts to Panama dec. 31, 1999. When the american invaders will be leaving is nol Clear. Endara has said that will be within a month bul inc senior embassy official said Hal was Loo optimistic. Sometime in 1990," was his climate. He said the forces Are expected to leave Panama cily by february bul that they will Ihnn spread out into the nation s nine provinces to ensure that . Manuel Antonio Noriega remain. Home Ess give $50 to new  mayor Din cams new York up a group of homeless people parted with a hefty col Lection of Nickels dimes and pennies making a $50 donation to mayor elect David Dinkins to help pay for his inauguration As inc City s first Black mayor. Mayor Dinkins we d like to present this to you on behalf of the homeless. This is indicative of our support for you said Fred Tyus who is homeless As he gave Dinkins a big Brown envelope Wilh the contribution thursday. Remarking on the weight of the Bulky Coin filled package Dinkins graciously accepted the donation at a news Confer ence in lower Manhollan. The donation solicited by the mayor elect s longtime Friend the Rev. Timothy Mitchell came after Dinkins invited 200 homeless people to attend his inaugural new program in Hawaii tries to fight child abuse mayor elect David Dinkins lion ceremony on the Steps in front of City Hall monday. Dinkins s Rosy relationship Wilh inc Downtrodden stands in marked contrast to that of outgoing mayor Edward Koch who was often viewed As being insensitive to the problems of the homeless Dur ing his 12-year tenure. Honolulu a Hawaii is try ing to fight child abuse Wilh an ambitious program designed to screen every new parcel for the pot Colial to commit Domestic violence. The healthy Start program presently reaches 60 percent of Hawaii s new Par cams. And inc slate Hopes to be screening nearly every new Parent by 1992. Those judged Al risk Are offered five years 9f Home visits and counselling on economic and pm Lional problems. Whal s Nice about the program is they re trying to help the family in All Asp Cis of family life said Loretta Fuddy supervisor of child services forthe Szalc health departments a Lornal child health Branch. To wanly percent of those surveyed Are found to be Al risk and Are offered the services of a Home worker who makes weekly visits said Betsy Uohara Pratl of Hawaii family stress Center. The censer began a Pilot program in 1985 fro which healthy Slart was developed. Only 5 percent of the parents decline the assistance she  1,500 to 1,600 households have received Home visits this year. That number is expected to increase to 2,600 by 1992.there were 2,215 documented cases of child abuse in Hawaii in 1988, according 10 inc Szalc health department. Workers interview new parents or examine their medical charts to spol warn ing signs that indicate a tendency Loa Buse or neglect children. About 75 per cent of those helped by healthy Slart Are mothers on welfare Pratt said. Fuddy said the program costs the state $ i 600 a year per family. In comparison she said it costs $6,000 to provide a year of Foster care for a child