European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 02, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 j the stars and stripes Friday february 2,1990 army arrests deserter 30 years later Omaha neb. A a Man arrested for deserting from the army nearly 30 years ago knew he might be picked up at the Airport when he returned to the United Stales from East Germany. But 30 relatives who came to Greet him were stunned. I think this must be what it was like in East Germany before the Wall came  said Arnold Kephart s sister Alice Smith. We do live in a free country or so we  Kephart. 53. Was being held at the fort Riley kan., army base wednesday on a warrant charging him with Deser Tion. He was arrested tuesday night at up play Airfield by military and civilian police As relatives looked on. Kephart was allowed to talk to his 86 year old father and sister before being taken away. Some family members came from As far away As Arkansas to Greet Kephart who was accompanied by his son fran Kie and who according to his lawyer had tried to escape from East Germany several times. Kunhart lawyer James Martin Davis said military police did t show him an arrest warrant and would t allow him to speak to his client until civilian police intervened. An army spokesman said he was t aware of All the circumstances surround ing the arrest but defended the army s action. How Many ways can you arrest somebody la. Col. Dick Bridges said in a phone interview from Washington. Kephart was to be transferred thurs Day to fort Sill okla., said capt. De Garvin a fort Riley spokesman. If convicted of desertion by a court martial Kephart could receive up to three Yean in prison. It. Col. John Dobbs said from fort Sill. He also could receive a less than honorable discharge without undergoing a court martial. Kephart originally from Langdon,mo., was declared absent without leave in november 1960 while a private stationed in Heidelberg West Germany. Army officials said. There is no statute of limitations on the charge Davis said. He apparently deserted after an army truck he was driving crashed Davis said. After leaving the army Kephart worked for 30 years As a truck Driver in the Small Southern City of smal Kalden. He tried to escape three or four times but was caught Al the Border Davis said. His family thought he was dead be cause the army would not give details of his whereabouts or disappearance but Learned he was alive about a year after he vanished when they received a letter. While in East Germany Kephart was married and divorced twice. His second wife gave birth to Frankie on oct. 27, 1977. Kephart received custody of fran Kie after the divorce. Kephart s son who does t speak English is staying with relatives in Council Bluffs Iowa Smith said. Arnold Kephart in 1953 file photo troops crime Alid drugs. In reaction. House speaker Thom As s. Folk esd Wash. Embraced the troop reduction plan but Salt democrats would offer a Domestic Agenda of their teen. With Amassa Odds from across the world in at Tendance. Bush Savov with communism Crum bling our aim must Besto ensure democracy s and Vance. We arc in a period of great transition great Hope yet great in Curtan Bush said. The events of the ear just ended the revolution of 89 have been Chain reaction change so striking that it Marks the beginning of a new Era in the world s affairs. Think  Bush asked Congress an Tufis National broadcast audience to the world off Newas 1989  in the year since communist governments gave Way in Poland East Germany i mania. Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia. In such to Lions. Bush said the idea called America is alive on his return to the White House bus asked by reporters How Gorbachev  i can t characterize it but i can Jusli imply say that he was receptive but i Don t know whether he s supportive or not. I just told him awl it and so behave to Wail Bush said. You ont something As complicated As that and semis. Obviously they need to consider it. So that about All. But it was a Friendly and i think productive  in his speech. Bush cd we recognize that the soviet military threaten Europe is diminishing but we see Little change in soviet strategic modernization but the Home is right to move Forward on a conventional arms control agreement to move us to More appropriate Levels of military forces in eur  his troop cutback proposal won immediate Praise from Congress. Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia democratic chairman of the armed services com Mittee said it fit the changing circus Europe and the fiscal pressures at  Bush was welcomed warmly As he fit Rcd the packed chamber where congressional aids stood three deep around the Walls and spectators filled the aisles in the visitors galleries. A Juncer went up a Foley introduced Bush As our Fanner  Foley agreed with much Dowhal Bush said but said that on some Points democrats disagree. Foley said Bush cannot Boom a the education  if his budget Foj fiscal 1991 includes Only a 2 percent increase in spending for education. The speaker also did democrats will fight the administration on child care clean air legislation capital gains and Fth Issue of  his pc com. The president condemned racially motivated Trail bombings saying the nation must confronted condemn racism anti semitism big Otry  and he said our hearts go out to our Job stages our hostages who Are ceaselessly Ono rinds and in our  confronting a sensitive Issue. Bush brushed off a proposal by sen. Daniel Moynihan. D-n.y., to Roll sack a social Security tax  last thing we need to do is mess around ill social Security Bush  to redeem his pledge to boost education Bush Hal a goal of lifting american students to first place internationally in math and science two subjects Wherthey traditionally rate poorly. There a i hint of this in Bush s budget which proposes $230vj illion a 70 percent increase in Money for flutes to improve the abilities of teachers in those  also said the a cited states must increase its High school gradual onsite to at least 90 percent. Now almost 30 percent Ohop out. In addition Bush said that by 2000, All Chitren must Start school ready to learn. He also Calico apr drug free schools for All students. A Bush also expressed concern Owr the nation s health care and directed health an Oltaman serv ices Secretary Louis Sullivan to  nations on the Quality Cost and accessibility of the health care system. Ship from Page 1 and the mexican port of Tampico where the freighter arrived later wednesday under escort from two mexi can naval vessels. Cuba s Prensa Latina news Agency said the her Mann s Captain had denied that his vessels was carry ing drugs. One cuban television report said the vessel was in route from  in Western Cuba to Tampico. For the past decade the coast guard has stopped hundreds of vessels on the High seas in its anti drug efforts. Coast guard spokesman Randall d. Peterson said in Washington that coast guard captains have used disabling tire in 19 instances since its High seas anti drug program began. Shipboard fire put out London a fire broke out aboard a ferry carrying 285 people across the Stormy Irish sea wednesday but the Blaze was brought under control by firefighters who were airlifted to the vessel the coast guard said. No injuries were reported and passengers remained on Board rather than be evacuated by helicopter Slid sea link . Ltd., the ship s owner. There is no danger to passengers or anyone on Board said a spokesman for scaling. It was quickly contained  the tire in the engine room was put out by 14 fire fighters who were airlifted by three helicopters to the 8,000-ton ferry. The Fern drifted without Power in Gale Force winds 12 Miles off the Welsh coast before a tugboat arrived and began towing it to the port of Holyhead. A coast guard Lifeboat and helicopters escorted the tugboat and ferry with passengers Crew and firefighters on Board on the four hour trip to Shore. Freeze from Page 1 ing the freeze because of another freeze on permanent change of station moves and the Lack of other Job possibilities in overseas communities Mackrain said. However he predicted that up to 75 percent of its High turnover cashier slots could be vacant by the end of the hiring freeze a figure balanced by traditionally lower turnover in other areas such Ash a soldiers Are also expected to be used meal departments where pay Isuji Fott Pic from other parts of the  he said this in turn would affect Tofatu Stockage How the produce gets out and Etchu Jyce  Mallicott Poult qut that customers already wait up to Art Lymui checkout lines at his store. In communities where labor Shor become critical . Troop Agency commissaries Jab Airin the army to help Skoglu wives and do Ware House we Wearen t going to ask in Lefe s Cally necessary Gomes said. We already had  in filling those gs-3 cashier Grots said Ralph Mallicote.  commissary manager. The situation is going to get worse. If we lose Cashiers through Rota Tion or illness we will have to pull peo to help unload trucks and Stock shelves at the new Derheim commissary which is scheduled to open feb. 21. Gomes said the soldiers would be needed be cause the commissary had not hire enough employees for the new store be fore the freeze was imposed. Gomes and Mackrain denied that their respective commissary systems have immediate plans to Cut Back on Reg ular store hours although questions re main about the future of extend at stores in both system we Don la Btl homers to get the Irani  screams freeze and a immediately Start chopping hours Reta unsaid. He Saur Lekuas not ready to comment on the Fate of Stupur operations at Ramstein a s stork3kq other air Force commissaries in sch in Kaiserslautern West g and Raf Laken Halh England have extended hours. We will evaluate each store on its own merits Mackrain said. The vacancy rate will be different at each  Hanau s commissary at Wolfgang Ca sern had been scheduled to extend its hours on March i becoming the first army commiss aunly if it can be shown that keeping a position vacant would Cost the government Mote than the salary involved. Such exceptions must be decidedly the office of the Secretary of defense