European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a Eagle scout the stars and stripes Friday March 2,1990 Ramstein a West Germany a a Junior at Ramstein High school has joined the ranks of the Eagle scouts. Coby s. Woodrum a member of troop 12, has been involved in scouting for eight years. For his Eagle scout project he coordinated the cleanup of the Patio at the to Jelweh recreation Center. The is year old is the son of Gary and Peggy Woodrum. To earn the Eagle scout award a boy scout must fulfil require Menis in the areas of leadership service and outdoor skills. This in eludes earning at least 21 Merit badges and completing a Community service project. Army Naf workers can expect faster medical claims payment calling a amps is easier with new phone lines Darmstadt West Germany a amps a callers using military lines to phone the stars and stripes can now Call directly to office extensions. Previously All Calls on military ets lines went through the newspaper s switchboard. Additional phone lines went into operation wednesday giving callers direct Access when they dial ets 348-8 and the Extension number. From civilian phones dial 06155-601 plus the Extension. The extensions of frequently called stripes offices Are news 237. 255, 282, 226, 326. Spurts 225. 269. 263. 332, 321, 221. Features 230. 245. 341. Letters to the editor 208. Display advertising 247, 309. Classified advertising 349. Job printing orders 277, 260. Circulation and bookstores 268, 261. To reach the switchboard Call ets 348-5741 or 06155-6010. Service set today for g1 in 3rd army div Hanau West Germany a a memorial service will be held today for a 20-Vear-old 3rd army div Soldier who died tuesday in the Frankfurt University Hospital. Pfc. William b. Rhinehardt was found unconscious by his Roommate saturday in heir Barracks room at Fliege Horst Cavern in Hanau. Military authorities Are investigating the cause of death a division spokesman said. Rhinehardt is survived by his father Billy b. Rhinehardt of Matthews n.c., and his Mother. Annette Rhinehardt of Concord. . The memorial service will begin at 10 . In the Fliege Horst Cavern Chapel. Memorial scheduled for Schwet Zingen civilian Heidelberg. West Germany a a memorial service will be held thursday in Schwet Zingen for a longtime civilian employee who died of cancer. Carl Edwin Glenn was the budget analyst with the Community and family support Agency in Schwet Zingen. The service will be held at 2 . At the Tompkins Barracks Chapel. A China buys . Wheat under subsidy plan Washington apr China has bought an additional 160,000 metric tons of . Wheat under a Price subsidy program the agriculture department said monday. Delivery of the wheat is scheduled for june he said. The sales were part of an agreement authorizing i million tons to China. Bidav Walczak staff writer Frankfurt West Germany a during most of 1989, army non appropriated fund employees in Europe waited up to 10 weeks for medical claims reimbursements. But officials working with the army non appropriated fund benefits plan predict the wait will be Cut to 10 Days by mid March. They base their optimism on a the issuing of reimbursement checks from West Germany instead of the United states. A a new computer system that will Speed claim service for the More than 1,300 employees enrolled in the fund s medical coverage plan. A a translation service that no longer requires medical plan participants to secure costly translations on the Economy. A in the United states Naf employees go to a doctor get a Bill fill out a claim form attach the Bill and Send it in. That a what we want to provide Here a said Marcia Coldwells the army s no appropriated fund benefits program manager in Europe. Reimbursement checks will be issued from Coldwells office in Redelheim the army a Only overseas non appropriated fund Branch. Army Naf officials Hope to eventually  dental claims overseas As Well. But the computer in Redelheim has not yet been programmed for that service. The Branch serves a potential work Force in Europe of about 6,500, most of whom work in Bowling facilities child care centers recreation centers enlisted clubs and armed forces recreation Center facilities. The number includes about 270 employees of the stars and stripes and 20 boy and girl scouts of America employees. Many the army a Naf employees Are married to militia a members and therefore Are covered under the civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services. Patty Simpson Deputy director at the army a non appropriate fund Branch in Alexandria va., said the decision to Issue checks overseas resulted from months Long delays in processing claims through John Hancock Mutual life insurance co. The company has been processing overseas claims from its Westchester pa., office. The medical plan that covers the Naf employees requires claimants to detail medical care and services for each claim. Since most of John Hancock s claims approves in Westchester do not know German overseas claims were often put aside said Simpson who worked for the company for five years before joining the Branch in 1987. Some claimants paid for translations in Hopes of speeding service even though the translations were hot reimbursable. Eric Penningroth who also works at the Redelheim office said he once saw a Complex dental Bill translation that Cost 3,000 Marks about $1,800. Penningroth who is fluent in German and English now provides translations free of charge. Claims service was also delayed by currency conversion problems. Exchange rates often changed by the time the claimants filed which meant that claimants sometimes received less than they paid for medical services. Manufacturers Hanover Trust which provides checks from its Boston office on behalf of the John Hancock account offers checks in . Currency Only. But Simpson said Bank officials Are considering offering checks in european currency later this year to army non appropriated fund employees overseas. Simpson said the Redelheim office will Issue checks Only for 1990 claims. Prior claims will be sent through John Hancock but the Redelheim office asks claimants to first Send them to its office for processing. Coldwells plans to Send form letters to civilian personnel offices and Naf organizations in Europe informing them about the services offered at the Redelheim office. Aspin refuses to Budge on budget saying go cuts must begin at once from staff and wire reports Washington a the chairman of the House armed services committee has no intention of reversing a decision that will Force the defense department to Cut up to 68,000 military positions by oct. I an aide says. It is now up to the services to begin making the cuts As soon As possible the aide to rep. Les Aspin d-wis., said. A emr. Aspin actually could have waited longer Blit he gave them a warning As Early As possible a the aide said. Aspin who has conceded his action a will cause real pain for personnel is blocking the Pentagon s request to shift about $800 million from weapons and other accounts into the personnel area. He said president Bush had the Chance to he has no intention of backing Down a said Aspinw a aide. A the integrity of the budget process is at stake. If they re going to say personnel is going to take their lumps like everybody else and then come Back six months later and ask to Transfer this Money. They re not going to get  Aspin said he used his Power As chairman to Force the military to absorb the cuts this year in an attempt to pressure the Bush administration into More Hoir est negotiations on the 1991 budget. A one of the advantages of the fact that the soviet threat has been reduced is that we can do this personnel cutting without injuring our National Security a Aspin said. Although Senate armed services committee chairman Sam Nunn d-ga., supports the funds Transfer Aspinw a refusal to Send the Pentagon request to his full committee dooms the process. His committee and Nunn s Are two of four that must approve it. Pentagon financial officials said they cannot begin planning the reductions until Congress orders them to do so with any delays making the process even More painful. But according to Aspin the Pentagon already has All the congressional permission it needs for additional Force reductions and nothing further will be forthcoming defense undersecretary Paul Wolfowitz said that in addition id removing needed personnel from the services unexpected personnel cuts have a an extraordinarily bad effect on those who  a Soldier thinks that a what happened to my buddy this year can happen to me next year a Wolfowitz said and concludes a i m hot going to wait around for Uncle Sam to Tell me when to leave. I la leave on my own  contributing to this report staff writer William j. Bart Man and the Cox news  voice concern Over proposed troop cuts in Europe from staff and wire reports Washington a military officials and the chairman of the Senate armed services committee Are expressing concerns about the Bush administrations agreement to Cut . And soviet forces in Europe a i believe we Are very seriously inhibiting our future flexibility a sen Sam Nunn d-ga., said at a hearing wednesday. Air Force Secretary Donald Rice also told Nunn that he understood military commanders Quot would prefer to see the agreement modified. A at the hearing Gen. Larry Welch the air Force chief of staff assured the committee that construction of a new f-16 base at Croton Italy would be completed for the approved $360 million. The base will House he 401 St tac fighter Wing which must leave Torrejon a Spain by 1992 because the Spanish government has refused to extend base agreements. Despite the concerns about the troop Cut agreement White House officials said modifications to it Are not being considered. The agreement would allow the United states to deploy 195,000 troops in Central Europe and 30,000 troops elsewhere in Europe. It must be ratified by the Senate after being negotiated by nato and the Warsaw pact. Welch said the United states should pet an exemption to the agreement allowing for reinforcements beyond the 30,000 level in Case of an emergency. On Croton Welch said the base will be the Only permanent . Presence along nato s Southern flank. Quot our Southern allies regard it As very important a Welch mid. Regie., a a fighters assigned to the 401st would need reinforcements from the United states. When asked How that would be accomplished Welch said the committee would ave to go to a closed session to discuss it. Construction for the base which will House about 4,500 airmen will Cost an estimated $900 million. Nato has agreed to foot most of the Bill. Construction is expected to Start this Spring contributing to this report staff writer Janet Howells Tierney in Washington and the associated press