European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday april 19, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9 1,500 Nurnberg marchers protest in front of Barracks about 1,500 peace marchers in Nurnberg West Germany formed a human Chain monday Between the German army a local draft Board building and the . Army a Merrell Barracks across the Street. The March was similar to dozens of other traditional easter weekend demonstrations held across West Germany. Marchers who were from a spectrum of special in Terest activist groups said they were for peace and against military spending but had nothing against the americans. Gerhard Fragner right from nearby Erlanger held a sign that said a Good Bye gis a while 2nd army Cav soldiers Bottom left watched from their Barracks windows and joined the crowd in singing a we shall  one trooper Bottom right even returned an activists peace sign. Although wanting the soldiers to go Home the activists speaking through a Loudspeaker invited them a come again. As  a amps photos by Vince Crawley v a. I a a a a a is a Quot a a a. So it $ it it Ltd it Vajc wish. It Tarmy s size Sparks Washington s War of words by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a How big should the . Army be that seemingly simple question is at the heart of a debate raging on Capitol Hill and in the Pentagon Over How americans armed forces should be reshaped to reflect the vast changes taking place in a european landscape that had remained largely unchanged for the past 45 years. Recent news reports quote army officials As saying the service plans to offer a recommendation to defense Secretary Dick Cheney that Calls for cutting the number of Active duty soldiers by 25 percent by fiscal 1997. But that May not happen fast enough or go far enough for lawmakers eager to Cash in the so called peace dividend and Channel military dollars to Domestic programs or to reduce the debt. The army a recommendations due on Cheney a desk by april 30, would reduce Active duty troop strength from the current level of 764,000 to 580,000 by the beginning of fiscal 1997. National guard and Reserve forces to it a a it a shrink from 776,000 to 645.000 Over the  the reports said. The army  to discuss the news report but one d i raid privately that going below 580.000 act Vii a stops could cripple the army a ability to fun Onu a a it a partly a question of Mission requirements and partly a question of How Many people you need to sustain the training base procurement missions and so on a he said. A if we Cut below 580,000, the army would not be Able to sustain All its current functions and fulfil its current Mission  but talk of current Mission requirements highlights another aspect of the War of words Between the Pentagon and Congress. Many Capitol Hill critics say the services refuse to acknowledge that the missions Are changing. The Washington Post reported that Cheney a proposed five year Pentagon spending targets for 1992 through 1997 Peg funding for overseas ground and air forces at about $43 billion for each year. The figure for overseas land and air forces was not broken out in previous annual budgets. A we done to know How they re developing these numbers a said one congressional staffer. A the army a principal Mission Over the past four decades has been to prepare for a land War in Europe a the staffer said. A if that Mission diminishes significantly As it most certainly is you a think it would be reflected in the funding for overseas forces. But you really done to see  the military response is that budgets May end up much different than the proposals being developed today but in the Short term planning has to be based on current realities not future assumptions. Pentagon officials say that Many critics apparently forget that the budget blueprints under development Are planning documents Only. A a they re not set in Stone a said a Pentagon official. A if things happen that allow us to make further cuts if we get Force reduction agreements that a great then we can work with Congress to make our planning reflect the new reality. But until those things happen we should err on the Side of  Cheney and military officials also Are pleading for orderly phased cuts stretched out Over most of the decade. But some lawmakers Are pushing for deep and immediate cuts. At a recent hearing House armed services committee members asked army leaders about the possibility of cutting As Many As 65,000 soldiers in the 1991 budget year. That kind of talk sends shudders through military planners. A it would certainly be painful a said Danny Saga Lin a manpower expert with the Center for defense information a Washington think tank specializing in defense policy. Saga Lin said Only so Many troops can be Cut in one year through Normal separations and by reducing the number of recruits coming on Active duty. To Cut deeper the army would have to resort to massive involuntary separations and get a fall the headaches that such Adverse actions can cause