European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes a Hessen Leader says Usa eur to study appeals on bases Page 2 a German rightist Leader quits party  8 a Pentagon wont remove missiles from planes Page 9 a oilers beat Bruins to win Stanley Cuppage 21 authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good morning vol. 49, no. 42 saturday May 26, 1990 a a 25c daily and sunday d 8693 a Dod targets 37 programs personnel champs would get savings Lwft t  by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington a the Pentagon has offered to put 37 programs on the chopping Block to come up with the $1.5 billion it needs to Shore up its personnel and civilian health insurance accounts. About $800 million would be transferred to the personnel accounts allowing the Pentagon to avoid laying off thousands of service members in the last few months of this fiscal year which ends sept. 30. The remaining $650 million would be shifted to champs the military sailing health insurance plan for retirees and Active duty family members. In the new list Navy accounts would be Cut $300 million More than the accounts of the other services. The Navy was not especially targeted for any reason a House staffer said. But the total climbed because the services accounts have Many High tech expensive items the staffer said. A it was just where they found the Money they Iowa blast possibly accidental Washington apr congressional findings a cast grave doubt on the Navy a official conclusion that a troubled Sailor probably caused the blast that killed 47 service members aboard the battleship Iowa lawmakers said Friday. The new investigation by the general accounting office suggests the explosion May Well have been an Accident. Congress report came one Day after the Navy reopened its own investigation citing unexplained ignition of Gunpowder in a test. The Navy in a report last september concluded that gunners mate Clayton Hartwig probably set off the april 19, 1989, explosion by inserting a chemical Detonator Between bags of powder in one or the warships 16-Inch guns. The service resumed testing after Congress sought advice from scientists at the Sandia National laboratories in Albuquerque n.m., who then conducted an Independent analysis of the Navy a initial findings. Sandia analysts said at a Senate hearing on Friday they believed a possible cause of the Iowa explosion was the unintentional High Speed Over ramming see Iowa on Back Page needed a the staffer said. Under the list the Navy would shift $733 million the air Force about $370 million the army about $284 million and the Marine corps $36 million. A there is a lot of pain on that list a one House staffer close to the Issue said. A there was a lot of give on the part of the  the list has won approval by the House and continued on Page 3 a f my it Quot i m a xxx a a. A in preparation monday when service members honouring the tradition 7 i. A for memorial Day on Paul Warren of Vancouver wash., a on Friday. The tradition of Decora America honors dead places a . Flag by each Headstone in Tion Day As it also is known began in of All wars army spec. Arlington National cemetery in Virgin 1866, in Waterloo  offers courtroom apology for theft by Vince Crawley Nimberg Bureau Furth West Germany a with 20 schoolchildren i the courtroom a military policeman apologized Fri a for stealing their classroom video equipment. The apology by spec. Curtis j. Clairmont 20, came after e pleaded guilty to larceny and housebreaking. He was intended to 30 months but will serve 25 months under a retrial agreement. Clairmont a sentence also included a i honorable discharge and reduction to private. Earlier Clairmont wrote a letter of Public apology to he stars and stripes. The letter which did not sex Iain the charges against him was not published. How or it was used As exhibit a for the defense in his ineral court martial. Clairmont from the 1st army dives 501st my co As assigned to Rose Barracks in Vilseck West Ger any South of the Grafe Wohr training area. The Mii Ary policeman a former Soldier of the Quarter in Ansbach was described by his leaders As a top performer and role Model. In a statement made under oath Clairmont said he was off duty when he broke into the Vilseck elementary school and took a Jevc camcorder its Power pack and a tripod. He also took two keys to the classroom. The robbery occurred in late february or Early March but the exact Date was not made Public in the trial. The my testified that he later showed the stolen equipment to a sergeant in the Barracks who told him to get and of it. He mailed it to his Mother in Minnesota. The equipment was returned later. Teacher Thomas Gibbons whose classroom had been broken into brought his homeroom students to the trial. A i thought it was important that they get the firsthand Story a Gibbons said. He testified that the stolen camera had been the Only such video equipment in the school and that the theft set Back three class projects by four to five weeks. In his letter to the stars and stripes postmarked april 25, Clairmont wrote a i realize my mistake and in masking you for forgiveness. I wish to make an apology to the following the . Army the military police corps my commander first sergeant platoon Leader platoon sergeant and to All the soldiers who Ever looked up to me and to my family who taught me right from wrong but i did no to  before sentencing Clairmont made similar apologies to the army and my corps and to the a staff and students of Vilseck elementary school. I also Hope you Guys have Learned something from my behaviour. I have Learned  a i think he did a dumb thing a said Jenny Caesar an 11-year-old in the courtroom. A after All his awards he a gotten i think that he should know better. I mean he arrested people himself. And he went and got  a a he a supposed to set an example for the kids a added Kevin Mccormick 12