European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                In rom stripes p democrats offer budget  3 a Hahn Center helps with sick  9 p Coleman picked first in Aba  23 p floridians give Mandela a mixed greeting Page 28the  authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good vol. 49, no. 76 Friday june 29, 1990 a a 25 Dally and sunday d 8693 Pentagon looks to Cut officer ranks asks Congress to ease restrictions by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a the defense department must Cut mid career officers and Force More senior officers to retire in order to manage coming manpower reductions with minimal Long term damage a top Pentagon official said thursday. Related Story Page 28. Generally officers with More than five years of service can to be booted out against their will unless they be been passed Over for promotion twice or Are beyond 20 years of service. A a that a one of the bigger barriers we have to reducing the Force a said Christopher Jehn the Pentagon a manpower chief. A if we Arentt allowed to get at regular officers with say six to 12 years of service Well be forced to concentrate More of our cuts among Junior officers and five years from now there wont be any captains and majors  but first Congress must ease some of the provisions of the defense officer personnel management act Jehn said. Jehn and other personnel officials said they have no quarrel with the general intent of the Law which sets stringent guidelines for the number of officers who can be on Active duty How Many officers can be in any one pay Grade and How promotion rates Are set. But the Pentagon a ability to manage the Sharp draw Down that is expected to Start next year is a seriously constrained because the Law Isnit designed to accommodate Large sustained reductions John said. The Pentagon has asked for six temporary change see ranks on Back Page Calif fires devour hundreds of Homes Santa Barbara Calif. Apr raging wildfires set by arsonists burned More than 300 Homes in Southern California As wind driven flames blackened More than 14,000 acres of parched Brush thursday. Forty six firefighters were injured working fire lines throughout the Region. A 3,500-acre Blaze destroyed 280 Homes in Santa Barbara county late wednesday and continued to bum thursday in a Canyon North of Santa Barbara. Homeowners in this coastal Community thursday surveyed charred lots where flames consumed rows of expensive Homes but skipped through the air to spare others. One serious injury was reported. A it was a Beautiful neighbourhood a Eric Lim said As the remains of his House soldered behind him. A i can to find anything there a nothing a Nancy Harvey said her hands picking through what was once the Kitchen of her dream Home. A a in a hoping to find my address  a the fire is incredible. It came Down from the mountains. It spread everywhere. It burned everything in its path a flames consume a House in Glendale Calif., wednesday As Brush Liras believed started by an arsonist race through the area destroying 300 Homes. Said Tim Grasey spokesman for the Santa Barbara county sheriffs department. From Santa Barbara to san Diego thousands of people were roasted from Homes. Santa Barbara residents alerted by smoke neighbors and roving . Forest service Crews packed what they could and fled in cars or on foot. The fires were worsened by four years of drought and a scaring heat wave that pushed temperatures to record Levels Well above 100 degrees. Water reserves were at their lowest Levels in years. Dropping temperatures and winds tamed the fire overnight leaving Only isolated hot spots. But fire officials refused to declare it contained thursday saying they feared winds could fan the flames again. In one subdivision every Home was gutted every Street a landscape of chimneys and charred Kitchen appliances. The fire also destroyed businesses and a school for handicapped adults set a fire station ablaze and prompted evacuation of the county jail. It shut Down tray see fires on Back Page of fighter Pilot was unaware missile was live Anchorage Alaska apr the Pilot of an f-15 fighter did not know he had a live missile aboard until he fired it at another during a practice dogfight causing nearly $1 million damage the air Force said thursday. The Pilot was suspended from flying and several other personnel a including the Wing commander a were transferred to other duties. The incident occurred March 19 while the two f-15s from the 21st tac fighter Wing at Elmen Dorf fab were in route to the Forward deployment base at King  Lead plane was carrying a practice training missile. The other aircraft was Caro 1ig one inert practice missile and one armed Almy sidewinder the air Force investigation Board said in its  a they were doing some practice intercepts l of see missile on Back Page German Border rules ending a except for . Personnel by Mary Neth staff writer Border controls Between West and East Germany will be eliminated for Many travellers starting sunday. But . Officials Arentt sure How the changes will apply to americans who currently need visas to travel to East Germany. The new rules Are part of an agreement that the Interior ministers of the two Germany will sign sunday. The West German parliament will Seal the agreement with a vote on july 6. Sunday also Marks another Milestone in the rapid March toward unification a fihe introduction of the West German Mark As the official currency in East Germany. A a., under the new Border rules foreigners who have residence status in West Germany or East Germany fill he ahle to go across the inner German Border without a visa for stays of less than three months. West German and . Officials done to know whether this Rule add lies to the . Citizens residing in West Germany with status of forces Stamps in their passports. A we have difficulty in getting through by Telephone to East Germany a said an official at the . Embassy in  a when we do get through they know less than we do. We Hope that this is cleared up by the end of the  rules for . Civilians and service members travelling into East Germany will not change with the withdrawal of East West Border guards Usa eur spokesman capt. Dee Jepson said thursday. . Citizens must still meet current state department requirements for travel to the Cdr a Jepson said. . Citizens must carry a passport and visa. Service members and government civilians also must have travel authorization documents such As leave pass or temporary duty travel orders and attend a Security briefing prior to travel. Safe also has made no changes m its travel policies a spokeswoman said thursday. Under the Border agreement citizens of Vietnam Cuba and Mongolia a who previously could travel freely to East Germany a now must have visas citizens of Yugoslavia will not need such visas. Czechoslovakian no longer will be required to a e visas to enter West Germany. But special visa require see Border on Back Page