European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 2, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes sunday september 2,1990 Hull done to Call us Well Call you says by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a personnel officials have been swamped with so Many inquiries from soldiers requesting reassignments to units involved in operation desert shield that they have put out a message discouraging such Calls. The Calls have numbered in the hundreds in the four weeks since the first . Units deployed to saudi Arabia said maj. Lois Faires a spokeswoman for the total personnel come in Alexandria a. A we have a lot of very patriotic people in the a she said. A there have been a lot of volunteers from just about every specially. But the problem is not All specialities Are the command has Only a few assignment managers for each specially and they can to handle the Calls from the Field and carry out their own jobs at the same time she said. A although per com officials understand their wish to help they must ask volunteers not to Call their assignment managers a the commands message says. A officials Are aware of the a needs. Using this knowledge assignment managers will put the right soldiers in the right Navy and air Force personnel officials also have seen a Rush of volunteers for persian Gulf duty but. Not to the extent that they feel a message discouraging such inquiries is needed. A a a we re getting a lot of Calls from people who want to be a part of the Effort a said cmdr. Steve Clawson a spokesman for the naval military personnel come in Arlington a. A a it a very when Navy personnel officials sought people to augment the services Hospital ships Central come staff and other elements deploying to the Middlet amp St they were Able to fill those billets with volunteers almost without exception he said. A in fact there was one Short fuse request for a Yeoman clerical Type and when the request hit the desk of a woman who is the Junior Yeoman detailed Here she volunteered herself and is now in saudi Arabia a Clawson said. But the Navy and air Force face the same problem As the too Many volunteers for too few positions. A we understand that a lot of people Are frustrated a Clawson said. Navy officials Are emphasizing that All those supporting desert shield Are making an important contribution even if they Arentt in the immediate theater of operations he said. Callers also Are being told that if desert shield continues future opportunities will be available for personnel to be assigned to the theater he said. Like their Navy counterparts air Force military personnel Center officials at Randolph fab in san Antonio Texas Are not actively discouraging the inquiries pouring in from would be volunteers. But the chances of Landing a desert shield Slot As a Volunteer Are relatively slim since the air Force has a smaller theater presence than the other services. Air Force members who Are not tapped to fill deployment requirements from their own Home installation can ask their Parent command to be considered for deployment officials said. If they Are not needed at that level they can be referred to the personnel Center at Randolph fab to plug service wide shortfalls officials said. Hot line established to resolve confusion on a Stop loss policy facing the task new arrivals from the a 24th inf from fort Stewart ga., handles my div listen for their orders after arriving at Abrams Battle tanks which continue to a port in saudi Arabia on Friday. The unit arrive in the Gulf. By Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a the so Stop loss policy designed to delay discharging some personnel in the Wake of operation desert shield is creating confusion among the ranks. As a result the total personnel come has set up a hot line to answer questions about the Stop loss policy. One Soldier scheduled to leave the service this tuesday was told by his personnel office in West Germany on Friday that All separations and retirements have been Frozen until at least sept. 11. Army personnel officials were puzzled about the personnel offices guidance on the Stop loss policy which took effect saturday. No reference to the sept. 11 Date has been made in any messages issued so far said Jim Naughton of the total personnel Comdr a separations and appeals Branch. A Rumor that retirements will be affected has also surfaced. A a we be had reports of personnel offices telling people that they can to draw up retirement papers because of the Stop loss policy a said capt. Joan Sand of the a office of the Deputy chief of staff for personnel. A that is not True. Retirements can proceed As the policy states that separations will be delayed for those who Are involved or about to be involved in operations in and around saudi Arabia or those needed to support the Mission. Soldiers who possess skills considered critical to the operation or expertise that is in Short Supply May also be affected. The has listed 21 enlisted career Fields and 17 officer branches and work areas it believes Are critical to the Middle East operation. A provision on How to Deal with cases such As the one involving the Soldier in West Germany were clearly outlined in a lengthy message that went out wednesday Naughton said. The document says that personnel preparing to leave overseas assignments for separation on or after saturday sept. 1, will report to a transition Point designated on their orders he said. Once they reach a transition Point they will be held there. Transition Point commanders Are required to Call the appropriate total personnel come career Branch to Check on what to do with the soldiers. The Stop loss policy affects Only soldiers who Are eligible for re enlistment. Discharges for punitive and administrative reasons medical or moral considerations and qualitative management program actions will proceed As scheduled. Separations also May continue for hardship reasons on a Case by Case basis. Requests for terminal leave approved before aug. 28 for personnel with separation dates before dec. 1 will remain valid and the soldiers will be discharged As scheduled officials said. Terminal leave requests made on or after aug. 28 will not be considered regardless of the soldiers separation Date. _ terminal leave requests in conjunction with retirements will proceed As Normal. Applications for separation up to 90 Days Early under a program announced by the a few months ago Are sus in further notice As of sept. 1. The commercial hot line number is 703-325-0928. The Auto on number is 221-0928. The hot line is staffed from 7 . To 5 . Eastern Daylight time. From 5 . To 7 ., callers will hear a recording and can leave messages. A a up Umu vu1i in Ute Bush plans ways to Reward Egypt bolster Israel Washington a a pm a Eide a it Winina nut Tho Ca 7 killing lot a Roa a Iii to it a Washington apr president Bush has decided to offer More High tech weapons to Israel and is considering forgiving Egypt a $6.7 billion military debt to the United states in response to the Gulf crisis a senior . Official says. Additional weapons for Israel would bolster that country a defense against Iraq and offset recent decisions to sell saudi Arabia More tanks and Jet fighters officials said Friday. Wiping out the $6.7 billion debt owed by Egypt for past sales would Reward an Arab country lined up with the United states in sending troops to saudi Arabia and taking part in the International Trade embargo against Iraq. Forgiving the debt would require congressional approval. The initiative for More Aid to Israel came from israeli officials according to congressional government and private sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Israel has kept a Low profile in the Gulf crisis but has warned that it would consider an iraqi movement of troops into Jordan a hostile act. Some israeli officials broached the idea of taking Over . Military equipment and ammunition in Europe that eventually would be withdrawn because of expected agreements with the soviet Union. The new York times said in saturdays editions that officials were considering providing Israel with f-16 and f-15 fighters Apache anti tank helicopters Patriot ground to air missiles that could be used against attacking missiles and m60 tanks. Asked what would be made available and when an administration official said. A no decisions have been
