European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes a Legal advice on tap for Gulf  2 a Canada drawing up plans for Quebec  3 a Rookie Smith leads Dallas Over  21 a Kab still snooping German official  28 a a Semi a Fries authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good morning vol. 49, no. 224 saturday november 24, 1990 . Approval of Force very close Bush says 25 Dahy and sunday d 8693 a Cairo Egypt apr president Bush said Friday that he was very close to getting . Approval for using Force to oust Iraq from Kuwait but that even without it a we have the authority to do what we have to  a a we re fired of the status quo and so is the rest of the world a Bush said after conferring with egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. He flew from Cairo to Geneva for a meeting with syrian president Hafez Assad. The Geneva trip a arranged hastily a was the final Stop on a five nation eight Day trip that began in Europe where East and West joined together to Bury the cold War and culminated in a thanksgiving with the troops in saudi Arabia. Bush used the trip to lobby for a . Resolution authorizing the use of Force against Iraq. I think we re very very close now to getting a Resolution approved Bush said after meeting with Mubarak. Senate minority Leader Robert Dole returning from the Middle East with other congressional leaders said he would urge Congress to reconvene immediately if the United nations endorsed cola slashed for civilians. In Germany by Rosemary Sawyer staff writer . Inflation rates that Dwarf rates in Germany caused the annual Cost of living allowance for most . Civilian employees in Germany to be Cut by a third. Civilian workers stared at paychecks in disbelief this month wondering How the allowance could be Down with the Dollar hovering at an Al time Low against the German Mark. For a gs-9, step 5, with two family members the new rate Means $720 less each year. The change results from a recent . State department comparison of living costs Between Frankfurt Germany and Washington . A while the Cost of German Marks has gone up inflation in Germany is not As High As in the United states a said Earl Curtis of the state departments allowances staff. The inflation rate was Between 5 percent and 6 percent in the states while it was less than 3 percent in Germany he said. The . Government had been paying its civilian workers the allowance based on rates figured from an april 1989 Survey of Frankfurt prices. In see cola on Back Page the Resolution and that he hoped Congress would take similar action. But Senate majority Leader George Mitchell who accompanied Dole said a yes vote in the United nations would not necessarily guarantee one on Capitol Hill. A it would depend upon the circumstances that exist at the time a the Maine Democrat said. At a joint news conference Bush and Mubarak both made it Clear that they intend to work to win . Security Council of approval of a Resolution authorizing Force egyptian president Hosni Mubarak left see. . On Back Page and president Bush stand at attention. Champs to triple insurance deductibles by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington a deductibles will triple next year in the defense departments champs civilian health insurance plan As officials search for ways to contain the programs soaring costs. Beginning March 1, individuals will pay $150 each year instead of $50 and families will be billed up to $300 instead of $100. Beneficiaries whose sponsors Are in grades e-4 and below will continue to pay the old deductibles. More than 7 million people Are eligible to use champs the civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services. This group is made up primarily of family members of Active duty service Mem ers and retirees under age 65. The program covers Many health care costs for beneficiaries forced to use civilian hospitals and doctors because treatment is unavailable at military facilities. For outpatient care the program pays 80 percent of the costs. For Hospital care beneficiaries pay $8.55 a Day and the insurance pays the rest. Congress authorized the deductible increase As part of the fiscal 1991 defense authorization act. It is the first such increase in the programs 24-year history. The lower deductibles have been in effect since the insurance program was created in 1966, with the defense department making up the difference As costs have escalated. About $1.8 billion in insurance program claims were paid in fiscal 1989 and $2.2 billion in 1990. Officials expect to pay about $2.5 billion in 1991. One military family spokeswoman criticized Congress action. A the timing is extremely bad a said Dorsey Chescavage a champs expert with the National military family association. A Active duty families Are already under stress from the desert shield deployments on top of the  a k. Chescavage added that Congress seems to have the impression that military families Are choosing to use the Murance program. A the opposite is True a she said. A when they can to get treated in military hospitals families have to go to civilian care givers. When you re sick you can to rely on a hit or miss system and wait for the next available  Vav Uthon a Saiy medical system is responsible for More than 9 million people far More than it was designed to handle Chescavage said. Ultimately the persian Gulf crisis May boost the programs Price tag officials said. V a with fewer doctors and staff in military hospitals because they have been deployed to saudi Arabia More people will have to rely on champs a said a staffer with the Senate armed services committee. A maybe some of the Money the allies Are giving us will go to pay for some of those higher  the Pentagon is urging program beneficiaries to buy supplemental Murance to Cushion rising medical  to Santa colouring contest All set the stars and stripes will be sending children a letters to Santa Claus As usual but will not be sending any readers to the super  the annual Christmas colouring contest will begin next week. The first of Tive drawings a along with contest rules a will appear monday another one. Will appear every Day through  family members of anyone entitled to logistical support May enter the contest except children of stars and Atnes employees. Entries must be postmarked no later than . 7. A bicycle will be awarded to each first place finisher in categories for children Ages 3 to 7 and 8 to 12. Second place finishers will also receive prizes. In addition 15 gift wrapped children a books will be awarded in each category. Letters to Santa Claus usually arrive by the thousands at the newspaper each year. The stars and stripes will Forward them to the Jolly old Elf. Each letter writer will have his or her name printed in the newspaper and will receive a reply from the North pole. Address letters to Santa Claus the stars and stripes Apo 09211. The contest to Send two people to the super bowl has been discontinued for this year because of operation desert shield. For seven years contestants have been asked to pick the winners of several College bowl games. The stars and stripes has received More than 90,000 entries in past contests. Managing editor Bob Wicker said that because almost half of the newspapers readers Are either in or on the Way to the persian Gulf area it is impossible to guarantee that All of the entries would arrive Between the announcement of bowl teams and the Jan. 1 deadline for entries. The heavy Load of mail going to and from the Gulf especially during the holidays compounds the problem he said. Wicker said the newspaper plans to revive the contest next year