European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 27, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes tuesday november 27,1990 news update Yosemite Park Trees Yosemite National Park Calif. Apr the number of Pine Trees in Yosemite Park damaged by Ozone has increased More than fivefold in the last five years according to a new study. The report says 29.7 percent of Yosemite a spines now show mottling caused by damage from Ozone a colourless odourless  produced by Auto and Industrial emissions. A similar study in 1985 found 5.7 percent of the Trees had suffered damage the National Park service reported. Officials at Yosemite which celebrated its 100th birthday As a National Park on oct. 1, said they need to study the 1990 findings before they can comment on ways to alleviate the problem. But a decade old master plan for the Park in the Central Sierra Nevada mountains Calls for eventually abolishing vehicle traffic by tourists into Yosemite Valley their prime  cancelled Rome a Italy the Netherlands Spain and Britain have decided to cancel a joint project to develop a new Light attack helicopter the italian defense ministry has announced. The four countries have decided not to go ahead with the project because of their diminishing defense needs a was a result of developments in the International situation and the nato Warsaw pact negotiations on conventional forces in Europe Quot the ministry said in a news release. The countries decided to commission a study on feasibility and costs for the new helicopter in 1986. However the consortium formed by the four nations to carry out the study was unable to come up with an a economically pursue blew design that met the requirements of All the participating countries the ministry  phasing out Bonn Germany apr the government next year will halt production of the Traci the Staple of former East Germany s Auto Indus try. About 10,000 trabant cars will be delivered to Poland under an existing agreement with the former East German government the German economics ministry said Many former West germans have bought used Travis As something of keepsakes of their former Eastern neighbors while former East germans have purchased More luxurious Western models. The tiny trabant made of fibreglass is almost comic in comparison with the mighty Mercedes benzes and bows that race Down Germany s autobahn. Its top Speed is around 62 Miles an hour. Corrections a photo caption yesterday incorrectly identified a Young girl preparing a care package from Munich area girl scouts to desert shield troops. Pictured was Eva Tukarski 7. Nairn bergs a  will Start on the evening of nov. 30. The Date was incorrect in last weeks stripes Magazine. Freeze on discharges getting mixed reviews Eastern saudi Arabia up soldiers deployed in saudi Arabia called the army s decision to freeze discharges and retirements a a wrong and a stupid a but others said the move was necessary a especially a if the bullets Start  defense Secretary Dick Cheney approved the unprecedented move Friday allowing the army to head off any manpower crunch by postponing the retirement or discharges of some 5,500 people per month who would have left the ranks. Cheney a approval marked the first time such a measure has been taken since the creation of the All Volunteer army in 1973. A i think its wrong. They be got the draft option a said staff sgt. David Rhodes 26, an infantry specialist out of fort Campbell ky., who believed the move was premature and that there were other options available to the army. Other soldiers believed the freeze should not take place if there is no often Sive action in the persian Gulf where some 230,000 . Troops have been deployed As part of a multinational Force in response to iraqis aug. 2 invasion of Kun waft. The Bush administration has indicated about 200,000 More troops Are to be deployed after the first of the year. A if we re not going to get into it. Then it is stupid to hold these Guys Back said staff sgt. Charles Mathis 35, with the 36th trans unit out of fort Dix . Still others were on the Fence about the Issue. Quot the army can always get replacements. You still have a lot of Active duty units that Haven to come Here a said it. Dennis Comer 24, with the 93rd trans in out of fort Lewis Wash. However he prefaced his feelings against the freeze by noting cautiously that it is a really too Early to Tell if the decision was the right one. A if the bullets Start flying i think its a Good decision a said sgt. Nathan Askew 30, of Macon ga., also out of fort Lewis a Askew believed Only time will Tell the Wisdom of the army a  sgt. Bernard Hill 32, from fort Stewart ga., agreed and added that the army a decision will simply be hard Luck for some. A i kind of feel sorry for the Guys a Hill said. A they put their time in. And this comes  Hill said he supported the move a considering the conditions a noting it is better to have too Many personnel than too few in a crisis. The decision May end up hurting morale. A it will effect them tremendously especially Young soldiers that you know want to go Home. With the holidays coming up a said sgt. 1st class William Endicott a tank platoon Leader out of fort Hood Texas. Historic Harlem hell fighters leave City streets for desert duty in non Vii nil to Ivin Latrac unch  a Rev tvs Ummil by George James new York times they Are members of the 369th trans in of the new York National guard but their Nom de Guerre earned in combat during world War i is the a Harlem hell  this month the unit the 719th trans co of the 369th, became new York City a first guard unit in saudi Arabia. Normally operating out of the armory on fifth Avenue and 143rd Street the company consists of Black and hispanic soldiers 80 percent of whom Are new York City civil servants including transit employees sanitation workers and police officers like the 719th�?Ts commander capt. Dennis Bush. They Range in age from 22 to 55, with an average age of 40, and there Are 12 enlisted women and one woman who is an officer said the battalion commander it col. Francis Kairson. Many served in Vietnam. In its infancy in world War i the 369th was the first american infantry regiment to serve As an integral part of a foreign army Frances because Black americans were not allowed to fight beside White countrymen. Its members did fight a at Bois do Hauza min Aucourt Maison in Champagne and elsewhere. The 369th received the Croix de Guerre for gallantry and individually 171 officers and enlisted men received that med Al or the legion of Honor. Now a newer Breed has been sent to an environment that could not be More different from the congested streets avenues and alleys of East Harlem that Bush patrols As a police officer. In the event of War his soldiers will drive tractor trailers supplying the front lines with everything from computers to armoured personnel carriers. A Welcome to your Corner of the Sandbox a said sgt. Joel Maul a police officer for the port authority of new York and new Jersey As the soldiers arrived in saudi Arabia at a Camp called guardian City. The new arrivals put up signs to make it Home a Tel Barrio puerto Rico a and a seventh Avenue  sgt. Lamar Jones soon was voicing a complaint at mail Call. A no Sand in the mail a Jones said. A i repeat no Sand in the mail. You men Send Sand your letters will be  there was the usual grousing As to Why they were there. But sgt. A vie Grimes an accountant who joined the guard seven years ago for the extra pay said a a it a a Good cause. I never expected to be Here. In be been enjoying the benefits for seven years and now its time to do what 1 was trained to  inquiry told of Frankfurt Security dismissals Dumfries Scotland a a former pan am Security official said monday that about half a dozen employees at Frankfurt a Airport were dismissed or decided to resign because they were unwilling to enforce proper procedures. John Ridd formerly head of Alert the airlines Security contractor testified at a Public inquiry into the bombing of pan am flight 103 in december 1988, which killed 270 people. Police have said the bomb was put aboard the flight in Frankfurt. Ulrich Weber who directed the Alert office in Frankfurt was dismissed in june 1989 following the discovery that nearly 100,000 German Marks about $150,000 were missing Ridd testified. Soon after several of Weber a staff resigned or were fired. Ridd described some of them As Young women hired by Weber for a a social rather than professional reasons. Ridd a former British Royal military police major said he joined Alert As european coordinator about three months before the disaster. He said he is now working for another company which he did not identify. Ridd said Weber was dismissed on the grounds of a financial  Weber a departure was followed by a three or four other dismissals and a two or three resignations he said. Brian Gill an attorney representing relatives of victims asked whether the employees were dismissed because they were unable to fulfil Security tasks. A i would not say inability a Ridd responded. A Many were unwilling to fulfil requirements then placed upon  asked if Weber a departure constituted a a Clear out of Frankfurt Security staff Ridd said a that is what it boils Down to. There were a number of members of the staff who were very Young who had Little or no airline experience and who perhaps suited Weber a purpose socially More than  a were some of these Young staff female staff a Gill asked. A there were some yes a Ridd replied. A it was both Young men and Young  Thatcher gives support to Treasury chief London apr prime minister Margaret Thatcher supports her Treasury chief John major in a three Man race to succeed her As prime minister and party Leader her aides said monday. Major and former defense Secretary Michael Heseltine both claim to be ahead going into tuesdays balloting. Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd insists he is still in the Hunt. Heseltine 57, and Chancellor of the exchequer major 47, appear to have the Best chances of winning outright on tuesday while Hurd 60, is looking to his chances on a possible third ballot. Conservative party members of the House of commons will vote tuesday on their Choice and a simple majority of 187 votes will be enough to Settle the race. If no candidate reaches that total a third ballot will be held thursday. A Thatcher aide speaking on condition of anonymity said Thatcher would be voting for major