European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Germany edition vol. 49, no. 344 tuesday March 26,1991the Sfa amp  authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces 350 d 8693 Abush expected to approve desert storm pay bonuses by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a Many service members would get a pay Bonus under a benefits package Congress has sent to president Bush As part of the $43 billion supplemental spending Bill for operation desert storm. The Bill earmarks $655 million for increased personnel benefits which lawmakers approved Friday. Bush is expected to sign the Bill into Law this week. A your goal in crafting this legislation was to take care of military members and their families a to recognize the sacrifices they made a said rep. Beverly Byron d-md., head of the House armed services military personnel subcommittee. _ one of the Bill a significant provisions is an increase in monthly a imminent danger pay from $110 to $150 and a boost in the monthly family separation allowance from $60 to $75, both retroactive to aug. 2, the Date Iraq invaded Kuwait. A married service member assigned to the persian Gulf theater in August and still there would be authorized a Back payment of $320 in danger pay and $120 in family separation allowance. The increases would apply to All service members Eligi blk to receive them not just those who served in the Middle East. But they Are not permanent. Sex months after Bush declares the Gulf War Over the payments would revert to the old rates. Bush has not declared the War ended. The increases Are temporary because the main goal see bonuses on Page 10 top nato officers want permanent Force in med by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau Naples Italy a three top nato officers including Gen. John r. Galvin called monday for a year round Allied naval Force in the Mediterranean. The standing Force would replace the naval on Call Force Mediterranean a multinational flotilla usually activated twice yearly for a month to six weeks at a time. The officers spoke monday at ceremonies concluding the forces longest activation. Galvin the supreme Allied commander Europe said a permanent Force is needed because the Mediterranean Region is a potential trouble spot that a growing increasingly important. A the Mediterranean is the melting pot of the interests of All Western nations and the Security of All of Europe passes through these Waters a said . Anto Nino Geraci commander of Allied naval forces Southern Europe. A unfortunately this simple and Well proved historical fact has not easily been recognized in the past and nato has always dedicated More attention to the Central Region and to a classic scenario of a major confrontation with the East  a  following the vast political changes in Eastern Europe the italian Admiral said that he Hopes More interest will be dedicated to the Southern Region a and to the inherent instability of this strategically vital  a one of the first measures that i Hope will soon be adopted is the institution of a permanent nato naval Force in the Mediterranean to ideally continue the tradition Laid Down by naval on Call Force Mediterranean Geraci said. Adm. Jonathan t. Howe commander Allied forces Southern Europe agreed that a the time has come for a standing see nato on Page 10 s troops retake Safwan Iraq apr employing brutal tactics the iraqi military has recaptured every major City in Southern Iraq according to resistance fighters and refugees who fled to . Military outposts monday seeking food shelter and Asylum. A tired hungry and dirty the refugees said they had escaped from Basra an Najaf an Nasi Riya and other Southern cities As Saddam Hussein a. Troops crushed anti government activity with tanks helicopters and heavy artillery. The official iraqi news Agency Mon in the Golf see pages 2,3, a and4 stored in Cyprus reported monday that vice president Taha Yasin Ramadan had visited the City of Karbala and urged reconstruction efforts to wipe out traces of the rebellion. The rebels in the South made up mostly of shiite muslims have lost control of All the larger cities and towns that they controlled As recently As March 15, the refugees said. Fighting continued in Northern Iraq where kurdish rebels reported numerous casualties from air assaults by forces Loyal to Saddam. A in other developments monday a Iraq in a letter to the . Secre Tail general accused iranian military units of crossing the Border firing on iraqi soldiers and siding with rebels in the South. The letter cited 13 Border incidents that allegedly took place earlier this month. A Jordan a King Hussein flew to Damascus Syria to meet with president Hafez Assad after seven months of Strain caused by their conflicting views on the persian Gulf crisis. Syria sided with the .-led coalition Jordan tilted toward Saddam. A the Pentagon denied a report in the Washington Post that . Heavy a see troops on Page 10 dark morning in Kuwait its about 10 . In Al Ahmadi Kuwait. But thanks to the smog from 600 Oil Well fires the Only Light sources for this american worker on sunday Are his welding Torch the fires themselves and a lamp off to the right. Glenn Lavergne of Eunice la., an employee with the wild Well control co. Of Texas is welding a Boom Extension to be used As a capping device for putting out the fires. Wild Well is among four . Companies working in Kuwait to control the blazes