European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday september 11, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 5guidebook paves Way for Federal rims by Mike Causey the Washington Post Washington a the congressional caucus that watches Over the Federal work Force has sent its 50 House and Senate members a Brace yourself reduction in Force Guidebook on what to Tell constituents who get Pink slips. The caucus officially known As the Federal government service task Force said defense department downsizing and the fast changing world political situation will probably result in a across the boards rims in Many agencies. Task Force members come from states and districts with big blocs of Federal workers. Their new if handbook even includes a list of 18 Law firms that specialize in Federal personnel matters. While it does not endorse any of the firms it says workers who believe they have been fired demoted or transferred improperly should be aware that there is Legal help available. The new if reference guide notes that most of the much publicized Federal reductions of the Reagan years which primarily hit non defense agencies were accomplished by freezing hiring and letting Normal attrition slim the work Force. Despite cutbacks and constant threats of rims the Federal work Force grew during the 1980s. Most of the increases were in defense and the postal service. President Reagan took office in january 1981. In april 1981, there were 2,414,327 permanent Federal employees on the payroll. In May 1989, there were 2,629,903 permanent Federal employees on the payroll. For every employee who is Laid off officials estimate that four to six others feel the Ripple effect. Some Are bumped out of their jobs by More senior workers whose jobs Are abolished others Are transferred or otherwise have their jobs downgraded. The 1980s rims resulted in a number of horror stories such As instances where highly paid professionals such As psychologists were bumped Down to clerk typist jobs. Although agencies done to like rims because of the disruption and Cost of Severance and unemployment benefits they Are sometimes the Only Way agencies can downsize when cuts must be made quickly. Agencies done to like hiring freezes because the hard to hire clerical have the highest turnover rate. Also during a freeze turnover actually drops As employees who would normally be expected to leave or retire hang on to their jobs. The guidelines remind politicians who belong to the task Force that their jobs could be on the line if there Are major rims in their districts. A a if is an administrative process through which the government eliminates unnecessary jobs due to Lack of work funds a the guideline advises members. A some of those employees affected by if actions May be your constituents. A aids activist on Bush commission Dies at 33 Nashville Tenn. Apr aids activist Belinda Mason the Only member of president Bush a National commission on aids infected with the virus died monday at age 33. Her husband Stephen Carden said she died around 8 . At the Vanderbilt University medical Center in Nashville. Masons Mother and father state rep. Paul Mason were with her when she died Carden said by Telephone from their Home in Utica by. Doug Williams a Hospital spokesman said Mason died of aids related pneumonia. Mason originally of Whitesburg ky., founded kentuckians people with aids the first Kentucky based group dedicated to fighting for a cure. She also was a member of the aids action Council a National aids lobbying group. Mason was president of the National association of people with aids when Bush appointed her in 1989 to the commission created by his predecessor Ronald Reagan. Mason who had been hospitalized since wednesday became infected with his a the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome a in january 1987 while receiving a blood transfusion during the birth of her second child. She was diagnosed with the disease in october 1988. She was critical of the Bush administration saying it treated the aids crisis As a moral Issue instead of As a Public health Issue. Mason wrote a letter to Bush on aug. 2 asking him to use his influence to keep people with aids from being stigmatized. A the president is sad to hear of her death a Deputy White House press Secretary Judy Smith said tuesday. A the president and mrs. Bush Send their sympathy to the  Mason moved to Western Kentucky in 1990. She worked As a reporter for the appalachian news express in Pikeville and the Hartford times news both Kentucky weeklies and wrote Short stories before becoming involved in the aids organizations. In an interview this summer she said a i have become the disease. When people talk to me now they see the disease first. Nobody talks to Belinda Mason the Short Story writer anymore. My previous identity has dissolved. In be become an aids poster  she also leaves two children Polly 8, and Clayton 4. Her husband said Mason would be buried on their farm. Belinda Mason talks about aids in february 1990. Apsite in the stars and stripes 10 years ago sept. 11,1981 a the Solidarity Union challenged the government by calling for free elections in Poland and gave Union chief Lech Walesa approval for a Strong centralized Union leadership in which the chairman would play a powerful role. 20 years ago sept. 11,1971 a sen. Marko. Hatfield a Ore announced his support for legislation to permit the merger of National and american basketball associations. 30 years ago sept. 11,1961 a a married couple safely escaped East Germany at night swimming across the Teltow canal dividing East and West Berlin towing behind them their baby in a bathtub.40 years ago sept. 11,1951 a Britain placed economic sanctions on Iran preventing the conversion of Sterling to dollars and forbidding the Purchase of certain essential goods in Britain after talks to solve the Oil dispute arising from the nationalization of the British owned Anglo iranian Oil co. Broke Down. Disgusted by red tape aids victim won t testify before House panel Miami apr Kimberly Bergalis who is dying of aids contracted from her dentist said monday that she wont go to Washington to testify before congressional members even if the a Bunch of pigs finds time for her. A hearing on an aids Bill named for her was originally scheduled for thursday. Late last week the hearing was scratched purportedly Over a Lack of space. But rep. Tom Lewis r-fla., offered to provide a room for the hearing and a new Date was expected to be set tuesday said Karen Hogan a Lewis aide. Bergalis Bergalis however said that she had enough of the politicians delays. A they have to come Down Here. Because i done to want to be negotiating with a Bunch of pigs a she said. Bergalis 23, of fort Pierce is the sickest of five patients infected with s the aids virus by David acer a Stuart dentist who died last year. She is weak and her speech is slurred but she had practice what she planned to Tell the House subcommittee on health and the environment which is considering the Kimberly Bergalis patient and healt providers Protection act. The Bill would require doctors and patients involved in invasive procedures to be tested for the aids virus. It also would require states to reveal the identity of infected health providers to patients. Police medals going to 2 killed in copter los Angeles up two police officers killed in a helicopter crash while trying to avoid a schoolyard deserve their posthumous medals of valor officials say but they admit that the awards were rushed through to offset bad publicity plaguing the department. Thirteen officers a including the two in the helicopter and a detective killed in a shootout a were to receive the medals during ceremonies tuesday. The medal of valor is the los Angeles police departments highest award for bravery. The decision to Honor the two helicopter officers killed in the june 13 crash was rushed through in an Effort to offset some of the bad publicity the department has suffered since the March 3 videotaped beating of Motorist Rodney King an official said monday. The helicopter crash occurred More than six months after the usual year end deadline for awards for acts of bravery. A a it was a political thing a said sgt. Ron Barnes whose office of Public relations arranged tuesdays ceremony. A it usually takes a year to get it through the process but the award was accelerated because of or. Rodney King a Barnes said. The helicopter went Down in a Black and hispanic neighbourhood barely missing a school. The Pilot officer Gary Howe 41, and his observer officer Charles a a Randy Champe 46, were killed in the crash in a parking lot across the Street from a school in South Central los Angeles. The two officers deserved the medals because they sacrificed themselves when they mane Vered the disabled helicopter away from the nearest Landing site in the school playground to avoid hitting any children authorities said. A pedestrian Lino Salguero 36, was killed in the crash