European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday september 22, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 3bill restores sea Wolf funding also proposes postponing final decision on b-2 Washington a a Senate committee Friday passed a 1992 defense spending Bill that gave new life to the troubled sea Wolf attack submarine program Only 24 hours after a subcommittee had eliminated it. The Bill also proposed to postpone until next year a final decision by Congress on spending $3.2 billion for four new b-2 stealth bombers. During discussion of the b-2, the panel chairman sen. Robert c. Byrd announced that for the first time he would vote on the floor to end purchases of the b-2. Byrd d-w.va., said that he had been a b-2 supporter a from the very beginning a but that in Light of the nations mounting budget problems it was time to cancel some of the most expensive defense department programs including the b-2. As part of the $270.4 billion defense appropriations Bill for the budget year beginning oct. 1, the committee Friday restored the $2.38 billion for the sea Wolf that the subcommittee had taken out on thursday. The move was made without debate. Sen. Daniel Inouye chairman of the subcommittee told the full committee he changed his mind in favor of the sea Wolf after being pressured by Navy Secretary h. Lawrence Garrett Iii officials of the electric boat co., the firm that manufactures the sea Wolf and senators from Connecticut the Home of electric boat. Inouye had argued thursday that problems with the welds in the first sea Wolf under construction a and Legal entanglements Over the second sea Wolf a meant it would be Wiser to spend the Money on buying two of the older los Angeles class attack subs. Inouye said he expected to bring the defense appropriations Bill to the floor of the Senate this week possibly As Early As monday. Besides the action on the sea Wolf the most remarkable Clement of the Bill passed Friday was the provision on the b-2. The planets supporters Are concerned that recent controversy Over its radar evading capabilities might Lead to the death of the program it final debate Over the $3.2 billion were not put off until next year. The provision would require that Congress pass a supplemental appropriations Bill a most Likely next Spring a before any of the $3.2 billion could be spent. The requirement for a second vote in 1992 was meant to satisfy b-2 supporters by assuring that damaging publicity about apparent flaws in the planets ability to evade radar detection does no to kill the program now while giving opponents a second Chance to kill it before the $3.2 billion is spent. Reformer Field exercise a scrimmage for War by Ron Mckinney staff writer Brenken Germany a no one doubted that that Allied troops would conquer Goldandian forces in the simulated War of certain shield �?T91. But tension was still High last week in the final Day of the reformer Field exercise at the 8th inf div Mech tactical operations command Post. The command Post one of 19 throughout the division is the brain Center where the decisions Are made Otjen that win or lose a Battle. In certain shield the command Post in the Alm Halle at the Brenken sports Platz became a hand on classroom. A a it san excellent Opportunity to train the staff a said maj. Gen. John p. Otjen the 8th inf div commander. A some May think the Pace is slow. I done to find it that  the command Post staff develops strategy based on intelligence data from every logistical aspect of the Battle. But in certain shield the incoming information is More Apt to follow a script than in an actual Battle. Otjen Wasny to concerned about How realistic the simulated warfare was. What concerned him was How his staff reacted to the incoming intelligence. A it provides an environment where the staff can make intelligent decisions whether the facts Are right or wrong a he said. The learning process is done through self critique and after action reviews Otjen said. Most individual learning is done on the Job he said but the collective learning is achieved through the Post Man Euver reviews. His role As division commander is a to be sure the image of the Battle at All subordinate command centers is consistent. To see that what they re seeing is what in a seeing a he said. In the command Post eyes generally remain focused on the two maps that illustrate the Battlefield and Are updated minute by minute. On one map yellow tabs indicate the allies positions along with the Type of unit and its strength. Red tabs show the same for the opposing Goldandian forces. Senate panel supports military facility abortions if patients pay own Cost by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington the Senate appropriations committee is supporting a provision that would allow overseas military hospitals to perform abortions if patients themselves paid for the procedure. The committee approved the measure As part of its version of the defense spending Bill. Supported by subcommittee chairman sen. Daniel Inouye Dha Waii the provision passed without debate and will be reported to the full Senate Early this week a congressional source said Friday. A vote on the Senate a final 1992 defense appropriations Bill is expected tuesday. If retained in the final Bill the measure would clash with the Senate a authorization Bill which does not include a similar provision. In Early August the Senate narrowly rejected an Effort by sen. Tim Wirth d-colo., to permit abortions at military medical facilities overseas. The authorization Bill sets a spending limit. The appropriations Bill allows the Money to be spent. Senate aides said it was impossible to predict How the Issue will play out in the House Senate conference on the defense authorization and appropriations Bills. At Issue is a unilateral 1988 Pentagon decision to bar abortions at overseas military facilities except when the mothers life is threatened. About 15 to 20 abortions were performed annually in overseas facilities before the 1988 change. Congress has hotly debated the Issue for years but this is the first time that actual legislation has been included in a final Bill staffers said. The houses 1991 authorization Bill also includes a similar provision that would allow the overseas abortions although the House appropriations Bill rejected the measure. The policy change would simply allow members of the armed forces and dependents overseas the same Access to the full Range of Quality health care As those stationed in the United states Wirth said. The amendment would not provide taxpayer funding for abortion which is not permitted under current Law because patients would be required to pay for the procedure Wirth  will affect retirees near closing bases by David Tarrant staff writer Heidelberg Germany a the draw Down of . Forces in Europe should not affect services for some 13.000 retired military service members living in Europe a unless they live in areas where . Bases Are closing . Military and Retiree representatives said saturday. A where facilities remain intact there will be no effect on retirees. But where bases Are closing they Are going to have to travel farther for services or relocate to areas where . Bases remain said Bernard Greenbaum a retired . Army colonel who is president of the . Army Europe Retiree Council. That assessment came during usage urn a 11th annual Retiree open House which Drew about 1.000 retirees and other guests to the officers and civilians club at Patrick Henry Village in Heidelberg on saturday. With the draw Down expected to slash army forces in Europe by a Little More than half to about 90,000 troops by the mid-1990s, the biggest concern among the retired military population in Europe a is whether the services that they rely on will still be there a maj. Gen. Willard m. Burleson jr., usage urn a chief of staff said saturday. Where facilities remain intact there will be no effect on retirees. But where bases Are closing they Are going to have to travel farther for services or relocate to areas where . Bases  Bernard Greenbaum president . Army Europe Retiree Council Burleson the forums keynote speaker said that Usa eur will continue to take care of its retirees who live in Europe. But in areas where bases Are closing a such As Southern Germany a services will be reduced. But Burleson added a Susa eur recognizes your presence Here As part of the Usa eur family and we care a Burleson said. A recent Survey of military retirees living in Europe showed that medical services and Job opportunities rank As the most important factors influencing whether retired service members in Europe would choose to return to the states Greenbaum said. But Greenbaum added that he did not expect retirees to suddenly flock Back to the states. The population a will not be  a it will taper off but it will still Trail behind the percentage of Active duty service members returning to the states he said. For retirees to whom medical service is available at military installations on a space available basis services could improve after the draw Down. While the Overall Force Structure is dropping about 50 percent medical personnel arc Only being Cut by about 30 percent he said. A that could mean More space availability for retirees a he said. Retirees also have expressed concern about ongoing negotiations Between Usa eur and the German government Over the supplement to the status of forces agreement which defines the Legal status of . Armed forces stationed in Germany. But the review should a have Little or no effect on retirees a Greenbaum said. In addition to the 13,000 retired service members there Are also about 18,000 dependents according to Greenbaum. Only about 20 percent of the retired group Are older than 65, he said