European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 15, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes Friday november 15, 1991debarking for exercise humvee with the 22nd Marine expeditionary unit Wade ashore at Shaikh port in Kuwait on wednes Day. The unit was part of a 2,300-member . Force deployed for the joint .-kuwaiti exercise eager Mace. The 11-Day Man Euver is the first joint operation Between the two nations since the end of the Gulf  of blood donation ban manageable it Dod official says Washington a the defense department said a move to exclude a half million persian Gulf War veterans from donating blood because of a desert parasite will reduce the nation s blood Supply but not  two service members contracted a parasitic disease while in the Gulf Region prompting the Pentagon and the nation s largest association of blood Banks to ban donations from veterans and civilian visitors to the area. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said in san Diego that he counts himself among those banned from donating blood because of his visits to the Region during operations desert shield and desert storm. Of the seven soldiers with serious symptoms he said five have returned to duty with their units. A a we a rather not Cut 500,000 of them out of the donation process but it is a manageable problem Quot Pentagon spokesman Bob Hall said tuesday. More than 1.5 million . Troops on Active duty did not serve in the Middle East during the War. Presumably they along with the 1 million civilian employees of the defense department will Supply the blood needs of the . Armed forces. But a we Are concerned about blood shortages in communities that rely on the military As blood donors Quot said or. Joel Solomon chief executive officer of the american association of blood Banks. The group represents 2,400 Community regional and red Cross blood centers. The disease Leishmania tropical is transmitted by Sand flies and is treated by intravenous medication. The first few cases were confirmed last april but a we did not think it represented a larger problem Quot said Brig. Gen. Ronald r. Blanck of the army surgeon general s office. There is a a very very lows Chance the parasite has already contaminated the nation s blood Supply Blanck  probing harrier crash that killed Pilot from staff and wire reports Rota Spain a . Navy officials were continuing an investigation wednesday into the crash of a harrier Jet in Southern Spain that killed a Marine Pilot a Navy spokesman said. It. Cmdr. John Hopkins said he was not Able to confirm Spanish news reports that the aircraft piloted by capt. Thomas p. Driscoll 26, of Brighton ., struck the Chimney of a building in the Southern town of Villa Garcia de la Torre before crashing in a nearby Field monday. Other Navy officials indicated that Driscoll a plane did not hit anything during the crash. A initial reports Are that Driscoll appeared not to have struck anything other than the Field where he crashed a said Navy it. Greg Smith of the 6th Fleet Public affairs office in Gaeta Italy. The Spanish news reports quoted a Villagarcia official Sandalio Pizarro As saying Driscoll a aircraft was engulfed in smoke As it flew Over the town of 1,200, hitting a Chimney. Pizarro also said the aircraft appeared to Man Euver to avoid crashing in the town itself before the Pilot ejected. Smith said however that Driscoll did not eject. Spanish news reports said eight . Military aircraft have crashed in Spain since 1984, killing five Crew members. Driscoll was stationed in the Mediterranean aboard the amphibious assault ship Wasp As part of the 26th Marine expeditionary unit. He was based at Cherry Point Marine corps air station in Havelock. . Located on the Atlantic Ocean naval station Rota is one of four joint .-Spanish bases in Spain. Under an agreement with the Spanish government the United states will withdraw its 72 f-16a Jet fighter bombers of the . Air forces 401st tac fighter Wing from its principal base at Torrejon a Spain by next ,  Times expert for military affairs Dies new York apr Hanson Baldwin a former military affairs writer for the new York times and the author of More than a dozen books on military and naval history and policy died wednesday at his Home in Roxbury Conn. He was 88. Baldwin joined the times in 1929 after graduating from the . Naval Academy. He won a pulitzer prize in 1943 for his world War ii reporting from the Pacific. Later he chronicled the strategy tactics and weapons of War in Korea Vietnam the Middle East and other trouble spots becoming a leading authority on military and naval affairs at the Start of the nuclear age. He retired from the times in 1966.former 1 St army div go gets 25-years in assaults Ansbach Germany a amps a a former 1st army div cavalry Soldier has been sentenced to 25 years confinement for abducting and sexually attacking two Young germans a spokesman said wednesday. Spec. Cleophus j. Mcneal 27, was convicted of kidnapping and forcing sexual acts on a girl and a Young woman said sgt. Ken Kassens of the division Public affairs office. Mcneal who was tried oct. 28 at the Nairn Borg Community trial Center was assigned to the 1st so 1st Cav regt in Ansbach where the two incidents occurred. In the first he abducted a 12-year-old girl off of her bicycle dec. 9, 1990. He then carried her into the Woods beat her and forced her to commit sexual acts with him the spokesman said. In the second incident Mcneal picked up a 19-year-old Hitchhiker May 24. He drove her into a wooded area beat her and sexually abused her. The spokesman said. The sentence also included a dishonourable discharge forfeiture of All pay and allowances and reduction to lowest enlisted Grade he said. Mcneal is in the Mannheim correctional facility awaiting Transfer to fort Leavenworth kan., for confinement. Program to Aid soon to be civilians by Crystal Laureano staff writer schwetz1ngen, Germany the army a program to help soldiers civilian employees and their family members make a smooth move to private sector jobs is set to begin in Europe an official said this week. The army career and alumni program or Acap is an army wide program designed to help people make the transition to civilian life a in a dignified Way a said Joe Gunton . Army Europe program manager. The program began at stateside army installations earlier this year. Acap is geared toward providing professional and Quality assistance in career guidance benefits counselling and Job searching skills so that people can leave government service with a positive attitude Gunton said. The program aids soldiers who Are leaving the army honorable either voluntarily or involuntarily department of the army civilians particularly those separating from government service because of Force reductions or retirements and family members of soldiers and civilians in those categories. In addition to the Pilot office in Hanau which opened last january ii Sites Are expected to be in full operation by dec. 2 a Kaiserslautern Niernberg Frankfurt Heidelberg Bremerhaven Berlin Vilseck Wurzburg Baum older and Stuttgart in Germany and Vicenza Italy. When soldiers have about 18 1 Days left in service they will be required to visit the transition assistance office for the initial evaluation phase Gunton said. Further visits for assistance will be the soldiers decision. Civilians and family members May take advantage of the program any time. At the transition assistance office a specialist will evaluate individuals transition needs and develop a plan for them. For example if a Soldier has College benefits such As the i Bill the transitions specialist will add a visit to an education Counselor to the plan Gunton said. At Job information centers which will be operated by a government contractor various training and Job search opportunities Are available. Three hour seminars and six hour workshops Are offered on the skills required to get a Job such As How to find a Job dressing for Success and writing resumes. The sessions serve As a a reality Check for those heading toward civilian employment so that they understand that a looking for a Job is a Job a Gunton said. Although Acap is not a Job placement program Job information Center customers will have Access to the army employer network a an automated listing of More than 3,000 potential employers worldwide their locations and Job openings Gunton said. By mid december the Job information centers will be Able to Post prepared resumes in a computer system that can be accessed by employers searching for employees. The program called the defense out place ment referral system is a department of defense initiative Gunton said