European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes Friday january 10, 1992russia, Ukraine vie for military assets Moscow a Russia and Ukraine were caught in a tug of War Over the army and the Navy on thursday grappling Over control of the Black sea Fleet Ana a key Kremlin communications facility seized in Ukraine. The move even Cut Central military authorities off from troops in charge of tactical nuclear weapons m Ukraine a newspaper reported thursday. A spokesman for the Central ministry of defense in Moscow said thursday that Ukraine had taken control this week of a communications facility linking the Kremlin military command to 300,000 former soviet army troops in Ukraine. Vladimir Nik Aronov an officer with the interim military command of the new Commonwealth of Independent states said the move meant the Only Way the Central command could communicate with its troops in Ukraine was by Telephone. The action also severed links Between Central military authorities and the forces controlling tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine the daily newspaper Neza Visi Maya gazeta reported citing officials with the former soviet general staff. The ukrainian defense ministry took the action by switching off the system of command and warning that belonged to the Kremlin military command. Thousands of russians rallied wednesday in the crimean port of Sevastopol against ukrainian control of the Black sea Fleet one of the jewels of the former soviet Navy. The political Battle for control of the modern Fleet is one of the major issues russian president Boris Yeltsin talks wednesday with a shopper at a food store in Engels. At another Stop Yeltsin was heckled by shoppers angered by recent Price increases. Dividing Ukraine and Russia after the Deng gift Mise of the soviet Union and the birth of the Commonwealth. In an interview published thursday in the Sovie Skaya Rossiya newspaper Admiral Vladimir Chernavin commander in chief of the former soviet Navy said he opposes transferring the Black sea Fleet to ukr Jne. And Anatoly Sobchak the mayor of St. Petersburg sharply criticized the ukrainian leadership specifically president Leonid Kravchuk. A the Black sea Fleet has been created during centuries and even a communist party Hack can to change All that in a Day Quot Sobchak said. Kravchuk is a former Leader of the ukrainian communist party. Russian president Boris Yeltsin said wednesday that the ships should not be Long to any one Republic and must be a subordinated to the joint command of the Commonwealth a radio Moscow reported. He spoke in Moscow before leaving on his two Day tour of provincial cities and villages to assess the mood of the russian people following the freeing of prices on Jan. 2. He went first to the Volga River Region of Southern Russia where shoppers surrounded him in a store and voiced their discontent Over the soaring Cost of living according to the Tass news Agency and russian television. Later he told workers at the former Osinovsky state farm which recently became a private Enterprise that a of course there is no applause by the russian people for his Price Reform. A they applauded before the presidential election last june Yeltsin said standing next to a Rusty tractor. A now they Are applauding no  a go ahead tear me into pieces a Yeltsin told angry shoppers crowding around him in a food store in Saratov. Later he joked that a i thought they were going to throw Rotten eggs at me a Yeltsin repeatedly has warned in recent weeks that Russia faces sue to eight difficult months until his economic reforms take hold. On thursday Yeltsin said nearly 100,000 acres of land would be Given to muscovites Over the next 10 years to allow them to grow their own gardens. An additional 50,000 acres Wilt be Given to the military in Moscow and the surrounding  busts . Drug gang with Medellin Cartel ties by Henry Weinstein los Angeles times los Angeles the Fri announced wednesday it has cracked a los Angeles drug network with ties to the Medellin Cartel that distributed 50 tons of cocaine and made $30 million in profit during the past decade. The department of Justice has charged six people in los Angeles and Anchorage Alaska. Three of them were charged wednesday in los Angeles. Three ringleaders have been arrested but three remained fugitives Fri spokeswoman Karen Gardner said. On wednesday residences in the los Angeles area were searched and business records seized according to Fri officials. Charlie Parsons special agent in charge of the los Angeles Fri office said the cocaine originated in Colombia was transported to Mexico and then brought to los Angeles by car. From there it was distributed to Anchorage Dallas Detroit Honolulu Houston and Seattle. The Case demonstrates a Clear link Between . Gangs and colombian drug dealers according to the Fri which in the past has described similar connections in other cases. A this investigation revealed that Many los Angeles Street gangs now have established direct connections to major colombian smugglers thus ensuring a continuous Supply of top Quality cocaine a Parsons said. Fri agent Robert l. Jones who supervised the two year investigation said that the colombian cartels were Selling drugs to upper level Street gang dealers in los Angeles on a consignment basis indicating a a growing level of Trust Between the cartels and the  s he staff enjoys historical Christmas present Lahr Germany a amps a the Canadian forces he staff made history Over the recent Holiday period even though it did no to show up for work. In fact the staff members absence was what distinguished them. The forces commander air Force maj. Gen. Brian l. Smith dismissed the Headquarters 92 military staff members except a duty officer for the two weeks around Christmas and new years Day. It was the first such Universal leave since the forces came to Europe More than a half Century ago. Army maj. Norbert Cyr a forces spokesman attributed the decision to improved relations Between nato and the former East bloc. A things have changed so there a no longer the sort of Basic threat level in Europe a he said. The commander also urged the Headquarters 138 civilians to use vacation time but they were allowed to work if they wanted Cyr said. Holiday leave for subordinate units occurred at unit commanders discretion. Canadians would have had 3v2 Days off anyway he said. Christmas boxing Day dec. 26 and new years Are Legal holidays and the forces traditionally dismiss personnel at mid Day on dec. 24. Army closes ranks with change retention control Points in by Crystal Laureano staff writer Schwet Zingen Germany a the army has reduced the number of years that some soldiers can remain on Active duty a 1st personnel come official said wednesday. The change to the army a retention control Points approved by Secretary of the army Michael . Stone affects promotable specialists and corporals through first sergeants and master sergeants said master sgt. Marshall b. Wischem senior retention operations no for the army in Europe at 1st personnel come. The change takes effect in february he said. Staff sergeants through first sergeants and master sergeants who exceed the maximum years allowed under the new policy or who will reach the maximum by sept. 30, 1992, must apply for retirement by aug. 31, 1992, Wischem warned. If they done to they will be separated on aug. 31 with no benefits he added. Only staff sergeants not on the promotion list Are unaffected by the change he said. The policy is one of several moves by the army a leadership aimed at reducing the enlisted Force by almost 150,000 by the end of fiscal 1995. The reduction goal for fiscal 1992 is 40,000 soldiers. The new policy includes one Grandfather clause that affects promotable sergeants with at least 15 years of service As of oct. 1, 1993. They will be allowed to stay in the army until eligible for retirement a at 20 years of Active Federal service a As Long As they continue to be fully qualified for re enlistment he said. All other retention control Point changes the army has shortened the number of years that some soldiers can remain on Active duty at their present pay Grade. The cutoffs called retention control Points have been a lowered for promotable specialists to first sergeants. P Means on promotion list. Old rep be wrap effective rank years years Date Cpl p spec p 13 8 oct. 1,1992 sgt p 20 15 oct. 1,1993 staff sgt p 24 22 feb.1,1992 sgt. 1st class 24 22 feb. 1,1992 sgt. 1st class p 27 24 feb. 1,1992 1st  sgt. 27 24 feb. 1,1992 a amps Susan Harris promotable sergeants must separate upon reaching 15 years of service. In addition the policy change voided extensions that put some overseas cos past their control Points. Those extensions enabled cos to retire stateside after serving 13 months