European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 6, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday March 6, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3 military civilian retirees face diet Colas in playbooks trashing was no joke to comics Lover Tokyo apr Takashi Nakayama did More than get angry after learning his collection of hundreds of comic books left at his grandmothers House had been thrown out. He sued his Mother aunt and Uncle a and won. The summary court in Niigata prefecture ruled wednesday that the three As heirs of the late grandmother were responsible for her actions and must pay Nakayama 200,000 yen $1,548 in compensation. The grandmother who died in november 1988, had thrown away More than 500 of his comics and other books including the classic Ultra Man King of adventure and to land. Nakayama 25, had left the books with his grandmother in Niigata City in 1982 after he and his Mother moved to Sagamihara in Kanagawa prefecture near  from Page 1 Erful chairman Ever of the joint chiefs. Armed with a savvy for both the National Security implications and the politics of Force reductions As Well As an impeccable reputation with people on both sides of the Issue Powell a testimony could be the Pentagon a Only Hope of protecting the Force Levels proposed in january. He will be facing a Congress eager to pump fast Money into the Economy and armed with Public support for More cuts in defense. A we will have a very spirited debate Over this in the finest tradition of the american system a Powell said. The Pentagon a proposed budget for fiscal years 1993-97 contained no cuts in military manpower beyond those announced in 1990 when Secretary of defense Dick Cheney outlined a pared Down military that Cheney called the a base  this years budget did eliminate $50 billion in weapons systems but some legislators said those cuts do not reflect the diminished threat to the United states produced by the collapse of the soviet Union. At least 15 proposals have been introduced on Capitol Hill calling for up to four times the defense cuts outlined in president Bush a plan. The typically unflappable Powell is obviously irritated by the suggestion that his office is not sensitive to the worlds changes. Powell said he is More pleased than anyone to say the United states won the cold War. A those who would have us Retreat from our position of leadership and involvement to one of disengagement and isolationism would do Well to remember history a Powell told legislators in Early february. The chairman sees parallels Between the current vision of a new world order with the United states on top and old world orders that developed twice in this Century. Powell asserted that the . Withdrawal from the world during the 1920s and 1930s had an Impact on the causes behind world War ii. He also says americans rapid demobilization after that War helped create circumstances that led North Korea to invade South Korea. A now As we stand poised to reap the benefits of win. Ning the cold War we must prevent a return to the mistaken isolationism of the past a he said. Powell is being hounded by legislators to identify a threat that justifies keeping the same Force Levels proposed before the fall of communism. The chairman concedes it will be difficult but he knows this defining the threat will be the key during negotiations on Capitol Hill. With an analogy befitting his South Bronx roots Powell said that although he does no to know on what Street Corner the next bully will pick a fight he does know the neighbourhoods where the bullies live. A i also figure that if in a Strong enough and can get to that Street Corner with enough Force he ainu to going to show up a Powell said. A and that a deterrence that a peace and that a  deterrence is the idea Powell will try to sell Congress along with the notion that the base Force is the minimum defense capable of protecting the interests of the United states and its allies. The base Force is de by Mike Causey the Washington Post Washington a Cost of living adjustments would be Frozen for one year and Federal military and social Security retirees would be put on diet Colas if Congress adopts some of the deficit reduction options outlined wednesday by the congressional budget office. Another option would eliminate retirement benefits for military reservists who can now qualify for pensions at age 60 after 20 years of Reserve or National guard duty. The offices option Book serves As a checklist of items Congress May want to consider when it looks at ways to reduce the deficit. In the past Congress has adopted some of the Cost cutting proposals. Although some of the options May make retirees nervous the Overall report is Kinder and gentler to government workers and retirees than it has been in the past. Among the options that could affect workers and re signed to function across a Broad spectrum ranging from peacetime to the outbreak of multiple regional crises. A the question i get All the time is a with All these cuts general can you do another desert storm a the answer is a with the base Force  we will have enough Force to protect our interests in Europe and our interests in the Pacific and we will still have enough Force to do a desert storm. But that a about  the base Force is divided into four packages a strategic forces contingency forces a Forward deployed Force in the Atlantic Region and another in the Pacific Region. According to Powell the key to the new concept is that because the Overall Force will be much smaller All forces must be available for worldwide action. Further cuts would undermine that strategy Powell said. Powell a base Force a strategic forces. Land and sea based nuclear missiles provide the primary deterrence to nuclear aggression but will be Cut almost in half by 1995, according to Powell. In addition Many strategic bombers will be can anyone Tell me what the Commonwealth of Independent states will look like a year from now a month from now can anyone Tell me what Russia will eventually look like a a Gen. Colin l Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff converted to conventional roles. Depending on the results of discussions with the four former soviet states possessing nuclear weapons a Russia Ukraine Belarus and Kazakhstan a those missile Levels could be lowered. However the sheer size of the old soviet Arsenal Means the requirement for nuclear deterrence will remain for years Powell said. Also the number of nations possessing nuclear chemical and biological weapons is expected to increase. A contingency forces. Powell a strategy for responding to unexpected events which he refers to As a come As you Are crises requires maintaining Active forces. This plan conflicts with some legislators idea that deep cuts should be made in the Active Force and a greater Reliance placed on the less expensive reserves. Reserve forces provide excellent Airlift capability for such operations Powell said. But the combat capability must come at least at the outset from Active forces of the Forward deployed and special operations Type. A Pacific forces. The improving military capability of South Korea has prompted the Pentagon to Cut forces in that Region to less than a division of ground troops and to about three fighter wings. But the North korean threat remains Powell said. Trees a skip the next Cost of living adjustment estimated to be around 3 percent for persons getting social Security. Since Federal and military retirees get the same Colas each january the recommendation would apply to the nearly 4 million . Retirees As Well As 43 million who get social Security benefits. Because of the political ramifications however it is unlikely to get serious consideration. A give Colas 2 percent below the actual Cost of living increase inflation rate for the next five years. Opponents of such a plan fear that if such a diet cola plan was adopted for a a a limited period it would be extended indefinitely. A pay full Colas Only on the first $600 of monthly benefits. Benefits Over that amount would get Only half of the cola increase. The average civil service Jien fit which is taxable is about $1,200 a month. The average social Security Benefit in 1991 was $602 a month. A Stop giving retirement benefits for service in the military reserves. The report says the . Is the Only nation that pensions off part time soldiers and that the five year savings would be $480 million. With forces in Alaska and Hawaii nearby the Pacific cuts Are less of a sacrifice than those in Europe. As South Korea continues to improve its military and if communist North Korea shows More cooperation on nuclear weapons issues the Pace of reductions in that area could increase according to Powell. A Atlantic forces. The vast majority of reductions through 1995 will come from Europe based forces. The Force will be Cut in half. But the instability of the former East bloc nations remains a concern. A Powell has not ruled out More cuts after 1995, but it would be imprudent he said to Cut Europe based forces before it is Clear what will become of the former soviet states. A can anyone Tell me what the Commonwealth of Independent states will look like a year from now a month from now a Powell asked. A can anyone Tell me what Russia will eventually look like a when Boris Yeltsin met with Bush in january Powell said the russian president warned that if his economic Reform plan does no to work it was possible his nation and perhaps the entire Commonwealth might return to a cold War posture. A your Point is that until we know where its All going its very very Wise for us to maintain our leadership position in the world a Powell said. There Are other ways to Cut the defense budget without eliminating More Europe based units than have already been targeted Powell said. Such As 1. About 200,000 reservists could be eliminated. 2. More bases could be closed. 3. Weapons systems could be put on hold or eliminated. The problem with those alternatives is that they hit Congress too close to Home Powell said. Reservists Are voters. Base closures and curtailed defense acquisition Cost jobs. A if i had my Way i would ask for another meeting of the base closure commission tomorrow a Powell said. A we can give up weapons systems and stocks without giving up what i consider our Crown jewels a the Force itself a As for the argument that closing bases and cutting off defense contractors Are too costly in terms of jobs that does no to Wash with Powell either. A if you Cut the Force Structure in a giving you unemployment a Powell said. A and in a giving you unemployment among Young people who have suffered with the highest rates of unemployment. And in a giving you unemployment that a 25 percent  the Case Powell will make to Congress is that the armed forces will lose 1 million Active troops reservists and civilians by 1995. That reduction has just begun and he says it should continue but Only at a Pace that equals the understanding of the threat. Powell keeps a list of life rules titbits of Wisdom he has collected Over the years. One of the items is advice he might offer Congress when after months of testimony legislators vote on what the military will look like through the end of this Century. A be careful what you ask for a Powell a message May be. A you just might get