European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Continued on Page 16 a Boss s death or imprisonment merely creates a vacuum. Despite the mafias recruiting problems the new Boss need not be the second coming of Lucky Luciano to succeed. He Only has to be More powerful or influential than anyone else in his Corner of the underworld. The racketeering blueprint is there for anyone to use. Unde Boss succeeds Boss Soldier moves up to Capo. And the streets Are filled with Quot wannabes Quot eager to shoot someone in the head for the family and thereby join its ranks. The real problem however is not the mob but society s susceptibility to organized crime. At teamsters local 560 in new Jersey for example reformers admit that the mob linked leaders Are supported or tolerated by Many members those who Benefit from the old rackets and rip offs those afraid of turning complicated business affairs Over to inexperienced leaders however honest and those too uneducated or uninvolved to care who runs things. The Rule of Federal trustee Edwin Stier has encouraged Union democracy and discouraged violence. But Ken Shohan a shop Steward with the Reform faction says that in the local s shops Quot the people who were in Power Are still in Power. If the government left tomorrow wed be Back at Square  government intervention moreover has a Price. Salaries of administrators investigators and lawyers add to the Union s other expenses. The trustee for Cement workers local 6a in new York found its Treasury so looted there Wasny to enough to hire an accountant. Longshoremen a local 1814, a Union Long in decline was placed under a Federal Monitor whose annual budget of $275,000 severely strained the Treasury according to the Union lawyer. A a its like Vietnam a says Gerald Mcmahon. A a they a destroy it to save  Rico itself has proved unexpectedly controversial. Designed for the mob it now is routinely used against defendants accused of White Collar crime and in civil suits that involve no allegations of violence or even criminal wrongdoing an unlikely coalition that includes the american civil liberties Union and the National association of manufacturers has called for revision. The difficulty and expense of reforming racketeer corrupted organizations has led some to advocate More fundamental change. If. By some Miracle Law enforcers could jail All 1,700-Odd mafiosi and thousands of associates Quot other syndicates would move in Quot to construction or garbage collection says Ronald Goldstock director of the new York state organized crime task Force. Quot you have to change the industries  the task Force recommended the creation of a series Philadelphia crime boat Nicodema Quot utile Nicky Quot Scarfo was sentenced to life in prison in 1989. Of garbage carting districts on Long Island each to serve a single Carter selected through competitive bidding. To thwart bid rigging a quasi Public corporation would be created to enter bids on a random basis. If the corporations bid based on its own real costs was the lowest submitted it would collect the District s garbage. The proposal found no takers possibly because the cure seemed More trouble than the illness. Quot it May be cheaper to let the mob run garbage carting Quot says Martens of the Pennsylvania crime commission. The body count did no tend the Vietnam War and it wont end organized  Fred Martens director of the Pennsylvania crime commission so despite the Bright promises of the �?T80s, organized crime still defies a final solution and mob busting remains a repetitive chore whether the target is John Gotti a jamaican posse or a chinese triad. Quot its like your garbage Quot says Martens. Quot every Day you have to collect it and throw it  some Law enforcers however never learn. When the racketeering trial of the sons of Carlo Gambino was settled before a verdict in february new York District attorney Robert Morgenthau a probably the nation s most experienced prosecutor a crowed that the Deal would Quot drive the Gambino from the garment Industry by forcing them to sell All 400 of their trucks. A if they want to continue business in the garment Industry Quot he told reporters Thomas and Joseph Gambino Quot will have to use wheel Barrows and wheel them for  in fact members of Morgenthau a staff later conceded the Gambino would Only have to sell half their trucks. The settlement said assistant District attorney Michael Cherkasky Quot does not drive the mob out of the garment Industry and it does not drive the Gambino out of  action lined0d reviewing length of Athens assignments q a several months ago. You published a letter in readers action line from master sgt Thomas Mastroddi from Ghedi a. Italy concerning his length of duty there with no facilities. I am in much the same boat. My family and i recently arrived in Athens Greece. All the paperwork that i received on this assignment stated that this would be a 36-month tour. However. I was told that because i was an extended tour Volunteer that this assignment would be for 48 months. I cannot understand How this could be a 48-month tour there is no base Here at All. There is a Small commissary and i do mean Small no Exchange no recreation facilities of any kind no military banking facility however we can use the . Embassy for Check cashing. The closest military installation is Iraklion a Crete which is an hours flight or a 12-hour ferry ride. We have no military Hospital no dental facility Etc. Granted i was an extended tour Volunteer but this tour is a hardship on my family because of the reasons i stated above and also because there Are virtually no americans in Athens. All the paperwork i received on this assignment stated 36 months and also i feel that i was not properly briefed on this assignment and told what to expect for me and my family. Is there anything i can do to shorten this tour to 36 months staff sgt. Garland c. Hess or. Athens Greece in it. Col. William b. Horne ii director of assignments Safe Headquarters Europe replies the department of defense established procedures in accordance with congressional requirements for review of tour lengths at locations overseas where . Military personnel Are assigned the situation of personnel assigned to Athens following the closure of hell Nikon a has already been brought to our attention. In december 1991, Safe Headquarters and 16th air Force sent a team into Athens to Complete a tour length Survey. The department of defense requires All surveys to be coordinated with the other services represented in the area army and Navy and the unified command Neucom. Our Survey package is now being coordinated within the european theater. Once this is completed the air Force military personnel Center afm pc will examine the feasibility of removing Athens As an extended Long tour operation and will make a recommendation to the department of defense. If approved this will allow the personnel currently assigned to be released from their extended tour selection with adjustment of their Tours accordingly. Personnel officials should receive word of the department of defense decision later this  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or quest bus about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. Ait letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of Genera interest to our readers. Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday april 11, 1992