European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1942-1992 50 years of service vol. 51, no. 36 350 sex amp ssh # a saturday May 23,1992 d 8693 a judge rebukes of officer slashes rapist s sentence by Vince Crawley staff writer a military judge reduced an air Force sergeants five year prison sentence by 18 months on Friday because of a commanders a Cavalier disregard for due process and a for the express purpose of deterring. Similar breaches of  the judge col. J. Jeremiah Mahoney rebuked air Force col. George e. Long for interfering with another military judges ruling in a court martial at Raf Ben Waters England in March. Mahoney is the chief judge for the air forces 6th judicial circuit. Long commands the 81st combat support group at Ben Waters. On March 13 staff sgt. Michael a. Tilghman was convicted of rape assault fraud and adultery in a general court martial at Ben Waters. After the conviction Long ordered him confined. Soon afterwards the trial judge col. Michael Mcshane ordered Tilghman released until sentencing. However Long tried to overrule the judge and ordered Tilghman a confined according to a court document. Tilghman was sought out by military and civilian police arrested at his off base Home and taken into custody. In a statement to an inquiry officer following the incident Long defended his actions in part by saying �?o1 believe that 1 had a better grasp of this Case than what was presented to the military judge. 1 question the authority of a military judge to countermand my confinement  Mahoney answered Long a question see judge on Page 2 . Plans to Cut close 61 facilities by Vince Crawley staff writer a nearly vacant cavalry Post six Wells and a sewer system Are among 61 . Facilities in Europe marked for closure or scaled Back operations according to the latest Pentagon base closure announcement. Two Sites in South Korea will also be closed or Cut Back reducing the number of . Bases overseas by one third since january 1990, Pentagon officials announced Friday. This the seventh round of facility trimming since 1990, will affect More than 6,000 service members 800 defense department civilians and 2,500 foreign see Chart on Page 3 workers according to a release by the . European come in Stuttgart Germany. However Many of those people Are already gone. Almost half a including More than 2,700 soldiers 600 . Civilians and 1,000 foreign workers a were stationed at just three army installations according to the european come release. The main army closure is Peden Barracks in Wert Heim Germany. The Cavern near Wurzburg had about 1,500 troops before the draw Down began including the Headquarters of the 72nd Field arty brigade and two see Cut on Page 2 Farewell to tvs King Singer Bette Midler pals tonight show Host Johnny Carson during his next to last show on thursday. Carson is retiring amid tears after 30 years As the undisputed King of late night to. See Story on Page 9. Germany France to create joint army corps la Rochelle France apr the leaders of France and Germany on Friday agreed to forge a joint army corps that will operate independently of nato. But they stressed their support for a continued . Military presence in Europe. A joint French German command will be established As of july 1, and the corps of at least 35,000 soldiers will be operational by oct. 1, 1995, French president fran it Pei min ois Mitterrand and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl announced after a two Day Summit. The corps would be an expanded version of the countries joint brigade set up in 1990, the brigade is based at several facilities scattered about Germany a Baden Wiir Temberg state which Borders France. Britain coolly greeted the creation of the corps a a move that officials have privately opposed As unnecessary see related Story on Page 3 and a possible Rebuff to . Leadership of nato. A i think the criterion we will apply is whether it will strengthen or weaken nato Quot defense Secretary Mal Colm Rifkind said in a British broadcasting corp. Radio interview. A there Are still a number of questions to be answered because traditionally France has had a sort of Semi detached relationship with nato whereas Germany has been very much  seeking to allay such worries a French German statement said the corps a will contribute to the strengthening of the Atlantic  a Twete doing what the americans have asked us to see corps on Page 2 tracing the Falion a family a remembrance see pages 14-15