European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 24, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3contracts for air fete questioned regulation forbids pay for civilians by Kevin Dougherty Kaiserslautern Bureau civilian pilots participating in this weekends air show at Raf Mildenhall England Are under contract to perform. That practice though routine at Mildenhall conflicts with an air Force regulation that prohibits any monetary compensation for Aerial demonstrations. Col. Michael t. Scott chairman of air fete �?T92, defended the practice maintaining that an air Force morale welfare and recreation regulation does permit the use of non appropriated funds for a entertainment  a . Air forces in Europe official said Friday that the Issue is being discussed by command and air Force authorities but had not been resolved. In a related matter Scott defended the practice of paving military units private organizations for their help in staging the event. While Only two civilian groups participated in last years air show this years event is expected to include 15 Vintage aircraft. That a because the theme of this years show is the 50th anniversary of the arrival in Britain of the  air Force. There Are 10 separate entertainment contracts for the Vintage aircraft amounting to about $90,000, Scott said. The mar regulation that Scott cited in reference to the hiring of civilian aircraft is in direct conflict with an air Force Public affairs regulation pertaining to civilian Aerial demonstrations on base. The regulation reads a neither appropriated or non appropriated funds will be used to pay for or defray costs of civilian pilots or their aircraft associated with an open  the mar regulation refers Only to a a group or  the Only example it gives is musicians. A the intent of that prescription the Public affairs regulation is to prevent the draw Down of mar funds to support an open House or air show a said Scott who what we do it an  contract. That it handled diff Brantly or looted at differently than if you had just paid tha civilian participant. A col. Mond t. Scott chairman of air Fata 92 is also vice commander of the 100th air refuelling Wing at Mildenhall. A that s not what we Are doing. Not at  col. Michael r. Gallagher Safe Deputy chief of staff director of Public affairs said in a statement Friday a the Issue of mar and non appropriated funds involvement in air shows in the . United kingdom surfaced earlier this year when we received a series of messages from air Force Headquarters. A since that time a Gallagher said a a Safe officials have been engaged in a dialogue with Headquarters . Air Force. To Date there has not been any final Resolution. Because commitments need to be made Well in Advance of the event this years air shows Are proceeding As they have in the past. If any changes Are required they will be effective for next years  Gallagher added that the messages from air Force Headquarters dealt with a procedures for holding air shows and were received prior to queries from the stars and stripes concerning the Mildenhall air show. The annual air show is Milden Hall a primary mar fund raising event of the year. Last year the event raised $1,176,955 before expenses according to Mildenhall officials and cleared $354,142. The Money was deposited into the Mwry scentral non appropriated fund account where it was used along with other funds to make capital improvements and purchases. The projects included new weight and exercise equipment Library books a Large screen to woodworking machines at the arts and crafts Center and renovations to the Bowling and recreation centers. In an earlier response to queries on the air show Mildenhall officials referred to the Public affairs regulation As a the governing regulation on air  furthermore an air Force official in Washington stated in a written response to another query that no appropriated funds a May not be used to support or fund the Cost of Mission related elements of base open  it. Col. Patrick w. Maloney chief of the civilian affairs Branch at the programs division of the air Force Public affairs office cited some examples of a Mission related elements displays Vintage aircraft or aerobatic demonstration teams receptions transportation and lodging. However Maloney noted that a non appropriated funds May be used to support open houses to the extent necessary to provide needed goods services and recreational  the examples he gave were concessions entertainment such As bands performers and fireworks and recreational events like foot races. A what we do is an entertainment contract a Scott said. A that is handled differently or looked at differently than if you had just paid the civilian participants. The contracts include billeting and food for the commercial participants Scott said. The fees for civilian pilots depend on a variety of factors including distance the aircraft has to travel to Mildenhall the size and complexity of the aircraft and the amount of flying it docs at the air show. Some of the planes arc owned by corporations others Are owned by individuals. Concerning payments to military units private organizations Scott said a new policy has been established. Beginning this year a units private organization will be paid based on a percentage of the Gate receipts for the two Day event and the number of the people in the unit. Last years Gate receipts amounted to $562,179. The contribution is compensation for Volunteer work that makes the staging of air fete possible. Units last year were paid $54,744 under a memorandum of agreement Scott said. The practice was discontinued because some units received disproportionately More Money than others even though they provided roughly the same percentage of workers for the show. Units that had airmen assigned to the show received less than units with members who had the free time to Volunteer for the work. Scott also defended the use of on duty Servic Mem bars for an event that raises Money for mar activities and improvements a even though it appeared that taxpayers Money was being spent on a program that benefited a particular Community. He emphasized that no  arc paid by mar for their work in conjunction with the air show but he did say that private unit organizations Benefit. Stall writer Ray Rowden in Washington contributed to this report thousands cram . Base for Aerial displays by murid1th Winder . Bureau Raf Mildenhall England More than 150,000 people clogged the roads leading into Raf Mildenhall saturday to see what is being touted As the worlds largest military sponsored air show. The 16th annual two Day Aerial display commemorates the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the . Army air Force in Britain and is being attended by people who served in world War ii. Traffic started building hours before the Gates opened at 7 30 . By 9 ., people from Only three Miles away were taking up to three hours to get close to the Gates. Saturdays warm weather had officials predicting that the attendance would reach 350,000 for both Days. Air fete �?T92 features six to seven hours daily of performances by aircraft from around the world past and present. Aircraft participating include the Royal air Force red arrows demonstration team the French Patrouille de France demonstration team the Royal Netherlands air Force Grasshoppers b-52h Stratfor Tress and f-15e strike Eagle. Approximately 150 aircraft Are on display on the ground with the f-117a stealth fighter the featured attraction. This is the stealth fighters first appearance in great Britain and Large crowds cockeyed to get a look. The fighter also had Royal air Force Squadron Leader Chris Topham who is the Only British Exchange officer assigned to the 4450th fighter Wing at Tonopah Range near Las vegas. A i entered the program in november 1990, but did no to get to Fly the fighter in the Gulf War a to Opham said. A a in a also the second British officer to try the  when to Opham was notified he was entering the program he said that he  even Tell his wife what was going on. But later As More information was released on the aircraft much of the veil of secrecy was lifted Topham said that a lot of the information about the aircraft and its missions is still compartmentalized. A Only the pilots who actually Fly a particular Mission know what a going on about that Mission a Topham said a even among aircrews its strictly on a need to know  opening the Aerial display was the flight of the 100th air refuelling wings first permanently assigned Kc-135r Strat Tanker. The Wing is Host unit at Mildenhall and was activated feb. 1. T he aircraft Tail number 0100, is being assigned to the european Tanker task Force which is headquartered at Mildenhall. Uso office in Cannes needs Money to stay open by the stars and stripes a United service organizations office in Southern France that serves thousands of service members every year will close unless it can raise at least $40,000, according to a Uso official in Cannes. Andrea Forjone Public affairs official for the Cannes office linked the need for donations to a cutoff of Money from Uso Headquarters and a decline in Telephone card sales that once raised As much As $40,000 a year. A a we re pleading with the Public for funds a Forjone said. A we done to want to  the Cannes office handles requests from thousands of . Sailors and other americans every year. Most requests Stem from visits by . Ships into Monaco and French ports such As of Toulon St. Tropez Marsailles Cava Laire and Ville Franche. A we do everything from arranging Tours to translating love letters a Forjone said. The Uso was founded in 1941 to help american men and women overseas and has never received Money from the . Government. The Uso established an office in Southern France shortly after world War ii. According to Forjone 43 . Ships carrying thousands of sailors arrived in Monaco and ports in Southern France last year. She said those numbers were Low compared to other years because of the persian Gulf War. From october 1989 to september 1990, for example for Jonely a office accommodated requests stemming from 171 port visits carrying 116,500 sailors. Forjone said someone from her office tries to meet every . Ship that arrives in port to handle the needs of . Sailors. The three person Uso staff in Southern France raises Money by Selling souvenirs including to shirts that carry the names of nearby French cities. However a marketing Campaign by at amp to to sell phone cards has Cut into the Cannes offices once profitable phone card sales. Before the Campaign the Uso sold cards that callers needed to use French phones which do not accept coins. The Uso sold the cards at a Small profit but made thousands of dollars a year since so Many . Sailors were anxious to Call Home upon arriving ashore. At amp to has donated some Money to the Uso and has donated a Van and an office to the organization. A a we re not blaming at amp to said Forjone. A a they be been Good to us and we understand their need to make a  checks for donations to the Uso in Cannes can be made out to Uso French Riviera and mailed to Uso Cannes 53 Rue Felix Faure 06400 Cannes France. The phone number is 33-93-385626