European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 9, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. March 9,1993 a us. The stars and stripes b Page 5 Ressman wants by Chuck Vinch a. Washington Bureau Washington a a House lawmaker has written to the Pentagon leadership to express disappointment that the stars and stripes newspaper is not being distributed to troops in Somalia. Rep. Earl Hutto. D-fla., chairman of the House armed services readiness subcommittee wrote to defense Secretary Les Aspin in late february to say he was a troubled to learn that troops Are still not receiving the stars and stripes More than three months after operation restore Hope began. The readiness subcommittee oversees the Small portion of the stars and stripes budget that is funded with taxpayer Money currently about 5.6 percent. The newspaper is largely self supporting through sales of the paper and hardcover books paperbacks and magazines in its Chain of bookstores. The Small taxpayer subsidy covers such items As salaries for assigned military personnel shipping costs for newsprint equipment and other items and utilities maintenance and repair costs for the newspaper s facilities. A it is difficult to understand Given our tremendous lift capability Why the stars and stripes cannot be provided As was done in the Gulf  Hutto wrote to Aspin. A certainly our troops deserve to be Well informed during these deployments of world events that shape their destiny As Well As to receive cherished news from Home Quot he said. ,. Hutto said he expects Aspin to ensure that future deployments Are supported by the stars and stripes a House staffer acknowledged that the letter docs not require Aspin to take any action. But. He said a the message is Clear Quot that Congress considers one of the newspapers principal roles to be supporting troops on deployments overseas. The Issue of the paper s Inam Lity to get into Somalia came to the attention of Hutto Ana other lawmakers after a Blunt editorial written recently by the stars and stripes ombudsman Bill Monroe. A somebody owes the soldiers on the ground a better explanation than is now available of Why they re not allowed to receive the newspaper designed by the defense department and fostered by the Congress to keep service members overseas in touch with the military Community and in touch with Home Quot Monroe wrote. The editorial appeared in the feb. 21 Issue of the newspaper and was later picked up Byj everal Washington Media. Defense department Ana Central come officials have consistently said it is strictly up to the theater commander a in this Case Marine it. Gen. Robert b. Johnston a to decide what Media support should be made available to the troops. Johnston has not commented on his decision to keep the stars and stripes out of Somalia. The Central come has couched the Issue in terms of Cost. The paper would be distributed free to troops but the Central come or some other defense department Agency would have to foot the Bill. The Cost Factor is supported by a Deal recently struck Between the Central come and Usa today to provide several thousand free copies per Day of that newspaper for distribution in Somalia. Usa today remains the Only major source of outside hews for troops in operation restore Hope but few routinely have Access to it. One Pentagon reporter who recently spent several Days in Somalia said troops there were Quot constantly begging Quot for news of the outside  the stars and stripes10 years ago March 9,1983 a president Reagan promised military and economic Aid to keep Al Salvador from falling into the hands of leftist guerrillas but stopped Short of committing . Combat troops.20 year Sago March 9,1973 a two powerful bombs exploded in Central London and police at the scene of one blast the old Bailey Central criminal court said one Man died and 157 persons were injured.30 year Sago March 9,1963 a the end of 891-Day new York newspaper shutdown appeared near As negotiators for publishers and striking printers agreed to mayor Robert Wagner s Compromise proposal.40 year Sago March 9,1953 a Britain and the United states calling for a virtual economic blockade jointly announced far reaching measures to crack Down on the shipment of strategic materials to communist china.50 year Sago _ 1 March 9,1943 the Navy department announced that six . Submarine officers had been decorated for sinking 51,750 tons of japanese merchant shipping a destroyer and a 900-ton patrol vessel. World War ii 50 years ago today march91 a 9 4 3 German tanks and planes attack free French troops holding Ksar Shilane Southeast of Mareth in Southern Tunisia but Are beaten Back. American and British warplanes bomb Palermo Sicily. In Burma Britain s Quot Chin dits Quot brigade crosses the i Irrawaddy River at tag Aung and Tig Yaing after breaking into several columns to Widen its raiding. Source 2154 Days it War i h. Smith publishers inc. World almanac Boykol world War ii Bison books corp., 19st a life on Belleau Wood living hell for homosexuals sex Seaman says by the new York times san Francisco a shipmate of the Gay Sailor who was beaten to death last october said sunday that some of the homosexuals assigned to the amphibious assault ship Belleau Wood faced regular sometimes daily harassment. The shipmate Richard Eastman 21, of Kalamazoo mich., identified himself As a homosexual speaking at a news conference organized by Gay and veterans groups he described life aboard the ship As a a living hello for homosexuals. Eastman said that the Day after his shipmate Allen Schindler was beaten to death he was taken off the Belleau Wood for his own safety and reassigned to the ship s base in Casebo Japan. He was discharged from the Navy on Jan. 22. Eastman described an environment. Aboard the Belleau Wood in which Gay sailors were routinely called Quot Faggot Quot or Quot queer Quot and were pushed Ana intimidated by their shipmates while walking Down the Hall. A they just assumed who was Gay just if you were different Quot Eastman said. The slaying of Schindler a 22-year-old radioman has become a Symbol of the anxieties unleashed by president Clinton s proposal to end the ban on homosexuals in the military even though Schindler a death came before Clinton took office. He was beaten to death oct. 27 in a Public restroom in a Park three blocks from the Navy base in Casebo. He was so disfigured from the beating that his Mother said she was Able to recognize him Only by tattoos on his forearms. Two sailors have been charged in the Case. Airman apprentice Teny m. Hal vey ?1, entered no plea at a fcb. 9 hearing at which he was charged with premeditated murder. Another Sailor airman Charles e. Vins 20, pleaded guilty last november to three charges in connection with the beating. He received a Light sentence in return for testimony against Helvey. Eastman said sunday that he had been assaulted the night before Schindler s murder. He said he had been awakened while sleeping in his bunk punched in the face and told that he should leave the ship before being killed. Eastman said he was not certain who had assaulted him he said he had reported the incident to the ships Legal officer the next morning but Quot nothing  Eastman was joined at the news conference by Schindler s Mother and by family members of two other Gay sailors who had served aboard the Belleau Wood and were awaiting discharge. The group urged Navy officials to Stop harassment of homosexuals and to appoint an Independent prosecutor to handle Schindler s Case. Eastman said he hoped to get friends and other Gay sailors out of the military safely. Quot they should t have to put up with the daily harassment Quot he said. Parents Settle for $1.2 million in suit Over of Hospital s poisoning of infant Greenfield mass. A a couple said monday that they have tentatively settled a $32 million lawsuit against the government Over deadly brain damage suffered by their baby while being treated for pneumonia at a military  the. Father Paul Kestyn said his anger wont be put to rest. A there was too much ignorance for me to forgive a he said. Under the settlement the government will pay the Kestens $1.2 million the family a lawyers said. The sum must be formally approved by the . Attorney general s office in Washington. There was no immediate confirmation of the offer from the . Attorneys office in Boston. The trial in the Case was to begin today eight years after Paul and Lynda Kestyn a son Adam was treated at the Hospital. The government admitted in 1991 to a harrowing Litany of mistakes in Adam s treatment but the trial would have determined damages. Adam died two years after the treatment partly deaf and Blind and brain damaged. Family lawyers Call it the a Hospital out of hell where doctors poisoned Adam with a drug he did not need. 1 Paul Kestyn 29, was stationed at Little Rock fab in Arkansas As a plane Mechanic in december 1984 when his wife gave birth to Adam. Five weeks later Adam s breathing became Raspy. Soon he was wheezing. His parents consulted a paediatrician. But when he Wasny to better two weeks later they checked him into the base Hospital in Jacksonville Ark. 1 doctors prescribed 200 milligrams a Day of theophylline a drug widely used to ease breathing of asthmatics and others with respiratory trouble. The infant was sent Home but he was returned a Day later suffering from seizures. The theophylline was continued. A week after his first admission Adam s parents transferred him to Arkansas children a Hospital. Within hours doctors there diagnosed theophylline poisoning but it was too late. They discovered his brain had Haemorrhage a. Adam lapsed into a coma. He emerged from it 10 Days later but the damage was already done. He would never talk or walk his vision and hearing were limited. Embittered Kestyn left the air Force and brought his family Back to Massachusetts where he and his wife grew up. They cared for Adam at Home. He suffered daily seizures and had to be fed through a tube inserted in his nose. Weakened by his ordeal Adam came Down with Strep Throat in 1987 and died. Or. Andrew Marks of Boston who reviewed Adams medical records for the Kestens said that because of his age Adam should have been Given no More than 100 to 150 milligrams of theophylline a Day. Military doctors also failed to Monitor blood Levels of the drug a Standard for a patient on theophylline As the government itself admitted in its 1991 response to the family s lawsuit. Moreover Marks wrote Quot a sad note is that. That medication was probably unnecessary in Adam s Case because children his age Don t respond to theophylline very  the Kestens done to dispute the drug s safety when it is Given properly. An estimated 10 million people take theophylline annually said Edson Rafferty an attorney for the Kestens. Under Federal Law military doctors cannot be sued for malpractice. So the Kestens filed their wrongful death and malpractice claim against the government itself in june 1989. Assistant . Attorney Mary Elizabeth Carmody who is representing the government and tech. Sgt. George Johnson a base spokesman in Little Rock both had declined to comment on the Case As the trial Date approached. The Kestens have three other children Ages 11, 3 and 5. Paul Kestyn is a student at the local Community College. Lynda Kestyn is working at a Gas station and thinking about attending nursing school