European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 04, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 4, 1993 . The stars and stripes Page ,5 a Aid urged for stricken Gulf vets. Of. I. Washington a -. Veterans exposed to toxic substances or environmental hazards during the persian Gulf War would receive priority treatment at a hospitals under a Bill passed by the House on monday. The legislation cleared on a 411-0 vote says the a must provide Hospital and outpatient care to ail veterans who report symptoms before oct. 1,1996. The department of veterans affairs must also refund any payments made by Veter ans before the Bill is enacted. The Bill now goes to the Senate. About 4,000 veterans suffer from health problems related to service in the Gulf said rep. Lane Evans d-i11., chair Man of the veterans affairs subcommittee on oversight and investigations. Some veterans were denied the health in the stars and stripes 10 years ago aug. 4,1983 the Rubyan re Gime of col. Moa mar Qadhafi re acting to Western criticism of his country s intervention in Chad threatened to sink the . Aircraft Carrier Dwight d. Eisenhower if it entered disputed Waters off Libya. 20 years ago aug. 4,1973 former Fri director l. Patrick Gray admitted that he read secret documents before he burned them then for months lied about it in the midst of the water Gate cover up. 30 years ago aug. 4,1963 the army announced that it will Stop its experimental program of rotating Battle group size units on six month duty Tours in Europe. 40 years ago aug. 4,1953 tens of thou Sands of rebellious East German workers barred from getting free . Food in West Berlin staged pro test strikes prompting reported mass arrests by communist police. 50 years ago aug. 4,1943 with fires reported raging through the Plesti Oil Fields of Romania a bomber com Mander told his Crews that the destruction rendered by the raid would take an army size ground Force a full year to achieve world War ii 50 years ago today aug. 4 soviet troops fight their Way into Orel on the Southern soviet front engaging in bitter Street fighting with German forces two red army pincers near Belgorod North of the kursk salient. On Sicily British units close in on Catania on the East coast while american attacks Are repulsed again at Troina in the rugged Inland Hills. Source 219 Days of War w h. Smith publishers inc. World almanac Boap world War ii a son books corp1981 a care they needed because they could t prove their illnesses were service related Evans said. These Are veterans that need our help and need it  veterans re turning from the Gulf have complained of lung and heart ailments intestinal prob lems hair loss and unexplained bleeding. A groups and some doctors believe the illnesses were caused by exposure to crude Oil fumes pesticides vaccines administered by the military or radiation from the depleted uranium used in munitions. A doctors say they have been unable to identify any direct links Between ill Nesses and exposure to toxic materials. But the a has set up a registry to com pile data on veterans who believe environmental hazards affected their health and has opened three referral centers for cases of unusual symptoms. Irs punishes employees for snooping Washington a More than 150 internal Revenue service employees have been disciplined for snooping into tax files and even creating fraudulent tax refunds. The employees were rank and file workers who handle mail and answer Telephone inquiries the Washington Post reported. Irs spokeswoman Ellen Murphy said monday that a study last fall by the irs inspection service has led to a system that will enable managers to profile the actions of employees with Access to computer flies to make sure they Are proper. One of the things working against us having a proactive program is that the current system is very old designed in late 1950s and installed in the 1960s," she said. The irs is in the midst of a $23 billion overhaul of its computer system that should remedy the problem she said. The study to be discussed at a hearing today by the Senate governmental affairs committee uncovered 369 cases of suspected unauthorized Access to files by irs workers in the Agency s Atlanta based Southeast division. She said the irs took disciplinary Steps in 154 cases including a handful of firings forced resignations and two indictments. Sen. John Glenn a Ohio chairman of the governmental affairs panel was. Quoted tuesday by the Post saying at least one employee altered at least 200 accounts and got kickbacks from bogus tax refund checks that were issued. Other employees were accused of browsing through the tax records of friends relatives neighbors and celebrities the Post said. The findings of the internal report caused special concern at irs Headquarters because confidentiality of tax re cords goes to the integrity of the tax sys tem Murphy said.  of persian Gulf troops Are reporting a number of serious and often troubling and disabling Dis eases and illnesses said rep. Joseph Kennedy a mass. Under this legis lation persian Gulf veterans Are Given the Benefit of the  the House also voted to extend insurance benefits in the cases of 11 air Force fliers who were killed in crashes hours before a new benefits policy took effect. Nine of the airmen were killed when two c-141b Jet transports crashed Over Montana on the night of nov. 3d, 1992. They had signed up for a new service men s group life insurance program that from dec. 1 increased maximum benefits from $100,000 to $200,000. The a denied the increased benefits to their survivors and those of two others killed in a Texas crash the same Day. Their families argued that it was already dec. T in most of the world West of the International dateline when the crashes occurred. The House Bill says that the effective Date of any Benefit changes must be based on the International dateline rather than on local time zones and that they apply retroactively to those who signed tip for the new insurance program. In a third Bill the House approved National cemetery burial benefits to nation Al guard and Reserve retirees who have completed 20 or More years of service. Undercurrent Law members of the re serves May be buried in 147 National cemeteries Only if death is the result of Active duty or closely related activity. Those Bills also await Senate action. High flying Rafter a White water rafting guide leaps with the rapids sunday As his fellow rafters paddle through the Rushing Ocoee River Al Linton tenn., about 40 Miles Northeast of Chattanooga. Last month More than 60,000 people rafted Down the River where the 1996 White water olympic games will be held. No buffs about it la. Restaurants ban smoking los Angeles a a measure to Clear the air in 7,000 los Angeles restau rants took effect monday after a petition drive to Stop the ban on smoking fell Short. Los Angeles is the biggest . City to ban smoking in restaurants. Previously the City required restaurants to have no smok ing sections. The ordinance adopted june 23 by the City Council and signed by then mayor Thomas Bradley exempts bars nightclubs and outside dining areas. The ban was supposed to take effect july 26, but opponents delayed it by turning in petitions with 96,000 signatures. On Mon Day election officials declared that based on a random Sample too Many signatures were invalid. Some restaurant operators were looking the other Way to let smokers get used to the ordinance. Unless someone is complaining we re not going to warn them said Tom Sweet co owner of Ca area