European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 4, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday november 4, 1993 the stars and stripes Page 3 officer convicted of rape lieutenant blames drinking for incident with by Jon Connor staff Elter Baum older Germany a Christopher a. Kennedy had a promising future As an officer in the . Army. But his Hopes of a military career came to an abrupt end tuesday when the 26 year old second lieutenant was found guilty of rape kidnapping and violating a lawful general regulation. The military judge acquitted him on three counts of sodomy and one each of conduct unbecoming an officer resisting apprehension and reckless driving. Kennedy the chemical battalion officer for he Btry 4th in 29th Field arty did not testify during the two Day court martial. But Kennedy made a statement to the judge before sentencing. Quot if i had been sober none of it would have happened a he said. The judge it. Col. Larry Vick dismissed Kennedy from military service fined him $850 a month for 12 months and ordered him confined in prison for 12 months. The charges stemmed from events Early May 9 after a River cruise Date with a 24-year-old Soldier then assigned to a Baum older unit. The. Private first class testified that Kennedy persuaded her to drive his car from the Pathfinder gub to his apartment both in Baum older because he had been drinking too much that night. The victim said she told Kennedy that she could not drive because she did not have a Drivers License and had Only driven once before. A she was granted immunity from prosecution for driving without a . Army Europe Driver s License to testify at the trial. She testified that she also had agreed to stay at Kennedy a place until the next evening to help fix up his new apartment. The two had met several weeks before May 9 and had seen each other frequently the woman said. Quot i thought i could Trust him a she testified. Quot he said i wont Force myself upon  after driving to Kennedy a one bedroom apartment she testified he forcibly committed sexual acts there and she screamed for help. After roughly Lvi hours the victim said Kennedy agreed to take her to her Barracks about eight Miles away. 1 Kennedy a landlord was a German policeman who lives with his wife and son above the apartment Kennedy rented. The policeman testified that the family heard nothing unusual during that part of the Day. Kennedy drove about 500 Yards away from the apartment and stopped the car near a Field. The victim quoted Kennedy As saying to her Quot you re going to have sex with me or use your  Quot i was filing he was going to kill me a the victim said. A a a a she said that after Kennedy raped liter in the car she ran away seeking help. Eventually with Kennedy in View the victim flagged Down a military police car she yelled to the Driver a Baum older my Quot he raped me. The Man in that car raped met staff sgt. David countryman testified that he told Kennedy to get out of the car three times before the officer sped off. Later that daiy Kennedy said in a sworn statement to investigators that the sex had been consensual. Class prosecutor capt. Theresa Gallagher said the woman had not had a prior sexual relationship with Kennedy. The prosecutor described the woman As naive trusting religious and no drinking. However defense attorney Joel Cohen characterized the woman s testimony As Quot contrived and  Kennedy who could have been sentenced to 30 years in prison is eligible for parole after serving six. Months said a spokesman for the Baum older Legal Center. He is now in the army confinement facility in Mannheim and will be taken to fort Leavenworth kan., to serve the rest of the sentence. His Mother Bessie a single Parent from Ethel miss., described her Only child As a Quot hard workers who had always helped with living expenses. A i could depend on him. I still depend on him a she told Vick. Kennedy first served As an enlisted Sot Dier. He went to College and was commissioned under Roth while also serving in the Mississippi National guard. The 1st army div commander will review the Case before it is sent to the army court of military  Early out Cash May be heeded Gao says by Cindy Killion Washington Bureau Washington a More Bonus Money for Early outs May be needed to keep the draw Down going smoothly and avoid forced separations according to the general accounting office. L a in a special report to the Senate armed services committee the Gao said the defense department has succeeded in Quot minimizing turbulence for both the individual and the services during the draw Down because most troop reductions have been voluntary. The report however warned lawmakers that Congress May need to extend or increase financial enticements if it wants to keep luring service personnel to leave voluntarily. All incentive and Early retirement policies Are set to end at the close of fiscal 1995. Defense manpower specialists told the Gao that the number of voluntary separations is getting smaller each year because most who were inclined to depart have Al voluntary separations with bonuses fiscal year army Marina air Navy corps Fores total 1992 29.134 1993 12,205 1994 total 51, i 4,177 944 17.323 51.578 4.114 1.565 11.482 29.366. 6.581 700 503 18.329 14, 3,209 29.308 99,273 nun mrs lion aft Praise Lens Mol june 1893 these figures the number of people leaving voluntarily is steadily decreasing. Therefore they said the services could be forced to begin More Invof Ontaiy discharges such As reduction in Force programs to meet the congressionally mandated strength level of 1.63 million personnel by sept. 30.1995. A a a a a s4s ready done so. A _. In fiscal 1993, the number of people leaving the services with exit bonuses dropped by 43 percent from the previous year. In 1992, 51,578 left compared with 29,366 in 1993. This year Only 18,329 Are expected to take exit bonuses. Even if projected Early retirements Are added into and that would contradict Congress desire to keep military departures voluntary. The other option personnel officials said in the report would be to further scale Back recruiting. That would meet the strength level requirements but in time would leave the military top heavy thus shrinking promotions and career options. Quot the Dod policy is to reduce the military forces maintain a High state of readiness treat people fairly. And consider How decisions of today will affect tomorrows Force a the report said. Therefore reducing the number of recruits today will Hurt the shape of the military tomorrow the Gao stated. Tap water still ruled unsafe for americans in Naples area by Marian Hamilton Mediterranean Bureau Naples Italy a american residents of military housing near Naples entered their seventh week of not being Able to use tap water on wednesday. A a a tests showing bacteria in the water at pin Tamare and Castel Volturno about 18 Miles North of Naples caused military authorities to declare the water undrinkable sept. 16, and a ban is still in effect at both locations. Residents have been drinking bottled water and getting their cooking water Ever since from two water containers a called Pedigo water buffaloes a parked in the Pineta Mare housing area. Military medical authorities still have not found the source of contamination said Navy it. Jon Smith it the Naples Public affairs office. Quot Wea a May never put  in the meantime he said a he command is going to err on the Side of Cau tion.�?�. Quot when the water is Safe then it the ban will be lifted a he said. Water restrictions in the military Community at Gaeta which started oct. 12, ended oct. 20 when no further signs of bacteria were found. Residents Are not so sure. Quot the longer the ban goes on the More rumours i hear a said Petty officer 2nd class Kathleen Pedigo. Quot in be even heard that they found the Corpse of a heroin addict in the water. I just wish they medical authorities would Tell us what a going on. A it s a hassle. I leave in three weeks and in a glad. My son has developed a Scalp problem. I think its because we use the water to Bathe  Quot basically its an inconvenience a said Diana Meier a resident of a Parco or residential area near the pin Tamare housing. A we done to even have a water Wagon in our area. We have to come Over  employees at a Small pizza parlor located in the housing area also use the water buffaloes. Quot for cappuccino we hooked a bottle up to a Hose on the machine that used to go to the City a water system then pumped potable water up into the a. S4s Marian Ham on a sign outside the pin Tamare housing area indicates the status of the water each Day. Chine a said Tony Picanzo who works at the restaurant. A for everything else we bring in buckets from the water Buffalo a he said. Other operations face tougher challenges. The pin Tamare dental clinic which used the same water source As the housing area has been closet since the beginning of the ban. Patients must use the dental clinic in Naples. Others like the medical clinic have been Able to keep their doors open. Quot the patients can to drink from the water fountains but otherwise we re doing of a said one clinic employee. Quot we just use bottled  authorities at Naples preventive Medicine office plan to continue testing. The italian landlord at pin Tamare is also working on the problem. Smith said even though the italians lifted their ban on the area m october