European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 10, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vol. 52, no. 208 500 wednesday november 10,1993 i. D 8693 a Pentagon too Hasty with cuts Gao says by the los Angeles time Washington the nation s Mill Tail under orders from the president an Congress has been steadily reducing the number of service members on Active duty. However a new study by the Genera accounting office contends that the Down sizing has not gone entirely  investigative Arm of Congress noted for instance that the Pace of the cutbacks sometimes has outstripped pro posed changes in the Force Structure leaving some units uncomfortably under manned and others mismatched. And the Gao said there also Are con Cerns that the decision to hold Down the number of new recruits might leave the remaining Force top heavy with personnel in higher pay grades making it More costly to operate. So far the Pentagon has Cut the Force largely through incentives buy out programs similar to those offered by Pri vate companies that provide Lump sum payments or variable annuities to people who leave and reducing the number of recruits. Officials estimate that 99,000 see cuts on Page 2 s4s sask no org air Force maj. Gen. Vernon Chong Cente command surgeon for the . European come discusses the blood Supply tuesday at news conference la Heidelberg Ger Many. Listening Are army u. Col. Michael Newcomb left7th medical come s Medl Cal consultant and maj. Don flaps the command s blood program officer. Medical by Joseph Owen Heidelberg Bureau Heidelberg Germany the army has discovered at least 10,618 cases in which americans were treated in Ger Man hospitals where tainted blood plasma May have been available but officials downplayed the risks to those patients. . European come medical officers speaking tuesday at a news conference at the 7th medical come Headquarters i Heidelberg said they did not know How Many of those cases involved transfusions of blood products. And even most americans who May have had transfusions would not be in danger of his infection said army . Michael Newcomb the medical command s consultant. Plasma the Mai product known to have been contaminated with the human immunodeficiency virus usually is used to counter massive blood loss in emergencies he said. While the command can t ignore the risk of infection from the aids causing virus it does t think that there Are or have been a significant number of Ameri cans infected As a result of contaminated us plasma products said air Force maj. Gen. Vemon Chong the european come surgeon. Sea list of hospitals on Page 2 medical records May not include information about whether patients received transfusions officials said. Americans concerned that they May have received tainted blood products in German hospitals while affiliated wit the . Forces should seek evaluation and possibly tests at a . Military medical facility the european come said. German government officials shutdown the Koblenz based us plasma company oct. 28 after discovering that the company had not tested its products properly for the presence of the aids virus. Several news reports have alleged that the company allowed shipments oxblood products contaminated with the virus. The improperly tested products in clude Only fresh Frozen plasma cry pc Capitate and coagulation Factor concen trates according to the 7th medical come. Platelets and red blood cell concentrates Are not affected. The risk to patients treated in army hospitals is even More minuscule than see risk on Page 2 Home Sweet Home can turn sour for returning americans by Nancy . Bureau Raf Mildenhall England people who taken assignment overseas understand that they re going to be foreigners when they get , most Aren t aware that after a tour or two in Europe they can feel nearly As foreign when the move Back to the states As they did when they arrived overseas. People Don t realize that they re going culture Shock said Kim grooms relocate to encounter location assistance program manager with the family support Center Straf Mildenhall. Grooms conducts seminars periodically to give peo ple who Are going Home some tips on coping with re turn  program was started by the family support Cen Ter because of reports from government relocation personnel in the states that people needed to be better prepared for returning to the United states grooms the biggest myth about returning stateside is that everything is going to be great. Grooms said. Things Don t always measure up to the memories of Home that peo ple conjure up while they re overseas she said. I m not trying to disillusion you. But it May not be continued on Page 3 witnesses place adm. Frank b. Kelso ii at the Rowdy tall Hook scene museum preserves the unusual and unorthodox \ in human beings / see Page 17