European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 8, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday january 8, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3dod health official seeks data complaints about Access to care Spur meetings Martin by Steve scholar Kaiserslautern Bureau Heidelberg Germany a a a visiting defense department official said Friday that he is receiving increasing complaints from military retirees and civilians about the Lack of Access to . Medical care overseas. A maybe we Arentt doing something we should. But we hear you and that a Why we re Here a a said or. Edward d. Martin acting assistant Secretary of defense for health affairs. V. ,. A. Martin will hold the first of three town meetings in Europe at 7 . Today at the Haine Berg Chapel in Wiesbaden Germany. A there has been a real increase in concerns regarding health care. This is a fact finding trip a Martin said at a news conference in Heidelberg on Friday. The rising number of letters from military retirees and department of defense civilians living in Europe cites the Lack of Access to. Military health care facilities As something of a broken Promise. Health care concerns of Active duty family members also figured into his decision to visit Europe and discuss the current and projected health cafe situation Martin said. He attributed Many of the current difficulties for retirees and civilians in getting health care at military facilities to a changing role and the draw Down of the military Over the past several years. A we have changed from a peacetime health care system to a readiness health care system a Martin said. With that he added comes a priority and a funding system that places emphasis on heating Active duty military people and their family members first military retirees and Dod civilians in Europe have Long pressed for a change that would put them on a Par with Active duty family members for health care Access. But according to Martin its unlikely that change will occur soon. The other town meetings Are Vicenza Italy at 7 . Monday and at the officers club at Pitburg a Germany at 7 . Wednesday. Of postal thief Given 6 months by Kevin Dougherty Kaiserslautern Bureau an air Force postal worker was sentenced thursday to six months in jail for stealing credit cards from the mail. Airman Jeannette Gabriel a postal employee assigned to the 86th Mission support so at Ramstein a Germany pleaded guilty to each of the nine specifications against her said staff sgt. Barbara Lavigne a base spokeswoman. A panel of seven officers found Gabriel guilty at a general court martial thursday at Ramstein a. A t. A Quot Quot Gabriel who worked at Ramstein a Northside Post office admitted stealing four credit cards from mail envelopes Between March 1,1992, and dec. 9, 1992, said senior airman Phillip Ulmer a base spokesman. Stolen were two at amp to calling cards and a card each from Spiegel and Mastercard customers. With the Spiegel card Gabriel ran up a Bill of $1,035, Lavigne said. The Case included four charges of stealing from the mail two of obtaining services under false pretences two of attempted larceny and one of larceny Ulmer said. The panel of officers sentenced Gabriel to six months at the . Army confinement facility in Mannheim Germany. Gabriel also must forfeit $100 a month for six months drop in rank to airman Basic and receive a bad conduct discharge. Gabriel who joined the air Force in november 1991, could have received a maximum sentence of 40 years and six months in jail Lavigne said. Gabriel a military defense counsel requested a lighter sentence noting that she is eight months pregnant said maj. David Turner a base spokesman. It was not known what if any Impact the request had on the panel Turner added. Paratroopers from Vicenza heading to stateside training Vicenza Italy a amps a More than 700 . Army paratroopers from the 3rd in 325th inf regt at Vicenza will deploy monday for intensive training at fort Polk la. The move will bring to 900 the number . Paratroopers involved in the shift to the joint readiness training Center. An Advance contingent of 200 soldiers left Italy on thursday. The monthlong deployment will Mark the first time that a european based conventional unit has returned to the United states to train there said maj. Bob Mcelroy a spokesman for the army a Southern european task Force Headquarters at Vicenza. All the soldiers Are being flown out of Aviano a in Northern Italy aboard chartered civilian jumbo jets. The paratroopers will be tested on their ability to conduct warfare against a professional opposing Force while at fort Polk. Of in by Nancy l. Torner . Bureau Raf Lakenheath England the 493rd fighter so has been resurrected at its former Home in England. The air Force Squadron which inactivated at Raf Lakenheath in december 1992, was reactivated under the command of it. Col. Irv Halter in a ceremony Friday afternoon at the base. However the Squadron will not become fully operational until july 1, a base spokesman said. Although the Squadron designation is familiar its aircraft Are not. The Squadron featured Al 11 aardvarks when it inactivated. It now will be flying f-15c Eagle one seater fighter planes the spokesman said. The 493rd joins two other fighter squadrons at the 48th fighter Wing. Both the 492nd and the 494th fighter squadrons Fly f-15e eagles which Are primarily ground attack aircraft. The f-15cs Are designed for air to air combat the spokesman said. A matched with the f-15 e models already Here and with the air refuelling at Raf Mildenhall we have extreme capabilities a said capt. Lawrence Otto a Pilot with the 493rd. A a it a a unique Opportunity to build the first exclusive air to air Squadron at Raf  a total of 19 f-15cs will be assigned to the base along with two f-15ds, a two seater version of the f-15g the f-15ds primarily will be used for training the spokesman said. One c version and one d version of the Craft arrived at Lakenheath in november the spokesman said. The other 19 jets will begin arriving next week from Eglin fab Fla. Reactivation of the Squadron will increase base population by More than 600, most of whom will not arrive until later this month the spokesman said. Among the new personnel Are 27 pilots from Pitburg a Germany and soes Terberg a Netherlands. Both of those bases Are slated for closure. Other incoming personnel include aircraft maintenance technicians and logistics and support members. Some of them will come from Pitburg and soes Terberg the spokesman said. A a a a a a a a r a a  a a a a a a a a a a a a amps Dave Didio Brig. Gen. Kurt b. Anderson commander of the 48th fighter Wing at Raf Lakenheath England Speaks during a ceremony Friday to reactivate the 493rd fighter so. Officials probing death of Aviano airman Aviano a Italy a amps . Air Force and italian authorities Are investigating the death of an american airman whose body was found Friday at a local hotel. The name of the airman who was newly assigned to Aviano a was being withheld pending notification of rela Tives. His body was found in his room at Aviano Soliva hotel about 9 . By a co worker who reported the discovery to base Security police said staff sgt. Sandy Elijah a base spokeswoman. The airman was pronounced dead at 9 30 . By authorities. They said he died about 10 . Thursday