European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday april 30, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3high re enlistments tied to upheaval by Cindy Kilton Washington Bureau Washington a witnessing firsthand the social effects of turbulent governments is a prime reason that More soldiers Are choosing to remain in the service and Are asking to stay in Europe says the army a most successful retention sergeant. Sgt. 1st class Michael Thompson of the 1st personnel come in Schwet Zingen Germany was in Washington this week to receive the army a highest retention award from army Secretary Togo West or a a a a a a Thompson received the Honor because of the administrative improvements he a initiated within his command his efforts to a a revitalize the emphasis on re enlistment and the re enlistment percentages of the 1,500 soldiers assigned to his command. A a we re sitting at the front door of most of the problems the world has today a he said in an interview. Because of missions in Somalia Croatia and Macedonia a soldiers see and experience the purpose of serving in the military a Thompson said. Overall retention rates for the army Are Down but in Europe the percentages consistently exceed the army a average. Last year the . Army Europe surpassed army wide rates in All three major re enlistment categories first reenlistment careerist and re enlistment into the Active reserves said spokesman Jim boyle., Boyle said the army in Europe a re enlistment rates through april 1 of this fiscal year 6 percent ahead of army wide goals for careerists and 12 of percent ahead of goals for those re existing for the first time. Last years figures had the army in Europe 2 percent ahead of the whole army for career soldiers and 13 percent ahead for first time re enlistments. However the Overall picture is less optimistic. In fiscal 1993, about 75 percent of the army a eligible career soldiers signed up for another hitch compared with 93 percent of the eligible career soldiers who signed another contract in 1991, according to Pentagon figures. During congressional testimony two weeks ago the army a personnel chief it. Gen Thomas p. Carney said one reason for the re enlistment slide is that Many soldiers no longer feel there is a threat to . Security. Therefore they done to see a need to continue living the hardships of military life. Thompson said however a i can Sec How that could happen to those who Are serving stateside. But that a not the Way it is in Thompson also said that the draw Down shakeout has levelled off in Europe and that soldiers Are feeling More secure in their futures. Quot a few years ago a lot of midterm and career soldiers left a both voluntarily and involuntarily a he said. A those who left voluntarily just weren to seeing much of a future in the army. But that too has he said the soldiers who remain Are the a Quality troops the service is wooing to stay in. A we the re enlistment Counselor Are a lot More aggressive than we used to be. We want to keep the Good and he said those who want to stay in Are More aggressive too. A soldiers arc thinking ahead More these Days making their decisions to re enlist earlier in their eligibility window a he said. A if for some reason we done to Call them about re enlistment they Call us. Its really a whole new in a amps Michod Abrams John English 11, Center Jason Jones 12, standing and of the show with an. Disc jockey Andrea English. The Anthony Williams 11, say goodbye to listeners of Afna a morning in the studio was part of the month of the Mill am country show. The children co hosted fridays edition Tail Chilto observances which end s son investigated Over gun Kaiserslautern Germany a amps a the 20-year-old son of an army first sergeant is under investigation following his arrest for carrying a gun at a military sponsored carnival Ramstein a spokesmen said. The Man was arrested shortly before Midnight april 22 in the Vogel Weh Bowling Alley parking lot said air Force senior airman Phillip Ulmer a Ramstein spokesman. The gun was a 9 my pistol that was not registered with the . Army Europe. Authorities Are not releasing the Many a name because he has not been charged Ulmer said. A a he a 20-year-old dependent who recently arrived in the Kmic Kaiserslautern military Community a said maj. Dave Turner another base spokesman. The Man was attending the annual Spring carnival held in the parking lot Ulmer said. Either the police or someone in the crowd heard that he was carrying a gun. When police attempted to detain him he allegedly threw the gun under a trash dumpster. The gun was recovered and police took the Man into custody Ulmer said. The Man could face two charges carrying a concealed weapon and brandishing a weapon Ulmer said. He has been released into the custody of his sponsor. Ulmer said alcohol was not a Factor in the incident. The Only other arrest at the carnival occurred tuesday when a German Man was arrested for disorderly conduct and turned Over to German authorities/13 at Ramstein suspected in thefts from cafes Ramstein a Germany a amps a thirteen peo Jle including nine Active duty service members Nave it Een implicated in the theft of More than $50,000 North of merchandise from the army and air Force Exchange service according to a Ramstein news release Friday. Four cafes civilian employees seven airmen and to soldiers Are under investigation in the theft of Ste to computer and video equipment the release said. The four civilians were detained during the week of pril 11-15 on suspicion of theft the release said. The employees admitted to numerous thefts and implicated the nine service members who either were involved in the thefts or received the stolen merchandise. Authorities searched several residences and found stolen cafes property valued at Mote than $50,000, the release said. No other information was available late Friday. The arrests were made by agents from the air Force office of special investigations and cafes detectives. The investigation is being handled by Osi the army criminal investigation come and German police.. May boost troop strength in Macedonia by Joseph Owen Heidelberg Bureau the United nations has announced a pending Amer ican deployment of three helicopters and about 35 additional troops to Macedonia but the . European come said Friday that it had received no such orders yet. The aircraft and soldiers will come from the 3rd inf dives 4th aviation brigade stationed in Katterbach Germany said Valentina ban Delovska a spokeswoman for the United nations Protection forces command in the former yugoslav Republic. The move will be considered part of the current deployment of a 3rd inf div task Force to Macedonia As observers along some 50 Miles of the country a mountainous Border with Serbia dominated Yugoslavia. American manned observation posts Are in mountainous and undeveloped areas that take several hours to reach by Cross country vehicles a about 490 task Force troops Are already in the country said division spokesman maj. Michael Mckinney. The helicopters uh-60 Black Hawks will arrive in a c-5 Galaxy transport plane and will be used to Airlift supplies and troops ban Delovska said. The deployment to Petrovec Airfield near Skopje is a response to a Long standing . Request for additional helicopters to assist peacekeeping operations there. The soldiers to be deployed Are pilots Crew members and maintenance technicians ban Delovska said. The . Command anticipated the deployment by the end of this week but no immediate evidence of that was available in Germany. _ a we Haven to deployed anything yet a said Navy cmdr. Ronald Morse a spokesman for . European come he in Stuttgart. In the absence of deployment orders he said the command has no comment on the . Announcement. The entire task Force is scheduled to leave the tiny landlocked Balkan Republic in late care briefings scheduled in Frankfurt Frankfurt Germany a amps two briefings on medical care will be held at the Idle hour theater on the Abrams Complex in Frankfurt at 1 30 . Monday and May 6. Officials at the meetings conducted by teams from the . European come will discuss where to obtain medical care after the 51st combat support Hospital emergency room closes May 15, a Frankfurt military Community spokesman said. The Hospital in place since 19457 will close june 3. 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