European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 2, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday May 2, 1994 movers Awag plans meeting of the minds from the stars and stripes / Page 3 by Effie Bathen staff writer the Earth May tremble a bit in bad Kissinger Germany this month when about 400 of the most influential women in american military communities in Europe get together. American women s activities Germany or Awag has scheduled its 38th annual conference for May 1519, and the Pace is expected to be so hectic that the Delegate handbook advises pregnant women to Check with their physicians before attending. Those attending Are a the movers and the shakers a said publicity spokeswoman Kathleen Mcelwee. Representatives not Only from Germany but also from other european countries will attend. A people done to really appreciate what Awag is about a Mcelwee said. It offers leadership and organizational training for women who Are Active in their communities but who Are not paid or May not have formal training. Typical members Are officers and noncommissioned officers wives who Are Community club leaders. A a. V  v a although the organization is not political it provides an Opportunity to network with a Strong influence Ort interpersonal development Mcelwee said. The group frequently offers its members direct Contact with Washington policy makers european program directors and Star studded  years conference will include seminars on All facets of military life from medical educational and service issues to marriage. In addition the senior women members Mentor younger less experienced ones such As first time Percsi dents or leaders of groups at All unit Levels. A wag s members Range from the family members of major army air Force and Navy commanders to those of air listed service members Mcelwee said. A few parties 5 Are men. -1 a Quot a a a a / members of Awag generally belong to other organizations that shape policies that affect people in military communities. A a. A Awag chairwoman Kathy Winsor for example was among 135 delegates who participated in an army family action plan conference held near Washington last fall. One recommendation they forwarded to the army a vice chief of staff was to safeguard commissary benefits. A a a a familiar face at the Awag conference will be Sydney Hickey of the Washington based National military families association who will share the inside scoop on congressional happenings. She is the no fax a associate director for government relations. That group was instrumental in or. Edward d. Martins january visit to medical facilities across Europe. He is the Secretary of defense for health  within two weeks of his departure Martin had allocated several million dollars to provide More patient liaisons with Host nation hospitals. He also approved funding for a one year Extension for the army Hospital communities at Vicenza Italy that was to close this year. Another speaker at the May conference will be Carolyn Becraft Deputy assistant Secretary of defense for personnel support families and education. Gen. George a. Joulwan natos commander in Europe is to be a key speaker. For the first time the conference will include members of family support groups. These command sanctioned groups were spawned during the 1991 persian Gulf War for family members when Europe based troops deployed to the desert Awag traditionally has been open to members of women a organizations such As officers wives and spouse clubs. There Are no membership fees for the Volunteer organization. The nonprofit organizations meeting is funded through its own administrative funds and donations from corporate sponsors. Generally funds Are raised through donations and sales of its publication never a Dull moment a combination travel survival guide to  years meeting received some $3,000 in corporate sponsor funds. Mcelwee declined to say How much was donated this year except that it was a upped  the delegates Are sponsored financially by their individual communities. The conference is open to members and invited guests v a a commutes from Page 1 special operations come 20 air Force Gen. Ronald r. Fogleman chief of the transportation come 19 former defense Secretary Les Aspin 15 and Gen. Colin a Powell former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff 15. Pentagon spokesmen defend the trips citing tight schedules and responsibilities of managing far Flung multimillion Dol Lar enterprises employing hundreds of thousands of people. Sullivan a spokesman it. Col. Douglas Coffey said his Boss prefers helicopters to ground vehicles in part because he sometimes carries a classified material that needs the Security of airborne travel. Pentagon officials also noted that military pilots Are required to Fly regularly to remain qualified so they say the pilots might As Welt perform a useful service while doing so. V a i think its a Cost effective use to move those High level folks a said air Force it. Col. Temple Black a spokesman for Andrews. Their schedules Are real tight and the decisions they make Are impacting National  at the same time some critics take of which favors smaller defense budgets. Moreover president Clinton has made a Point of cracking Down on perceived excesses in government travel habits asserting in a feb. 10,1993, memo a the taxpayers should pay no More than absolutely necessary to transport government officials. The Public Shoi ild Only be asked to fund necessities not luxuries for its Public servants. At the Pentagon the presidents memo found its Way to executive Secretary Robert p. Mcaleer who reminded senior defense department civilians in an oct. 27 memo that a government aircraft will Only be used in unusual  in practice however the presidents directive seems to have had Little effect on How the Pentagon manages its helicopter Pool a convenience available to almost no one else in government save army Gen. Gordon r. Sullivan holds last years Pentagon record for local helicopter travel. I think its a Cost effective Usta to move those High level folks their schedules Are real tight and the decisions they make Are impacting National policy v Quot. A air Force u. Col. Temple Black sense at the sight of military helicopters chugging up and Down the Potomac River on Short trips especially at a time when uniformed leaders fret openly about the effect of spending cuts on combat readiness and morale. Although they might seem trivial in the context of a $263 billion annual defense budget such expenditures can resonate with the Public just As stories of $600 coffeepots came to symbolize the defense contracting excesses of the 1980s, according to John Isaacs president of Council for a liable world the president. A a it san Issue of efficiency a said Perry a spokeswoman Kathleen Delaski. A the amount of time it takes to go by ground is sometimes prohibitive. These trips usually leave at Rush  in part Pentagon officials seem to use helicopters simply because they have ready Access to them. Service is provided to the Pentagon by the army aviation unit at fort Belvoir va., the air forces 1st helicopter so at Andrews and the Marine corps hmx-1 so at Quantico va., the same unit that flies the president Between the White House and Andrews or Camp David my. Each Squadron performs a variety of missions and the Pentagon docs not budget separately for local helicopter travel so figuring its Overall Cost entails some Guesswork. But a Quick look at one hypothetical trip shows Why the Cost easily runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Say a senior official requests transportation from the Pentagon to Andrews and the army unit at fort Belvoir is detailed to provide it. The helicopter a typically a twin engine uh-60 Black Hawk a flies from fort Belvoir to the Pentagon from the Pentagon to Andrews and returns to Belvoir. A y each of those three legs averages �?o1520 minutes depending on weather and air traffic control delays a according to a written estimate provided by the army for an Overall flight time of nearly an hour by a a /. A by y a a a Black Hawk costs $1,338 per hour to operate according to the army. Pentagon officials also can use helicopters that Cost even More per hour to Fly such As the Marine corps vh-3 $2,380 and ch-53e $3,303 based at Quantico. Although High ranking officials throughout the administration can Tho Retic Allysse the helicopters if they have a Good reason most seem to make do without them. Secretary of state Warren Christopher for example travels to Andrews from his office by car. As does attorney general Janet Reno spokesmen said the Only other senior administration official who routinely helicopters to Andrews is the president. Even then most of the travelling White House staff rides there in a  according to a spoke Swo  Quot / / a a a a a Quot Quot some High ranking Pentagon officials question whether the  is Worth its Price. For example adm. Frank b. Kelso ii who retired last month As chief of naval operations never used a helicopter for trips to Andrews or other local destinations preferring his car and Driver a spokesman said. Gen Carl e. Mundy jr., the Marine corps commandant and Gen. Merrill a. Mcpeak the air Force chief of staff also prefer to drive to Andrews spokesmen said. Israel Plo ironing out Cairo Egypt apr israeli and Plo negotiators met sunday to conclude a plan for palestinian self Rule in the Gaza strip and Jericho. Both sides expressed Confidence that they can Settle remaining disputes before tuesday night when Plo chief Yasser Arafat and israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin arc to meet before the expected signing of an agreement wednesday. The chief israeli negotiator maj. Gen. Amnon Shahak brushed past reporters As he entered the talks saying Only a wait until wednesday v everything will be  / / a a a khat cd Al Mudra one of the palestinians negotiating Legal issues said the two sides would be drafting the final wording of the agreement. "1 think we re near the end and i think Well finish a he said. The two sides have been negotiating for More than six months to implement their Accord of last sent 13 calling for Israel to withdraw from the Gaza strip and West Bank town of Jericho to make Way for limited palestinian autonomy. Pope sounds Strong in recorded message Rome apr Pope John Paul ii had a slight fever sunday two Days after hip surgery but doctors were pleased with his Progress and his voice sounded Strong in a recorded message for May Day. Patients a some in bathrobes Banda. Is or hooked to intravenous devices a came out on balconies of the Gimelli polyclinic to hear the Pope keep his traditional sunday noon appointment with the Public although he did not come to the window of his Hospital room. His message was broadcast on loudspeakers outside the Hospital As Well As in St. Peters Square. The Pope 73, had the top of his thigh Bone replaced with a plastic and Metal prosthesis during surgery Friday. He broke the Bone in a fall thursday in his bathroom