European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vol. 53, no. 33 500  Friday May 20,1994 d 8693 a Oaks plans to retire july 1 by Chuck v1nchwashington Bureau Washington a Gen. Robert g. Oaks the Man who led . Air forces in Europe through the tumultuous and unprecedented military draw Down will retire july 1, the air Force announced thursday. The 58-year-old Oaks will leave with More than 35 years of Active service from his Post As commander of Safe and Allied air forces Central Europe which he has held for nearly four years. No replacement has been named. Oaks is a command Pilot who has logged More than 4,000 flying hours including 300 hours in combat he flew 188 missions in f-100 aircraft see Oaks on Page 2 gravely ill Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has left a new York Hospital and returned to her Manhattan apartment after doctors said they can do no More to treat the former first lady a cancer. See Story on Page 5. Navy Aims to curb family separation by Gilbert a. Lewthwaite. Baltimore Sun a Norfolk a. A straining under Pentagon cutbacks . Military commanders Are trying to spare their troops Long family separations As they respond to expanding global crises. The defense department is determined not to repeat the experience of the last major defense draw Down in the. Late 1970s, that Era produced what the Pentagon Calls a a hollow Force a undermanned poorly equipped and demoralized. A we did no to have enough people to do the Job and As we tried to do the Job we ran them into the ground a said adm. Mike Boorda the new. Chief of naval opera House panel oks $81 million for 13 tons. A we got into a really terrible situation. Number one of my priorities is not to let that happen  at Atlantic Fleet Headquarters in Norfolk officers Are trying to maintain readiness while keeping sailors from being at sea too Long. They Are stationing ships abroad and flying Crews out to them to reduce transit time making More use of a Reserve aircraft Carrier stretching intervals Between maintenance so More ships Are available and asking Allied navies to do More. A a we have a great Navy a Boorda said in his first message to the.481,971 sailors he commands. A but As it gets smaller it simply cannot get in an operation Mode see Boorda on Page 2 m by Chuck Vinci Washington Bureau Washington a despite the continued draw Down and the consolidation of overseas bases the House armed services committee was relatively generous in approving military construction projects in Europe next fiscal  committees $262 billion defense authorization Bill for fiscal 1995, which is now being debated by the full House includes $81 million for All 13 specified construction projects in Europe that the defense department bad requested. On the list Are such Quality of life proposals As new child development centers in the United kingdom and Germany and new Bachelor quarters in the United kingdom and Italy. A the strongest recruiting and readiness tool the armed forces can provide is a decent working and living environment Quot stated the explanatory report accompanying the committee Bill. Committee members praised the defense department for its attention to Quality of life projects in its construction request. A the services have done a commendable Job and made costly Trade offs to program important Quality of life initiatives a the report said. A projects in this years see House on Page 2 Safe Haven a rwandan refugee stands bundled against the cold at a Camp in Tanzania As fighting continued inside the country. A barrage of shelling reportedly killed 30 people in a Hospital in the capital. See Story on Page 5. Irs restoring 4 tax i moves by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a the internal Revenue service will restore the tax free status of four military moving allowances inadvertently eliminated by Congress last year. A this policy reversal by the Treasury department. Will lift a hardship that was heedlessly imposed on americans who serve in the military and their families Quot said sen. Phil Gramm a Texas. Gramm and sen. John Mccain r-ariz., introduced legislation last week that would have required the irs to change the tax code. That legislation is no longer necessary since the Revenue service is making the change voluntarily. O at Issue Are four military allowances a dislocation and move in housing allowances the temporary lodging entitlement and the temporary lodging allowance. The stateside the and the overseas la reimburse service members and their families for the costs of staying in temporary quarters while seeking permanent housing at a new duty station. Dislocation and move in housing allowances Are meant to defray incidental costs associated with setting up a new household a phone connection charges or pet transportation costs for example. Last years deficit reduction Law stripped the tax deductible status of Many routine moving expenses and made them part of a taxpayers Gross income for filing purposes. Also affected a inadvertently a were the Foursee irs on Page 2