European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes monday june 13,1994 1 at a glance Sharon Pratt Kelly the first Black woman elected mayor of a major City announced her bid for re election in Washington . See Story on Page 6,High on education Astro n aut Bernard a. Harris j r. Has been emphasizing the importance of academic excellence to pupils at department of defense dependents schools in Germany. A Page 4grim look at slavery a history professor has been unearthing documents that he says debunk popular theories about slavery. A Page 6france plans buildup the French government has formulated a new doctrine to justify France s costliest military buildup. A Page 8paying on time an expanding Economy and Low interest rates helped keep mortgage delinquencies near a 20-year Low. A Page 14have a Nice Day a Man who wrote a Book urging people to commit random acts of kindness remains upbeat even after falling victim to a random act of Vio Jence. A Page 20 Index Abby Ann Landers .21 automotive. 10 classifieds. Comics. 18-19,21 commentary. 13 faces a no places 20 focus. Horoscope. Jumble. Letters. Money matters. 14 sports. 26-32 to listings. Weather. 11 Joel All euro d out but still Rockin by Christopher Albright staf writer Nurnberg Germany a on tour since last september Billy Joel said he was Quot All euro a out and ready to go Home. One of his last stops was to give a free concert to the military family in Europe in what one organizer called operation Billy Joel an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people crammed onto the grounds of soldiers Field for a two hour concert by Joel that was sponsored by the United service organizations. A this was great because people Are stressed out with the draw Down and they need a release a a Good place to eat and get together a said Kathrin Acosta of Rhein main a. Joel played a mix of older songs from his the stranger and 52nd Street Days and Cut across his nearly 30-year career with selections. A the played a lot of older music which he does no to do a lot anymore a said Bernard Brown of Simbach a. His closing song piano Man got the biggest reaction from the military crowd gathered on the Cloudy Chilly Day. �?o1 wanted him to play piano Man and i  believe it when he did. It touches me everywhere. It s almost spiritual a said Tina Raoul Cylc of Wurzburg. Joel who said his Grandfather was buried in Nairn Borg and his father was born Here teased the military audience about being away from Home so much As be is. A but i get paid a hell of a lot better than you Quot Joel said. During a song about the Vietnam War Good night Saigon the wars veterans took to the stage Esparto the tribute. A a it a not a song against Vietnam so much As it is a song for the soldiers who fought the War a said Melissa Smith of Nairn Borg. The 45-Ycar-Oid Singer mixed humor and sarcasm throughout his pieces. Some of the humor included colourful language a i done to appreciate the swearing and crude comments a said Jennifer Wicker of Ansbach a i do enjoy his music but he should have taken families into  the concert was arranged with the Uso and the local military Community. A a we had a relationship with Billy Joel. He wanted to do something with the military a said sue Brown Media and Public affairs coordinator for the Uso in Washington ., who was in Numberg on sunday. Brown said the military Community was a big help in getting a the right equipment the right venue the transportation and  Brown said that the concert was put together in about two weeks time. She said As part of the agreement Joel a equipment will be shipped to the United states space available on a c-5 Galaxy training flight. Vow from Page 1 committee said of the North koreans. North Korea says it would regard sanctions As an act of War and Mccain said the United states should dramatically beef up its military Force in South Korea. The move toward sanctions is in response to North koreans refusal to allow International inspectors to Check its nuclear facilities for possible diversion of nuclear fuel for a weapons program. North Korea is obliged to allow inspections under the nonproliferation treaty which it has signed Gallucci warned that it would be a a very dangerous new development if North Korea expelled the two International atomic Energy Agency inspectors in the country making it impossible to determine whether the North is extracting weapons Grade plutonium from spent fuel  being reprocessed. The Bottom line Mondale said is whether North Korea complies with the treaty and adheres to an agreement with South Korea to make their Peninsula nuclear free. If hat happens he said a then a Jot of Good things could  for sanctions to work the United states must get the cooperation of China North koreans main trading partner and supplier of Oil and Japan whose korean population provides North Korea with much of its hard currency. China a foreign minister Qian Niche said in talks with his japanese counterpart sunday that sanctions will not solve the problem and Ucan Only intensify the  but Qian made no comment on How China would respond if sanctions came up for a vote before the . Security Council. China has a vote As one of the five permanent members of the  from Page 1 the military to get Rich. But neither did they expect to have to go on welfare a military officials worry that a growing demand for food Stamps and other government assistance May signal larger personnel problems in a culture that preaches self Reliance and self discipline. The Overall number of troops on food Stamps is Small and difficult to measure because the government does not track military recipients. About 3 percent of the 1 7 million serv  qualify for food Stamps and 1 percent or about 17,000 personnel receive them monthly according to a 1992 study by the defense and agriculture departments. The agriculture department manages the food stamp program. Nonetheless the defense department said the total value of food Stamps redeemed at military1 commissaries increased to $27.4 million last year from $24,5 million in 1992. That included food stamp use by retired military recipients. Food donation Ceil amp ers Are bustling at bases from Hawaii to Florida. And in Georgia s Liberty county which serves l Ort Stewart 30 percent of the 2,400 households receiving food Stamps each month Are military families. Top military officials voice concern that Pentagon budget cuts to Quality of life issues such As pay could impair both morale and retention of service personnel. The Clinton administration tried to freeze military salaries for this fiscal year and increase them by Only 1.6 percent for the next year. Congress instead approved a 2.2 percent increase for this year and will probably approve a 2.6 percent raise for next year but neither raise will keep Pace with inflation which is about 3 percent. A we cannot expect service members to Lay their lives on the line when Back Home their families have to rely on food Stamps to make ends meet a said adm. William a. Owens the vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. The vast majority of service members on food Stamps Are sergeants or below in the army Marine corps and air Force and Petty officers or below in the Navy. The families usually have More than two children and the spouse does not work. Very few officers qualify for food Stamps. In a culture that promotes a fierce ethic of taking care of ones own soldiers reluctant embrace of food Stamps and other financial assistance has wounded military leaders. A a we be always told our soldiers that Well provide for them a Quality of life that sat least equal to the civilians for whom they serve a said sergeant Maior of the army Richard a Kidd the senior enlisted Soldier a it s getting Tough to do that  for most people who join the armed forces the lure is not Money but adventure education and patriotism. The military also offers Good medical and commissary benefits. But since 1982, the Gap Between civilian and military wages has widened to 13 percent and is projected to be near 20 percent by the end of the decade. The military wages include housing and other allowances. Meantime the rising Pace of deployments abroad is placing greater Strain on the shrinking number of service members and their families. A a there a Only so Long you can ask them to do More without recognizing it before people just Start to leave a said Sydney Hickey associate director of government relations for the National military family association in Alexandria a. In addition More Young people than Ever Are entering the military with spouses and children a and added financial burdens. Between 70 percent to 80 percent of All enlisted men and women earn less than 530,000 a year including housing and food allowances according to a Siudy by sen. John Occam r-ariz., a member of the Senate armed services committee. Among those 45 percent of the soldiers and 46 percent of the marines earn less than $20,000 a year. Mccain coined a new term for what he Calls these people a the new military  at Norfolk naval base in Virginia Petty officer 1st class Gary Benfield and his wife Suzanne said they and their four children a Ages 5 months to 7 years a. Rely on another Federal program for nursing mothers and children under 5, the women infants and children program for $100 a month in food coupons. Overall the value of wic coupons redeemed at military commissaries increased to $15.2 million last year from $12.4 million in 1992. A it bothers me because no employee of the Federal government should qualify for Federal assistance a Suzanne Benfield said. Eligibility for food Stamps is based on a combination of income other financial resources and household size. Federal officials say As Many As 40 percent of military families on food Stamps live in military housing. They qualify for Stamps because their incomes Are not raised above the cutoff by the housing and food allowances that service members living off base receive. Pentagon spokesmen say the Issue is not strictly pay but individual family circumstances. A we done to compensate people for having nine people in their family a said maj. Bill Buckner an army spokesman. Military officials say they encourage service members with financial problems to take advantage of food Stamps and a Range of other programs from emergency Loans to financial planning seminars. _ Many families however balk at stepping Forward for what they consider a handout. A a we be tried to identify them but they just done to come Forward a said air Force chief master sgt. Eddie Morgan the senior enlisted airman in the 33rd fighter Wing at Eglin fab in Florida. A a it a a Pride