European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday july 29, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 Bill to ease Reserve Call up secretory could activate 25,000 to fill gaps by Mark Kinkade staff writer Heidelberg Germany a plan to give the defense Secretary authority to Call 25,000 reservists to Active duty could prevent critical Manning gaps said the assistant Secretary of defense for Reserve affairs. The measure recently approved by the House would allow the defense Secretary to Call the reservists to duty on or after the Day the president approves a military action. The measure must still be approved by the Senate. A a it a critical that on the Day the president approves a Mission that we activate the reserves a Deborah Lee said in an interview wednesday. A the measure would give us the Chance to do some Advance planning and budget our Money a Lee said. A the plan would allow us to get Access to critical units and people on Short currently Reserve forces can be called to Active duty Only by presidential order Lee said. The House version of the measure which is now before Congress As part of the defense authorization Bill a is a modified form of the Pentagon a original request Lee said. The original plan would have allowed the defense Secretary to Call up the forces when he deemed necessary without a presidential mandate. Operation desert storm in the persian Gulf showed that the defense department needs the ability to activate reservists without a formal presidential Call up she said. During the 1991 persian Gulf War Lee said the Pentagon had to rely on Volunteer reservists to fill key roles while Active duty troops deployed. That created a critical shortfall in Manning and troop support she said. The shortfall Wasny to remedied until after president Bush formally called thousands of reservists to Active duty. Up exercise by Mark Kinkade staff writer its on again soldiers from the 3rd inf div will join russian counterparts in a military exercise in Russia in mid september according to a division spokesman in Wurzburg Germany. A they 3rd inf div soldiers Are pretty keyed up. They were a Little disappointed when it got red flagged in july a said the spokesman master sgt. Roger Teel. Russian defense minister Pavel Grachev announced thursday that the exercise the first joint event of its kind to be held on russian soil was Back on. About 250 3rd inf div soldiers will join an equal number of russian troops from the 27th guards motorized Rifle div in the six Day peacekeeping exercise. The exercise also is designed to develop military skills for a operations other than War and promote Post cold War military cooperation Teel said. The deploying units include co c of the 15th inf regt a 1st in based in Schweinfurt Germany As Well As artillery Engineer Armor Headquarters and infantry units Teel said. The exercise is scheduled to be held in the Totsk proving grounds in the ural mountains. Totsk was the site of the soviet unions first atomic bomb tests 40 years ago. Teel said the division was tapped in 1993 by Gen. Colin l. Powell then chairman of the joint chiefs of staff to join the russians in such an exercise. Original plans called for the exercise in july but the plan was scrapped when russian hard liners in the lower House of parliament the Duma and Totsk residents objected according to Media reports. After a four Day scenario of peacekeeping operations the two armies Are scheduled to review training results and participate in sports and marksmanship activities Teel said. A this is a Good culturally enhancing event a Teel said. Concerning other Pentagon budget matters Lee said that Reserve forces Are beginning to see the end of the draw Down and that the spending plan should boost Reserve readiness. A a we re in Good shape next year a Lee said. A utne budget fully funds. Operations and maintenance at a level we re comfortable Lee did not say what the Reserve budget Calls for. Previous draw Down actions threatened reservists ability to react to changing missions on Short notice Lee said. As Lee a result the forces readiness was nearly crippled. From fiscal 1992 to 1994, virtually every Reserve component suffered cuts in training readiness and operations funding Lee said. For example when con Gross allowed the army Reserve to increase Manning the Force was $13.6 million Short in funding according to a 1994 report on the Reserve forces. As a result the Reserve Cut Back on maintenance operations and Supply purchases. A the old base Force plan Cut across the reserves and Active duty forces like a Salami slice a Lee said a now we have a proportional reduction of Reserve to Active duty forces and both sides share the sacrifice. Before the reserves were taking a lot of hits that hampered the Way we did our a Lee also said vets memories a benefits for reservists remain sound. Lee described the Reserve retirement plan As a Rock solid and said reservists should see better Access to medical facilities under pending health care legislation. She also said she is returning to Washington d.g., with a mandate from reservists in Europe to gain Access to exchanges and commissaries. Under the status of forces agreement reservists in Europe done to have Access to the exchanges and commissaries. The 7th army Reserve come is pushing an initiative that would give reservists unlimited Exchange Access and 12 commissary visits each year. A reservists Are involved in Many of the military a humanitarian missions overseas. Although Reserve forces Haven to been called up to participate in aiding rwandan refugees some Reserve equipment is being used and Many reservists Are volunteering to join the Effort. Reserve forces Are helping with the Airlift of food and supplies to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Many volunteered for service in Somalia Lee said. A a we re seeing More reserves in every contingency a Lee Saiof. A a they re filling important roles and Are making vital Lee was in Germany on a european review of Reserve operations. For example in Rota Spain she was part of a defense advisory committee Board reviewing the role of women in the military. She also visited reservists serving in military to Mili tary Exchange programs in Slovenia and was scheduled to take part in a committee meeting on nato reserves in Brussels Belgium on thursday. Lee also met with reservists in Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg. During Battle of Britain reunion by Nancy l. Torner . Bureau Raf Alconbury England a Battle of Britain reunion saturday will Mark the 54th anniversary of the Royal air forces defense of England from the German Luftwaffe during world War in about 106 veterans including some americans have been invited to attend the reunion at Raf Alconbury said Robin Hayden the British defense ministry a Airfield manager at Alconbury. A against overwhelming Odds the Young men in the spitfires and hurricanes took to the air in 1940 and began the greatest conflict in the history of Aerial warfare Quot said Malcolm Smith a local British historical writer and honorary Liaison officer for the Battle of Britain fighter association. The first such reunion was organized in 1970 by . Air Force col. Ward Boyce who was then a lieutenant stationed at Raf Alconbury Smith said. Boyce became interested in the history of the Battle during his tour in England and decided to organize a Barbecue to Honor veterans of the conflict. A from this Small beginning a Celebration has been held annually by the air Force at Alconbury to commemorate the 1940 Campaign a Smith said. This will be the last year the americans can play Host to the reunion because the runway and other parts of the base will be returned to the British defense ministry in september 1995. Among other events a which include an aircraft display a the veterans will be flown by . Aircraft Over some of the airfields they used in 1940. Officials also hoped to have aircraft Fly Over the Cliffs of Dover which Hayden said would be a particularly nostalgic moment for the veterans a when they saw the White Cliffs of Dover they knew they were Home a Hayden said. The Aerial skirmishing was triggered in August 1940 when the German air Force began bombing airfields in Southern and Eastern England with the intent of establishing air superiority a although British aircraft were outnumbered 3-to-l of tuft British pilots sprint to their fighters during the Battle of Britain which will be remembered saturday at Raf Alconbury England. And Britain suffered heavy casualties the country still managed to put a heavy Dent in Germany a air Power Smith said. Joining the British Crews were seven Volunteer american pilots. Only one of the americans survived the War. The most heated Battle was waged sept. 15, 1940. Radar screens showed a heavy concentration of aircraft Over Northern France which led British officials to believe an invasion was imminent Smith said. Many British and american pilots already were flying five to six sorties a Day and on sept. 15 the entire fighter comic including its reserves took to the air. By the end of the Day the German air Force had lost scores of aircraft and Germany a plans to destroy the Royal air Force had failed Smith said. A if it Hadnot been for them the British veterans wed probably be talking German a Hayden said. A and if it Hadnot been for them there have been a
