European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday september 22, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3$40 billion Gap seen in Dod funds Washington a the Clinton administration estimates its Long term defense spending plan will Cost about $40 billion More than what will be available a top Pentagon official said tuesday. Deputy defense Secretary John Deutch said the administration has not yet devised a plan for How to close the Gap in its defense spending plans for fiscal years 1996 through 2001. A your estimate is that Over this period we Are about $40 billion Short a Deutch told the Senate armed services committee. The key question occupying defense planners and White House budget officials he said is a does the department of defense have enough Money to fulfil its missions it has been assigned both in the Short run and in the Long run a about $11 billion of the $40 billion defense budget Gap represents higher military pay raises for the next five years than president Clinton has anticipated approving. Quality of life improvements such As better military housing As Well As moving up the Date of Cost of living increases for military retirees add up to about $7 billion. Increases in army Readi. Ness funds add another $3 billion. The rest consists of $15 billion in future estimated inflation costs and More than $5 billion to pay for higher pay raises approved in past years by Congress Deutch club opens after renovation by j. King Cruger Northern Italy Bureau Aviano a Italy Sabre Hall Aviano Abs officers and enlisted club reopened tuesday evening after five months of extensive renovation. More than 500 members of Aviano a military Community turned out to tour the facility and help themselves to a lavish and free Buffet. Sabre Hall was gutted at the Start of the renovation project. During the time it was closed the burgeoning Aviano Community had to make do with Falcon Hall another club that houses a sports bar and a noontime dining facility. Falcon Hall now will be reserved As an enlisted Annex at All times except during lunch time according to Joe Jones manager of the clubs. A eighty percent of the work at Sabre. Hall was carried out by members of Avi anon a 31st civil Engineer Squadron assisted by some try folks. Only work on the bars and the Kitchen was contracted out a Jones said wednesday. The renovation which Cost More than $300,000, outfitted the club with new bars lighting carpeting and a women a restroom As Well As a state of the Art sound and video system Jones said. In addition the clubs ballroom which used to seat 200, was expanded to a com mod ate 275 people. Sabre Hall will be open seven Days a week with a dining facility for All ranks and separate lounges for enlisted and officer members. A with separate lounges in Sabre Hall enlisted members will not be authorized entry to the officer lounge and vice versa a Jones said. On fridays Sabre Halls ballroom will be reserved for officers from 5 to 10 . On some occasions entertainment for enlisted members May be offered at the club after 10 . A a is amps Ron Jonson Dobromir Neikov a chief warrant officer 4 in the . Army survived a harrowing escape from communist Bulgaria in 1965. A daring dash to Freedom bulgarian defector s escape led him to . Army career by Ron Jensen Niernberg Bureau Augsburg Germany a succeed or die. Dobromir Neikov allowed himself Only those two options when plotting his escape from communist Bulgaria. On a summer Day in 1965, it looked like the latter would be his Fate. He was in a greek wheat Field. A bulgarian Border guard prepared to squeeze the trigger on the ak-47 pressed against Neikov a stomach. A it was like in the movies a said Neikov a chief warrant officer 4 with the 5th military intelligence co. A i did see my whole life Flash before my the world was at War when Neikov was born in a Village in Northern Bulgaria. It was March 13, 1942. Peace brought the communists. Farms became collectives. Resisting peasants were beaten or shot. Busts of Stalin a a the steel Leader a were everywhere including the schools where Neikov Learned the glories of the socialist system. Neikov Learned enough to know he wanted to leave. In june 1960, he and his older brother planned their escape. On a trip to Czechoslovakia the two siblings left the train in Belgrade the capital of Yugoslavia and walked to the american embassy where they requested Asylum. Impossible they were told. As they left the embassy they were arrested by the yugoslavian state Security and questioned for one month before being returned to Bulgaria. Once inside Bulgaria Border guards beat Neikov and his brother. He said the interrogation lasted for three months before they were sentenced at the Peoples Palace of Justice in Sofia. Both were imprisoned but because of the presence of East West detente the sentences were lighter than expected. Neikov was released in january 1961 and returned to his Hometown. Eight months later he was drafted into the army. The brother returned Home a few months later and remained in Bulgaria. In june 1965, Neikov an underwater diver for the army was recruited for a Job near the greek Border. The Border consisted of two fences trip flares and guard towers every 1,000 Yards or so each manned by two guards. He was to repair a pump beyond the first Fence. When Neikov was released from prison his Mother had urged him to continue his efforts to escape. She was the one who told him succeed or die. After passing through one Border Fence with the repair Crew Neikov suddenly bolted from the truck in which he was Riding. The second Fence a the last Barrier to Freedom a was about 100 Yards away a when i ran and jumped Over the Fence a in a a Short Guy a i probably set the world record for the High jump a he said. Once Neikov reached Greece the bulgarian Border guards in a nearby Tower finally spotted him. Their bullets pelted the dirt around him As he zigzagged through a Cornfield. He reached a wheat Field and Dove to the ground exhilarated by the thought that he had succeeded. A voice suddenly ordered him to raise his hands. He turned to Sec a bulgarian guard standing Over him with an automatic weapon. Succeed or die. Neikov a life passed before him. He also envisioned the future. A when the Guy put his ak-47 in my stomach i saw the interrogator at the Central prison saying a see we got you again a Neikov said. Die or succeed. Neikov moved 3uickly to push the gun away. As he id the guard fired. The bullets went into the ground below Neikov sarm. He wrestled the gun away from the guard. Neikov pointed it at his pursuer and planned on pulling the trigger. The guard pleaded for his life and called for his turned and ran toward Freedom. He had succeeded. He would not die. Had he not been successful a most probably i would have been put in prison for 2 years a he said. A whether i could have survived for those 20 years i done to on june 11, 1966, Neikov was aboard a ship that passed beneath the statue of Liberty in new York Harbor. Neikov a career in the . Army began in november 1969. He has been a member of some of the army a most demanding units including the rangers the special forces and both the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions he wears their patches on his uniform attracting the attention of soldiers who do not know his background. In his assignment he is a linguist using his abilities in bulgarian macedonian Serbo croatian and russian. He has visited Bulgaria several times since the fall of communism. His Mother died Long ago Happy and proud of her songs escape. His father died soon after a reunion with his son. Neikov is today deployed to Macedonia. He recently returned from Zaire where his experience not his language was needed. Pfc. Christian Nassif was an interpreter in Zaire working under Neikov. He said that within a few hours after hitting the ground a chief a As he is known had the unit up and rolling. A a he a one of the Guys that i respect regardless of his rank a Nassif said. Capt. Christopher Winne entered the Augsburg based company about the same time As Neikov More than one year ago. A the adds a lot to the unit because of his unique experience a Winne said. A a he a a Superb Mentor for the younger Neikov is known for his upbeat disposition Winne said. A the lives life to its fullest a the Captain said a and appreciates every Day he has in Neikov 52, has a wife Cynthia and a 15-month-old son Alexander Dobromir. He will retire next year
