European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Vol. 53, no. 195 500 saturday october 29,1994 d 8693 a is Kon Gao go president Clinton greets sgt. Raymond Stevens Middle and sgt. 1st class Larry Rettig who Are perched on their my Abrams tank during Clinton s visit to the kuwaiti desert on Friday. The two soldiers Are assigned to co a 3rd in 69th army regt from fort Stewart a. Gis Home for holidays Clinton hints by Vince Crawley staff writer tag Assembly area Liberty Kuwait meeting 1,400 . Troops in the kuwaiti desert Friday president Clinton told them what they wanted to hear when he hinted they will be Home by Christmas. Accompanied by frequent whoops and shouts of Hookah from the troops the president praised their rapid deployment to fend off this month s Border crisis in Kuwait. As he finished and began stepping away from the desert camouflaged podium gis in the ranks started shouting when Are we going Home Clinton returned to the microphone and said Don t forget to go Christmas he then descended into the crowd for handshakes with applauding troops while a Loudspeaker played born in the .a. About 9,000 ground combat troops Are among the 28,000 who were deployed to the persian Gulf Region for the crisis which has evolved into a training exercise following Iraq s withdrawal from the Border. Pentagon officials speaking to the Washington Post confirmed that the air Force plans to station 24 ground attack aircraft in Kuwait permanently. The proposed aircraft a-10 Thunderbolt us Are noted for their tank killing ability. The Squadron of a-10s will come from Pope fab in North Carolina. In response to this month s crisis Pentagon officials said they Are also negotiating to add pre positioned equipment for two More combat brigades in the Region enough combat Power for 12,000 troops. In addition to the brigade s Worth of equipment already in Kuwait a see Home on Page 2 enlisted ranks granted Extension on rations pay by Cindy Killion Washington Bureau enlisted service members now can keep their separate rations when deployed on humanitarian or peacekeeping opera Clinton told . Forces in Kuwait on Friday that he had signed an executive order redefining Field the new definition which took effect Friday says service members May be placed on temporary duty orders even while engaged against a hostile Force. In the past enlisted service members had to forfeit their rations pay which averages $200 a month tax free while deployed to operations under orders with troops against an Clinton s order aligns enlisted soldiers with officers who retain their rations pay of about $146 per month during real world operations. Enlisted soldiers will continue to lose their rations payments during Normal training deployments. Several months ago defense Secretary William Perry recommended that joint task Force commanders be allowed to see pay on Page. 2 Clinton pays to moving visit. Jerusalem a president Clinton visited Israel s memorial to the 6 million jews who died in the holocaust and said he hoped jews would never again be destroyed be cause of their race or their at the had Washem memorial Clinton Laid a Wreath Friday in the Hall of remembrance where the names of nazi death Camps Are etched on the Stone floor. During the Kaddish prayer for the souls of the dead he put on a Skullcap closed his eyes and bowed his head. The director of the memorial who has guided Many world leaders through its Halls said Clinton was particularly moved and asked Many questions. He was one of the More interested and warm visitors i have met director Avner Shalev said. Clinton in the Mideast to promote see visit on Page 2
