European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 16, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse The 2s vol. 53, no. 213 500 wednesday november 16,1994 d 8693 a ready or not Dod asked lawmaker says by Chuck Vinch Washington Burea Washington in what May be the opening Salvo in the Immi nent debate Over defense budget priorities the incoming Republican chairman of the House armed services committee has questioned Pentagon assurances about the High state of readiness of . " this administration is showing the classic symptoms of denial i claiming after two years of devastating budget cuts and significant Wear and tear on overextended forces that readiness is higher Thanet s Ever been said rep. Floyd Spence . Spence took exception. To statements made last month by Dep Uty defense Secretary John Deutch that the readiness of . Forces is even higher than it was just before victim s father blames of in in Coq Downing Byj Oconnor staff writer Wiesbaden a Germany capt. Cleon Bas says . Air Force incompetence contributed to the death of his son in a Friendly fire Downing Over Iraq and he wants Congress to examine the tragedy. I would very much like to see a congressional hear ing on this said the 18-year air Force Veteran adding that family members of others who died in the april 14 shooting of two . Armyuh-60 Black Hawk helicopters agree with him. Bass is the father of spec. Cor Nelius Anthony Bass a Soldier who was among the 26 people killed 15 of them americans when pilots of two air Force f-15s mistakenly fired on the two helicopters. There were no survivors. His son was assigned to v corps co a 5th ,158th aviation regt 12th aviation brigade at Wiesbaden. The Soldier was on temporary duty in support of see father on Page 4 the 1991 persian Gulf War Deutch said the deployment of troops to Haiti without incident and the recent rapid mobilization of forces in the Middle East follow ing new iraqi provocations prove that readiness is a letter this week to Deutch that Spence released tuesday the congressman said Deutch s View is sharply at Odds with the anecdotal evidence he has been hearing. The volume of evidence fro the Field is As Clear As it is unavoidable Spence wrote. ". Military units Are caught in the Early stages of a downward readiness spiral that shows no Prospect of easing in the foreseeable Spence noted that the . Deployment to the Middle East hardly represented a valid see ready on Page 2 Spence dedicated in memory \ " a "./.-. -. A v 848 of Etc a Cornelia Bass right helps her husband air Force capt Cleon Bass finish his speech after he became emotional at Wiesbaden a Germany on tuesday. Cleon Bass wants Congress to review the accidental Downing Over Iraq in which his son spec. Cornelius Anthony died. At left is capt Joane Mathews Cornelius Bass company commander. Players figure . Lotto has their number by Nancy . Bureau lottery fever has hit the unite kingdom. Tickets for the first National lot Tery went on Sale at 7 . Monday and can be purchased until 7 30 . The winning num Bers will be drawn about 30minutes later. The lottery system will be familiar to those who have played in the states said Tony Molloy part owner of the Beckrow newsagents in Beck Row just outside Raf Mildenhall. Molloy business is one of 10,000 locations see lotto on Page 4 is Dave Didio staff sgt. Penny Hodges based at Raf Lakenheath Marks her Choice on a lottery ticket at a new dealer s shop. Boo Rda says Cuis i n f meet to Hurt Mission capability by Michael r. Gordon new York times Washington As the rivalry among the military services has escalated the Navy s top Admiral is mounting a Campaign against plans to shrink the Fleet. This Effort takes place against the backdrop of growing anxiety within the Pentagon Over declining military spend ing but it also comes at a time when the republicans sweeping election victories last week have Given some military officials Hope that a number of cutbacks May be reversed. In comments to his aides . Mik Boorda the chief of naval operations since april has rejected his service s pre Vious plan to Speed up the retirement of ships and put aside Money for future shipbuilding. That plan would have left the Navy with 330 ships. Instead As the budget crunch has progressively intensified Boorda has said the Navy needs a Fleet of about 346 ships underscoring demands the Navy faces Asit shuttles warships Back and Forth among third world trouble spots Jar while at first glance this seems to be a debate Over 16 snips and the $240 million year it takes to operate them it also turns on fundamentally different visions of How to manage the Navy. Specifically the dispute centers on whether to put Money into preserving the Navy to Cope with the Brush fire wars of today or to shrink the Fleet and try to ear Mark those savings for the future. Since funds Are so tight even Small adjustments in the Navy s $78 billion budget this Yea rare significant. Boorda s strategy was summed up in. Bluntly worded memorandum written by rear . . Prout Iii a senior offi Cial of the Pacific Fleet who attended an off the record budget presentation by the Navy chief in september. The emphasis will be on demonstrating that we need More Force Structure to see Boorowa on Page 2
