European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 14, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday january 14, 1995 the stars and stripes Page 3 1 we Force new by Kevin Dougherty Kaiserslautern Bureau. The commander of the 17th air Force maj. Gen Eugene d. Santarelli is leaving Europe next month to become director of operations for Pacific air forces . Air forces in Europe announced Friday stepping in to replace Santarelli is maj. Gen. Charles r. Hefly Bower who is the air Force director of programs and evaluation at the Pentagon. Hafl Bower is responsible for the oversight of the air Force program manpower and organization. A Veteran of More than 27 years Heflebower a a career includes stints in Southeast Asia and Europe. He served one tour in the Vietnam War flying reconnaissance missions and two Tours at rams Cin a Germany his last assignment at Ramstein was from March 1978 to july 1981, a decorations include the legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster the distinguished flying Cross and the meritorious service medal with four Oak Leaf 17th air Force is the largest operational numbered air Force in Safe with More than 26,000 personnel. Its area of responsibility is Central Europe. Santarelli 50, has served As 17th air Force commander since september 1993. His new assignment will take him Halfway around the Globe from Sembach a Germany to Hickam fab a Hawaii. A a Quot y Yyi a a. The announcement comes a month after san Tarelli dismissed All criminal charges against it. Col. Randy w. May one of two f-15c pilots who shot Down two army helicopters Over Iraq last april. All 26 people aboard the helicopters died including 15 americans. While May was charged with negligent homicide and dereliction of duty capt. Eric a. Wickson the other f-15c Pilot was not charged. Because he is 17th air Force commander and thus its convening authority for All court martial cases Santarelli became a principal player in the May Case. Technically it was his decision whether to take court action against the pilots and the commanders on the ground. None of the commanders was charged despite harsh criticism in a defense department inquiry. Santarelli has declined to discuss the Case with the Media. \ a there is no relationship Between the Black Hawk shoo Down and his pcs permanent change of station move a said it. Col. Linda Long an air Force spokeswoman its a Good career move for of the six air Force personnel originally accused of misconduct in the Case Only capt. Jim Wang of tinker fab okla., will face a court martial. Wang was the supervisor of air control lets aboard the airborne warning and control system aircraft on duty that Day. Charges against four other a acs officers were dismissed. Also during his watch Santarelli oversaw the closure of Pitburg a Germany so Sterberg a Netherlands and the partial return of Sembach and Rhein main a to the German government. In addition 17lh air Force units continued a torrid Pace of contingency operations from Rwanda to Turkey to Bosnia and Herzegovina y a a y. 1. A a by Jon Connor staff writer military authorities Are offering a $2,000 Reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Man who wore an army sweat suit and Black ski mask and stole $5,485 from a military club in Baum older Germany three weeks ago. The masked Man entered the Iron club about 7 . Dec. 21 and tied up an employee before taking the Money from a Safe said Tracy Ovitt a Baum older army Community spokeswoman. The employee was not Hurt. A similarly Clad Man tried to Rob Popeye a fast food a a a a a a. A a a a a a a. A a is amps Elfio Baicon Heidelberg lord mayor a cat Weber left shares a Welcome Toast with the . Army Europe commander Gen. Wil. Liam w. Crouch cent Erand the v corps commander it. Gen. Jerry r. Rutherford at a ceremony wednesday. V corps Headquarters opens shop in new Heidelberg Home ing on that stabilization with the Active duty army of 65,000 that is to remain in Europe. Rutherford noted that the size of the restructured by eff1e Bathen Heidelberg Bureau Heidelberg Germany a troops from the army s v corps Headquarters raised their colors and were officially welcomed this week to this Hillside University town on the Neckar River. The Blue and White corps Flag with its five pointed Star was raised Friday in a ceremony at Campbell Barracks also the site of the corps higher Headquarters the . Army Europe. With a it gun Salute in the Crisp Winter air usar euros commander Gen. William w. Crouch officially welcomed the corps whose soldiers have been moving from Frankfurt to the Heidelberg Community for several months. A by of. Y y the army a decision to move the v corps Headquarters and other units out of Frankfurt put that military Community on the list of major . Communities to fall to the five year draw Down of troops. I on wednesday Heidelberg lord mayor Beale Weber greeted corps commanders at a City Hall Recap Tion saying a this is your City now for several the lord mayor of the City of 140,000 added that in Heidelberg Quot you will always find open cars and open minds greeting you.�?�. At the reception the corps commander it. Gen. Jerry r. Rutherford avoiding the word a draw Down a told the stars and stripes that the move was part of the realignment of the army in Europe a a we re at the end of All this and what we need to do. Is stabilize what we have Here a Rutherford said. As other top army officials in recent weeks also have said Rutherford stressed that it was time to Start build army in Europe is nearly the size of v corps before the withdrawal of troops began in 1990. He cited the months after the 1991 persian Gulf War when Vii corps a the other army corps based in Europe at that time a returned from the desert. As Vii corps Drew Down v corps swelled to As much As 80,000 troops Rutherford said. Today by his count 42,000 soldiers Are in the sole corps in Europe which also is the Only . Forward deployed corps. The forces main units include the 1st army div based in bad Kreuz Nach the 3rd inf div based in Wurzburg and v corps arty and 3rd corps support come based in Wiesbaden. Advance parties started arriving in Heidelberg before last summer said Community spokesman Pete dressier the entry of about 1,000 Active duty soldiers and civilians was gradual and went smoothly dressier said. The Headquarters Community had trimmed its own population by about the same number with the departure last Spring 284th support in accounting for most of the troops dressier said. A there was no net change in population a he said. V corps move from Frankfurt is 99 percent completed in his remarks Friday Rutherford said that 14 a soldiers were left there a y. Crouch offered Rutherford a wife Betty a Hearty a Welcome Back a her father maj Gen. William r. Kraft was chief of staff for the army in Europe in the mid-1970s. restaurant about 45 minutes later Gavitt said but fled without any Money. In both incidents the robber indicated he had a gun under his sweat shirt though no weapon was seen Ovitt said. A. A. A a. A Community source said the stolen Money has not been recovered. The source also authorities have detained a suspect but Ovitt said she. Could not confirm that report. The army criminal investigative come has posted a $2,000 Reward for information leading to the identification apprehension and conviction of a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to Call special agent Anthony Fitzgerald at 06783-6-6212/6336, or Dan 4856212/6336. A. In a separate Iron club crime Baum older still Are investigating the theft of $26,000 from the club last that incident Money was taken from a Safe in the fund managers office. Two army civilian employees have been under investigation and May be required to a make restitution for their alleged a negligence in the the it a Community source said. The source said one employee May have to pay. 75 percent of the loss or $19,500, and the other the remaining $6,500. A a
