European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pages stars and stripes sunday March 18 2007 gis convicted for roles in nov 11 Brawl by Jimmy Norris stars and stripes Seoul a South korean judge sentenced three us soldiers Friday for their participation in a nov 11 bar Brawl in the taewon entertainment District two soldiers pvt Sylvester ant Ely Clark 19 and pc Tydes Whiten 27 were sentenced to 18 months in prison for punching and striking a in club bouncer with Beer bottles during the fight but judge Han Yangsook suspended both sentences for two years saving he took into account that both soldiers paid compensation to the bouncer had no prior convictions and had worked diligently to defend the country As soldiers Here pfc Mario Duprey convicted of assault ing a police officer was fined the equivalent of about before the trial both Whiten and do Trig Hanow its All about Courtesy of Mario Duprey pfc Mario Duprey was convicted of assault ing a policeman and fined the equivalent of prey seemed optimistic about the outcome they said i could get As much As a year and six months in jail either that or get declared innocent because i didst do any leave this All behind me and get Back to my family in the states pfc Mario Duprey convicted of assault in nov 1 1 Brawl thing wrong Whiten predicted in hop ing to walk out of Here with a Clear name Whiten seemed confused by the final ver dict telling his attorney he didst under stand what had just happened after hearing that he would not be sent to prison if he stays out of trouble for two years in South Korea he reacted with mixed emotions he said he was Happy that he would thave to serve time in jail but was angry at having been convicted of a crime he said he didst commit to tired of being persecuted he said Duprey visibly shaking from what he said was adrenaline expressed Relief after hearing the sentence and said he was eager to move on with his life right now its All about family he said i just want to leave this All behind me and get Back to my family in the states Clark who was escorted in and out of the courtroom by army criminal investigators and restrained with his hands shackled to a Belt around his Waist declined to com ment Hwang Harrym contributed to this report email the Korea Bureau at cafes new taxi policies draw ire by Jimmy Norris stars and stripes some base residents Are Fum ing Over a new cafes on base taxi fare system introduced thursday with the stated goal of saving customers Money the army and air Force Exchange service announced that its contracted taxi fares in area i and area ii now Are calculated using South korean won prices even though customers can still pay in dollars based on the daily wont Dollar Exchange rate cafes also set the initial fare at 2000 won with the March 16 military Exchange rate of 920 won to the Dollar that a drop from the previous initial fare of officials said cafes also instituted a 1000 won or addition to fares if customers Call for a taxi the fares also will be increased by 20 percent Between Midnight and 4 am while one person said Friday he thought he noticed a substantial reduction in his fare Between two bases from to most people asked Felt otherwise its not really a reduction they charge an extra Dollar if you Call so there getting their Money Back said pfc Jar ran Turner of the 168th medical Bat Talion and when the won rate goes up  be raping us on taxi fares again other customers voiced the same concerns its cheaper by 15 cents but when you Call they charge you an extra Dollar said pfc Christina Carideo of the 302nd brigade support battalion its stupid Jimmy and stripes customers stand in line at the dragon Hill Lodge taxi stand on Friday one Day after the army and air Force Exchange service announced a new taxi pricing policy the Long line was partially due to a 1000 won about fee for calling a taxi to be picked up the Call fee some customers say has extended More than cab fare look at the line said Turner pointing to the dozen people standing at the dragon Hill Lodge taxi stand nobody wants to Call and pay the Call fee so the line is too Long cafes spokesman master sgt Donovan Potter said fluctuating won rates could Lead to an eventual increase in cab fares but he added that charging in local cur Rency is consistent with what cafes does in overseas locations worldwide Potter added that upcoming changes could mean lower fares there Are several initiatives that will eventually Lead to lower cab fares he said he  provide details on All of those initiatives but he did say cafes was planning to hire additional taxi contractors whose fares would be consistent with those charged off base where the initial fee is 1900 won or with the latest Exchange rate he also said customers  use the current lines at taxi stands As an indicator of How Many people were calling the taxi company because the upcoming reception staging Onward move ment and Eagle to raises were bringing Many people from overseas who would be adding to cab usage Potter said cafes has plans to alleviate excessive Waits at taxi stands by eventually adding six More taxi stands in the Yon san area cafes also plans to install cameras at popular stands though that plan has been delayed to due problems in finding appropriate Power sources cafes is looking to make Simi Lar changes with its contracted taxi service in areas Iii v and i according to officials cafes does not contract taxi service in area in email Jimmy Morris at needed to fund move to Guam by David Allen stars and stripes Camp Foster Okinawa the move of some 8000 marines and their families from Okinawa to Guam by 2014 is expected to Cost the Marine corps an extra million annually however a recent inspector generals report concluded that the Navy air Force and Marine corps Are not prepared for the in creased annual costs resulting from the planned changes to the Force Structure in the Pacific the 14page report released monday is the culmination of a yearlong audit and interviews with military officials it states the Marine corps is the Only Branch so far to estimate How much it will Cost yearly to move assets to Guam from Okinawa however the corps has not included the Cost in its budget projections the source of funds for the additional requirements has not been resolved Between Headquarters Marine corps and the department of the Navy the report states the Navy and air Force also will incur additional annual costs by moving assets to Guam but the services have not determined what they Are the report adds if Dod and the services do not include the projected in creased annual funding require ments in the next program objective memorandums for Day 2009 the report read the Quality of life for service members and their dependents and the Readi Ness of us forces in us Acom May be adversely affected the United states has reached agreements with Japan and South Korea for a major restructuring of us forces in the Pacific a reduction of some 12500 us forces Korea personnel is expected to be Complete by the end of 2008 the United states and Japan agreed last May to replace Marine corps air station futenma with a new Airfield on Camp Schwab and to close several other marines bases on Okinawa that would result in the move of 8000 marines and about 9000 family members to Guam with Japan picking up about billion of the estimated billion Cost to help cover that Cost Japan officials Are considering reducing Host nation support for us forces remaining in Japan Japan now pays about billion a year to maintain us forces and is expected to pay that much until 2008 Dod must recognize and plan for a possible substantial increase in funding requirements to sup port forces remaining in Japan if Japan reduces its Host nation sup port the in report states besides the marines the air Force plans to relocate about 3500 service members civilian employees and their families to Guam from various locations but has not estimated the increased budget requirements for the move according to the report also the Navy which closed Many facilities on Guam in 1993 will need an increase in funds to refurbish and adequately main Tain facilities for the influx of marines and airmen at a minimum the report states the services will have to fund annual costs for units at new locations where they no longer receive Host nation support and could potentially experience higher operational costs email David Allen at