European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday april 12 2007 stars and stripes pages midshipman guilty of rape faces 2 years by Stephen Manning the associated press Washington a naval Academy midshipman convicted of sexually assault ing a fellow student should spend two years in prison and be dismissed from the Navy a military jury said tuesday the decision will be reviewed by facade my superintendent vice Admiral Rodney rempt Kenny Ray Morrison showed Little reaction As the Jurys decision was announced he Shook his attorneys hand then glanced at the victim As he left the courtroom a jury of seven Navy and Marine corps officers found Morrison guilty monday of indecent assault and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for forcing him self on a female midshipman at a washing ton hotel in february 2006 prosecutors had sought a thereto five year prison term along with dismissal from the Navy Morrison 24 was cleared of charges that he had sex with another midshipman against her will in april 2006 during three Days of testimony at the Washington Navy Yard the jury heard Tes Timony from Morrison and two accusers Morrison claimed the sex at the hotel was consensual but the woman told jurors she tried to resist his advances she said Morrison had sex with her three times that night against her will a second woman also a midshipman at the time and now a Marine lieutenant said she believed Morrison forced himself on her two months later Morrison did not address that Clarini on the witness stand and he was found not guilty of indecent assault in that Case allegations Morrison used a Date rape drug to help him assault the women were dropped because of problems with Foren sic evidence the conduct unbecoming charge stemmed from the fact that another midshipman was asleep in the hotel room where the sex occurred Morrison said it happened after he Stum bled across the woman As he tried to find a place to sleep he said the woman initiated sexual Contact by rubbing his leg and kiss ing him but Navy prosecutor it cmdr Colin Kisor said the woman Only knew Morrison remotely and was asleep in the room be cause she Felt sick after a night of drink ing Day to Honor wounded troops sought by Leo Shane Iii stars and stripes Washington a group de signed to assist and recognize wounded troops wants May 1 set aside As a Holiday to remember those injured service members sacrifices the Silver Star families of America has already successfully lobbied 31 states to observe Sil ver Star Day in Honor of the wounded fighters and Hopes to get that number into the mid40s by the end of april work has already begun to get Federal recognition by May 1 2008 this is a Day we want peo ple to Stop for a minute say a prayer and remember said Steve Newton a retired Marine and naval reservist who served in the first Gulf War the group founded two years ago gets its name not from the Sil ver Star medal for heroism but the world War i tradition of sewing Over the Blue Star Banner with Sil ver thread when a Soldier was injured similarly relatives of troops killed while serving Are known As Gold Star families while the purple heart recognizes troops who Are injured in combat Newton said his group works to recognize any service member injured while serving in the military i spoke to one Mother in a a Hospital whose son was injured in Iraq when a humvee slipped while he was changing a he said she told me How everyone came by when he first got there but As time went on the numbers went Down and people forgot him we want to make sure what they have done is never forgot the organization provides a certificate and a Silver Star Banner to every wounded service member who requests it regardless if they Are Active duty reserves or re tired military but Newton said he Hopes set Ting aside a specific Day will help highlight troops work to those outside the military Community already events Are scheduled in several cities and the group is organizing rallies and visits to a hospitals to emphasize that Sacri fice a lot of school teachers have called us to ask about what they can do to Tell their students about he said that really pulls at the Heartstrings because that want were hoping the group also is hoping that More americans will consider donating a Silver Star Flag to wounded troops or flying the Flag on May 1 to show their support of those service members visit for More information on Silver Star Day or to request a Banner for a wounded service member email Leo Shane at  senator War is depleting guard equipment stores by Ron word the associated press Jacksonville Fla the War in Iraq has depleted the equipment inventory of the National guard potentially hampering its response to the predicted heavy Hurricane season sen Bill Nelson said the Florida National guard has Only 53 percent of the dual use equipment it once had for responding to a storm or Domestic disturbance a recent analysis by the government accountability office found Texas California and Louisiana also have about half of their dual use equipment available to none played army National guard forces problems from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the Florida National guard further than Ever before leaving it without All the resources it should have for responding to a Domestic Nelson said Hurricane season is coming fast and we need to make sure the guard has what it the Hurricane season which runs june 1 through nov 30 is predicted to be worse than in recent years Florida has about 600 to 700 soldiers in Iraq Mem Bers were sent overseas with their equipment but when they come Back the gear often stays in the War zones the Florida guard was Down 500 humvee and 600 trucks Short pairs of night vision goggle Bob Florida time Union sen Bill Nelson left looks at Florida National guard vehicles with maj Gray Johnson operations officer for the 146th expeditionary signal battalion monday in Jacksonville while gathering information from Florida National guard units around the state about their readiness to respond to a natural disaster such As a Hurricane and needed 30 More wreckers spokesman it col Ron Tittle said yet Tittle said sufficient manpower and equip ment remained to respond to a major Hurricane and additional supplies could be borrowed from other states or rented if needed but Nelson questioned the lag time and the fact that the other state guard units also Are facing the same depletion of equipment problems i know that at the highest Levels they Are concerned about Nelson said Courtesy of Tom Mani army Gen Peter Schoomaker right and col Robert Pricone inspect the troop formation during the army change of command ceremony tues Day at fort myer a Gen George w Casey or was named the 36th chief of staff of the army during the event Casey takes Over As army chief of staff schoo Marcer takes second army retirement by Lisa Burgess stars and stripes Arlington a army chief of staff Gen Peter j schoo maker handed the reins of the ser vice Over to Gen George w Casey or on tuesday in a Pom filled ceremony at fort myer a the change of responsibility ceremony marked the second retirement of Schoomaker from the army after spending More than 30 years mostly in the special operations Community Schoomaker had left the service to become a rancher in Wyoming when the defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld asked him to return to Active duty in 2003 to head the Force throughout his tenure As the army 35th chief of staff schoo maker often referred to his pres ence during the failed iranian hos Tage Rescue Mission in 1980 which Cost the lives of eight Spe Cial forces soldiers in a Farewell message schoo maker reminded soldiers that he keeps a photo of the carnage from that Mission to remind me of the grief and failure of that Mission and the commitment survivors of that operation made to a different having now been in this army for almost four decades and hav ing seen the army my father served in for 32 years before that i can Tell you in no Uncertain terms that today Bat Lehard ened army does in fact reflect the different future we envy Schoomaker wrote Casey served in Iraq As these Nior coalition commander in Iraq from june 2004 to february 2007 before being nominated As the 36th army chief of staff prior to that he served As vice chief of staff of the army director of the joint staff and commander of the 1st armoured division from july 1999 to july 2001 the Quality of our men and women in uniform is the Best i have seen in my 36 years in ser Casey said during tues Days ceremony they epitomize what is Best about Ameri email Lisa Burgess at