56th Field Artillery Command

Vol. 29, No. 12

Soldiers, civilians
honor infantrymen

~bf~

Soldier remembered! Second Bn .. 4th Inf. soldiers ho

nor 37 soldiers, who died In a 1971 helicopter crash.

by Anthony J. C, Hosch
Staff Writer
Taps played as the people of Pcgnitz, West Germany remembered the 37 soldiers killed in an August
18, 1971 helicopter crash.
Every year, during August, a ceremony is held at
the crash site 10 honor the soldiers lost in the disaster.
Pcgnitz citizens pay homage throughout the year
by placing flowers at the monument constructed at
the actual crash site.
And each year, the 56th Field Artillery Command
and the community of Pcgnitz hold a memorial service in honor of the 33 soldiers from 2nd Batulion,
4th Infantry, and the four helicopter crewmen from
the 11th Aviation Group who died in the accident.
There were many citizens who turned out for this
year's service. Among them were the assistant mayor
of Pegnitz, Reinhard Ullmann; Lt. Col. Clifton Ripperger, battalion commander, 2nd Bn., 4th Inf.; and
Father John Glen from England who recited the
Lord's Prayer.
The program featured a wreath-laying ceremony,
the Lord's Prayer, a 21-gun salute and the playfog of
Taps by German and American bugle players.

Army implements new pay system

HEIDELBERG, West Germany - The Army has implemented a ne-.. military pay system for soldiers in
Europe. The pay system called joint service synem
USS) "as adopted from the U.S. Air Force and will
repla,:e the Army's joint uniform military pay system

UUMPSJ.

The new system will improve service to both 2ctive

and resef\e componenu and will be more dficient
and reliable than JUMPS, according to Army finance
officials.
The new pay system will feature a computation of
soldiers' pa)' on a daily basis instead of monthly as
well as mid-month pay smem<nt to all soldiers.
Aho, JSS will offer a shortentd internal processing
time for finance, and faster computa1ion of reserve
component pay.
Among other ftnurts of tht new systtm, it has
more online informa1ion availablt at finance offices
for resolving soldiers' pay inquiries.
Also, unit commanders will receive a finance report of all assigned soldiers each month. This will
make it euier to review the current leave and earning
smement (LES) for potential pay problems.
Finance officials say that JUMPS is being replaced

inside
the Cable

Bicentennial of the Constitution,

see page 3

Sports success story, see page 6

Softball results, see page 7

because it's unresponsive to service needJ, it's expensive to maintain and it requires outdated software.
With the adoption of JSS, maintenance cost will be
reduced with a life cycle savinis of over $ 400 million, according to finance officoals.
The first phase of JSS began early this year.
Approximately 24,000 United States Army Europe
(USAREUR) soldiers were affected, ac.cording to the
deputy chief of si.ff for resource management.
During a 90-day period, USAREUR soldiers will
execute several pay options adopted from JSS, which
arc: mid-month pay option equaling one-half, not
more or less, of full month's pay, funds for third
party payee must be by allotment, and check t<> unit
now becomes check to mailing address.
The 266th Theater Finance Command will conduct
a USAREUR software acceptance ten in November
and December of this year. In March of next year,
the JSS will bt implemented in Italy, Belgium and
Berlin. By April 1991, the rest of USAREUR should
be fully implemented.
Until the joint software system is fully implement
ed, JUMPS and JSS will coexist.

Farm help! Pfc.

Bemard Smith, A

Co.. 38th Sig. Bn.

canin wagon bars
during the farm
help program. See

page 6 tor story.

September 1990

Update FYI
President implements
STOP-LOSS program
The presidential activation of reserve forces 10
support Operation Desert Shield has forced the
Department of Defense to suspend voluntary SC
parations of some officer and enlisted personnel.
The supsension of voluntary separations, which
~came effecrive Sept. I, affects 212 mi litary occupational specialties (MOS) and many officer spe
cialties and functional areas.
According co CW03 Fred Russell, Personnel
Actions Officer, G-1, the suspensions could con
tinue indefinitely.
The following primarv military occupational
specialties (PMOS) are af(ected by the Department
of the Army directive:
OOB; OIH; llB,C,H,M,Z; 12B,C,F,Z; 13B,E,F,
M,N,P,R,T,2; 16D,E,FJ,P.R,S.T,Z; 178; 18B,D.
E,F,Z; 19D,E,K,Z; 29E,FJ,M,N,P.S,T,V,W,X,Y.Z
31C,D,F,G,K,L,M,N,Q,V,W,Y,Z; 33M,P,Q.R.
T,V,Z; 35G,U; 36L,M; 39C,D,E,G,L,V,'il:1,X,Y;
42C,D,E; 450,E,G,K,L,T.Z; 51B,G,H,K,M.R,
T,Z; 52C,D,E,G; 54B; 55B,R,X,Z; 57,F; 62B,
E,F,G,H,J,N; 63D,HJ,S,T,Y,Z; 67G,H,N,R,S,T,
U,V,X,Y,Z; 68B,D,F,G,HJ,K,L,N,P,Q,R; 71G:
72E,G; 76CJ,P,V,X,Z; 77F,W; SIB; 82B,C;
88H,K,L,M,N,Y,Z; 91A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,P,Q.R,
S,T,U,V,W,X,Y; 92B,E; 94F; 95B,C,0; 96B,D,
F,H,Z; 97E,G,Z; 98C,D.G.HJ,Z.
These provisions of AR 635-200 authorizing the
following separations have been suspended:
Expiration Term of Service (ETS); Resme Per
sonnel on Army Guard Reserve (AGR) Tours;
Failure to overcome a Bar to Reenlistment (Chap
tcr 16); Emergency Leave with fewer th~n 6C di\'s
to ETS; Reduction in Authorized Strength; Medical Holding Detachment; Inactivating or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) unit and Holiday
Early Transition Program.
Only soldiers in PMOS lined above can be affected by this action.
"The directive, however, does not affect indi,i
dual PCS moves or other reassignment actions,"
Russell said.
Voluntary separations of officers in some specialties and functional areas have also been
suspended until further notice.
Provisions of AR 63S- 100 authori1ing the following separations are also suspended:
Disapproval of Extension of Service, Expiration
of Acuve Duty Commitment, Voluntary Release
from Active Duty, Reversion to Regular Army
Warrant Officer, lnaccivation/Permanen~ Change
of Station of Units, School Attendance, Release of
Reserve Warranu to accept Reserve Commission,
Surviving Sons and Surviving Family Members,
and Release of Reserve Officers to National
Guard.
Approximately 50 percmt of 56th FA CMD
soldiers fit into one of the categories listed in the
directive, according to Russell.
Some exceptions 10 policy may be possible.
"Soldiers suffering hardships worse thn would
normally ~ expected from this action should con
tact their battalion adjutant," Russell said.

Pershing Cabla
September 1990

U.S. ambassador to West Germany

recognizes battalion's achievements
Editor's note - The Honorable Vernon
A . Walters, U.S. ambassador to rhe
Federal Republic of Germany, gave the
folloning speech ar rhe 4rh Bn., 9th FA
inacrfracion ceremon v.

West Germany is 1101 governed in the

streets. Germany is governed by its parliament. And its parliament, as a result
of the election, ,oted to go forward
with this deployment which had origGeneral Saint, disiinguished German inally been requested by the then Gerand American guests, officers, noncom man C hncello r.
missioned officers, and soldiers of the
You came here. There were all sorts
4th Bamlion, 9th Field Artillery, this is of rumors about what would happen
a spedal moment for me too. No t quite and how this would destroy all possibil50 )'ears ago I was swo rn into the Army ity of a reasonable negotiation with the
as a private in Field Artillery at Fort Soviets at a time when they seemed inEthan AIJen, Vermont, and I am here to clined to do so. It did not have that efmend this ceremony because it means a fect. They understood it for what it was
great deal to me.
meant to be, an expression of the will of
There is alwa)'S a tinge of sadness 10 our people 10 stand steadfastly with our
the retrograde or the deactivation of a allies in the defense of the values that
unit. But vours is under circumstances have bound us together for nearly 50
which are almosr unique. This deactiva- years.
tion is the resuh of your presence and
The activation of this unit was a sigyour success here.
nal - a signal to the world that we
Two thousand years ago a Chinese would not falter and we would not fail,
writer, on wars, said, the greatest of all and we would not shrink. And almost
victories is not to win a hundred battles, every generation of Americans in my
it is w defeat an enemy without fight- adult lifetime have been called upon to
ing. And that is what you have done.
give that - to answer that challenge as
The mere activation of this unit was a other young Americans are being called
ch.,llcngc, and at the same time, the upon 10 answer it today. We are here as
proof 10 the commitment of the United soldiers of peace, and soldiers of freeStates to defend its allies in Europe and dom.
to defend the values that have made us
The lo ng struggle that has been going
wh3t we arr.
on since the end of World War II, l
I was given a written speech to make think we can see the victory of freedom
today, but I'm not going to make it. I and the triumphs of the respect for huam going to speak from the heart in- man dignity, is coming to its full tru
stead of from the head.
ism. It is your dedication, your sacriThe activation of these units was to- fices, your willingness to accept the intally opposed by many. There were conveniences and the hardships, and all
huge demonstrations in the streets of of the other things that went along with
mni cities in Germany and elsewhere activating and operating this battalion
against the deployment of these weap with the immense, complex, technical
ons.
facilities that went with it.

But that sign al was understood. That

signal was understood, and the willingneSJ of the American people who over
the last nine years have be,n willing to
put ur, over S 300 billion a year to defend reedom, that messoge has finally
gotten home. They know we mean
what we say.
And so, a different time is opening
before us, and the deactivation of the
unit which is normally an occasion of
sadness is not an occasion of sadness. It
J
is the occasion of your triumph 10 those
\
things which brought you here, lhosc
things you said, those things for which
you made sacrifices. And because of
you and because of soldiers like )'OU
have done, we :are moving into a different world; a world of less tension; a
world of greater respect. Not only in
the camp of freedom, but elsewhere, for
those values which made us what we Mlln to man talk! The Honorable Vernon A. Wal
Gen. Roger K. Bean, commander 56th FA CMD
are.
FA Inactivation ceremony.
And I think that there is very little I
can say beyond thank you. To thank
you and those before you for making
possible this great victory for freedom
and peace. It's not a triumph or a moment to gloat. It is a moment for quiet
recognition of what you have achieved.
And because of what you have done,
the next generation will face a different
kind of world. You have transformed
the face of the earth from what it was
only a few years ago. And so, I think
that you can have and carry forever
with you the satisfaction that you have
been the leverage point at which the
wheel of history turns. And all people
who have lived in this time will forever
owe you a debt of gratitude. And I
thank you and salute you.

Mllklng trckel The first Pershing I missiles WE

..,. _ ,
Center of attention! The 56th FA CMD hosls media representatives from around lhe wo~d. After lhe signing of lhe Intermediate Range
'Nuclear Forces treaty, lhe Command held a media day June 8, , 988.

Protestl Demonstrators protest the deployment <

Pershing Ca/M

Sept,ml>er t 990

VE GAVE

PEACE

--

_.,_

,rs, U.S. ambassador 10 WeS1 Germany and Maj. Penlhlng c1blnl Pershing soldiers haul
llscuss lhe day's events prior to the 4th Bn., 9th the heavy cables thal were par1 of a Per-

_.,_
Home J - 1 Braw Btry.. 4th Bn.. 9th FA Pershing II missiles leave Camp Redleg. The
flrat convoy or missiles left Camp Redleg Sept 1, 1988.

shing IA syslem.

,,..
3

deployed 10 Europe In 1963.

,....., ..

' Pershing II missiles in Heilbronn, West Germany

--

Encl of an enl Maj. Gen. Roger K. Bean, commander 56th FA CMO hands lhe retired colors or 41h Bn., 9th FA to Spec. Jennlrer Wrighl. 0 . Co.. 55th Spt. Bn. during 41h Bn., 91h
FA's Inactivation ceremony.