NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/sci/military/12259

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Subject: DoD News 12/23/92
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  <<>> Assistant Secretary Of Defense                                    <<>>
  <<>>        Public Affairs                    December 1992            <<>>
  <<>>    Pentagon, Washington DC       Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat      <<>>
  <<>>        DSN  225-3886                      1   2   3   4   5       <<>>
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  <<>>  DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS      13  14  15  16  17  18  19       <<>>
  <<>>                                  20  21  22  23  24  25  26       <<>>
  <<>>    WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 1992      27  28  29  30  31               <<>>
  <<>>                                                                   <<>>
  <<>>               Courtesy of Air Force Reserve                       <<>>
  <<>>                   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -                   <<>>
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* AIR FORCE BASE/UNIT REALIGNMENT
* MORE  GUARDSMEN  AND  RESERVISTS  QUALIFY  FOR  VA  HOME  LOANS
* DoD News Briefing
* DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT AWARDS

===============================================================

 AIR FORCE BASE/UNIT REALIGNMENT
MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS:                      December 22, 1992

         The Air Force announced today several changes affecting units and
bases located in the United States.  This announcement addresses U.S. force
structure, realignment and management actions required to achieve the fiscal
year 1993 amended president's budget, achieve efficiencies, adjust to fiscal
constraints, modernize the Air Reserve component, or make Air Force organiza-
tional changes.  Decisions on these proposed actions will be made only after
   the appropriate environmental analyses have been completed.  None of these
   actions exceed the thresholds established by the Defense Base Closure and
   Realignment Act of 1990.

        The term full-time military means active duty military or active
guard-reserve positions; drill means Air Force Reserve (AFR) or Air National
Guard (ANG) positions; and civilian means federal civil service or Air Reserve-
Guard technician positions.

ARKANSAS

     Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. -- Three actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of three full-time
military manpower authorizations.  The 314th Airlift Wing will lose four C-130E
aircraft beginning in December 1992 in order to allow the Air Force to add two
HC-130N/P aircraft to its active duty forces.  This force structure action
results in a decrease of 162 full--time military and 28 civilian manpower
authorizations.  As a result of the composite wing formation at Pope Air Force
Base, NC., the 1st Aeromedical evacuation Squadron will relocate to Little Rock
Air Force Base in mid 1993.  The squadron's transfer will result in an increase
of 105 full-time military and one civilian manpower authorizations.  These
actions result in a net decrease of 60 full-time military and 27 civilian
manpower authorizations.

FLORIDA

        Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. -- Three actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in an increase of one full-time military and 36
civilian manpower authorizations.  In mid 1992, the 9th Special Operations
Squadron gained one HC-130N/P aircraft.  This action results in an increase of
34 full-time military and two civilian manpower authorizations.  The 55th
Special Operations Squadrons with its nine MH-60G aircraft will transfer to
nearby Hurlburt Field, Fla., beginning in December 1992.  The move places the
squadron on the same installation as its wing, and reduces security concerns
for special operations forces assets deploying in support of contingency
operations by placing the aircraft in a less public environment at Hurlburt
Field.  This force structure action results in a decrease of 213 full-time
military manpower authorizations.  These actions result in a net decrease of
178 full- time military, but an increase of 38 civilian manpower authoriza-
tions.

     Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- Two actions are being announced.  The 55th Special
Operations Squadron, with its nine MH-60G aircraft will move from nearby Eglin
Air Force Base beginning in December 1992.  This force structure action results
in an increase of 213 full-time military manpower authorizations.  The activa-
tion of the 15th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) in mid 1992 has resulted in
an increase of 23 full-time military manpower authorizations.  The 15th SOS
will be equipped with the new MC-130H (Talon II) aircraft.  These actions
result in a net increase of 236 full-time military manpower authorizations.

     Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. -- Two actions are being announced.  Adjust-
ments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of 41 full-time military,
but an increase of 32 civilian manpower authorizations.  The 71st Air Rescue
Squadron will gain an additional two HC-130N/P beginning in December 1992.
This force structure action results in an increase of 84 full-time military
manpower authorizations.  These actions result in a net increase of 43 full-
time military and 32 civilian manpower authorizations.

IDAHO

     Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho -- Two actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of 34 full-time military,
but an increase of 64 civilian manpower authorizations.  The 366th Wing will
gain an additional six F-15E aircraft in mid 1993.  This force structure action
will result in an additional 100 full-time military manpower authorizations.
These actions result in a net increase of 66 full- time military and 64
civilian manpower authorizations.

MARYLAND

     Andrews Air Force Base, Md. -- The 696th Intelligence Group relocated from
its world War Il-era facility at Fort Belvoir, Va., beginning in December 1992,
to make use of existing facilities at Andrews Air Force Base.  The unit's old
Fort Belvoir facility is scheduled for demolition.  This action results in an
increase of 101 full-time military and 30 civilian manpower authorizations.

MICHIGAN

     Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich. -- Beginning in December 1992,
Detachment 1, 191st Fighter Group, will terminate its alert operations (two
F-16A/B aircraft) at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.  This is part of the
Air National Guard defense force alert reduction, which was brought about by
geopolitical and fiscal realities.  This action results in a decrease of 20
full-time military, an increase of two drill, and a decrease of eight civilian
manpower authorizations.  The individuals in the military and civilian posi-
tions are stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

     Pease Air National Guard Station, N.H. -- The 133rd Air Refueling Squadron
(ANG) will convert from ten KC-135E to ten KC-135R aircraft in late 1993.  The
133rd's KC-135E aircraft transfer to the 163rd Air Refueling Squadron (ANG) at
March Air Force Base, Calif., to facilitate the unit's previously announced
conversion from RF-4C to KC-135 aircraft.  There is no manpower impact.

NEW YORK

     Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y. -- Two actions are being announced.  Adjust-
ments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in an increase of 14 full-time military, but a
decrease of 42 civilian manpower authorizations.  The 41st Air Refueling
Squadron (ARS) will inactivate beginning in December 1992, due to the loss of
seven KC- 135R aircraft.  This force structure action results in a decrease of
126 full-time military authorizations.  The remaining 19 KC-135R aircraft will
be assigned to the 509th ARS.  These actions result in a net decrease of 112
full-time military and 42 civilian manpower authorizations.

NORTH CAROLINA

     Pope Air Force Base, N.C. -- Five actions are being announced.  Adjust-
ments are being made to the February 4, 1991,
Defense Management Report manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss
of three full-time military authorizations.  The 23rd Wing (Air Combat Command)
will convert three of its A-10A aircraft to three OA-10A aircraft beginning in
December 1992, giving it 15 A-10A aircraft and nine OA-10A aircraft.  This
action results in a decrease of 12 full-time military manpower authorizations.
In addition to the 24 A/OA-10A and 16 C-130E aircraft currently assigned, the
23rd Wing will receive an increase of 511 full-time military and 17 civilian
manpower authorizations.  To accommodate the composite wing, Air Mobility
Command (AMC) will transfer a portion of the 624th Combat Control Squadron's
(CCS) personnel to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and the 1st Aeromedical
Evacuation Squadron (AES) to Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., in mid 1993.
Some of AMC-s C-130E aircraft may leave Pope Air Force Base in mid 1993;
however, the number of aircraft and the relocation site have yet to be deter-
mined.  The 624th CCS action involves 56 full-time military manpower authoriza-
tions, while the 1st AES involves 105 full-time military and one civilian
manpower authorizations.  These actions result in a net increase of 335
full-time military and 16 civilian manpower authorizations.

     Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. -- Three actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of 10 full-time military,
but an increase of 42 civilian manpower authorizations.  Beginning in December
1992, Detachment 1 of the 191st Fighter Group (Selfridge Air National Guard
Base, Mich.) will terminate alert operations (two F-16A/B aircraft) at Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base.  This is part of the Air National Guard defense force
alert reduction, which was brought about by geopolitical and fiscal realities.
This action results in the loss of the 33 full-time military manpower authori-
zations funded for the detachment's base support.  The 4th Wing will lose six
F-15E aircraft in mid 1993.  This force structure action will result in the
loss of 100 full-time military manpower authorizations.  These actions result
in a net decrease of 143 full-time military, but an increase of 42 civilian
manpower authorizations.

SOUTH CAROLINA

     Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. -- Two actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of four full-time
military manpower authorizations.  A port ion of the 624th Combat Control
Squadron's (CCS) personnel will transfer from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., in mid
1993, to form the 437th CCS.  This action results in an increase of 56 full-
time military manpower authorizations.  These actions result in a net increase
of 52 full-time military manpower authorizations.

     Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. -- Three actions are being announced.  Adjust-
ments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of 30 full-time military,
but an increase of 44 civilian manpower authorizations.  The 363rd Fighter Wing
will gain an additional 85 full-time military and two civilian maintenance
manpower authorizations beginning in December 1992.  These additional authori-
zations allow the 21st Fighter Squadron to deploy their A/OA- 10 aircraft as an
independent unit.  The 21st Fighter Squadron will lose an additional three
OA-10A aircraft in early 1993, at which time the squadron will have 12 A-10A
and nine OA-10A aircraft.  This force structure action will result in a
decrease of 42 full-time military and one civilian manpower authorizations.
These actions result in a net increase of 13 full-time military and 45 civilian
manpower authorizations.

TEXAS

     Randolph Air Force Base, Texas -- Three actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991,

                                   -MORE-
Defense Management Report manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss
of 155 full-time military, but an increase of 124 civilian manpower authoriza-
tions.  The 12th Flying Training Wing's receipt of 13 T-1A aircraft beginning
in early 1993 will result in maintenance efficiencies and the loss of 154
full-time military manpower authorizations.  Manpower adjustments are being
made to the April 12, 1991, announcement concerning undergraduate navigator
training's relocation to Randolph Air Force Base.  The relocation will result
in an increase of 383 full-time military and 92 civilian manpower authoriza-
tions versus those previously announced.  These actions result in a net
increase of 74 full-time military and 216 civilian manpower authorizations.

VIRGINIA

     Fort Belvoir, Va. -- The 696th Intelligence Group relocated from its World
War II era facility in mid 1992, to make use of existing facilities at Andrews
Air Force Base, Md.  The unit's old facility at Fort Belvoir is scheduled for
demolition.  This action involves 101 full-time military and 30 civilian
manpower authorizations.

WASHINGTON

     Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. -- Two actions are being announced.
Adjustments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of eight full-time
military, but an increase of 17 civilian manpower authorizations.  As a result
of a reorganization and restructure of the Defense Meteorological Satellite
Program System, the 5th Space Operations Squadron inactivated in mid 1992.
This action resulted in the loss of 88 full-time military manpower authoriza-
tions; however, Detachment 1 of the 6th Space Operations Squadron was formed,
creating 63 full-time military and two civilian manpower authorizations.  The
detachment is responsible for data acquisition subsystem operations, reship and
post ship of data, and maintaining the command and control capability in a
contingency backup configuration.  These actions result in a net decrease of 33
full-time military and 19 civilian manpower authorizations.

     McChord Air Force Base, Wash. -- Two actions are being announced.  Adjust-
ments are being made to the February 4, 1991, Defense Management Report
manpower reductions, resulting in the additional loss of four full-time
military manpower authorizations.  The 354th Fighter Squadron will receive 12
A-10A and nine OA-10A aircraft, instead of the previously announced 18 A-10A
and six OA-10A aircraft.  This force structure action results in an increase of
582 full-time military manpower authorizations versus those previously
announced.  These actions result in a net increase of 578 full-time military
manpower authorizations.

                                   -END-



                                                  No. 545-92
                                                  [phone] (info)
                                                  [phone] (copies)
IMMEDIATE  RELEASE         December 22, 1992      [phone] (public/indus-
                                                  try)


MORE  GUARDSMEN  AND  RESERVISTS  QUALIFY  FOR  VA  HOME  LOANS

     The Department of Defense said today that many National Guardsmen and
Reservists who were not previously eligible for VA home loans now qualify under
recent changes to federal law.

     Public Law 102-547, signed at the start of fiscal year 1993, extended
eligibility for the loans to National Guardsmen and Reservists who have
completed six or more years of service in the Selected Reserve and are not
otherwise qualified.  Previously, members of the National Guard and Reserve had
to have served on continuous active duty for at least 90 days during the
Persian Gulf war or for up to two years during other periods to attain home
loan eligibility.

     To qualify under this criteria, National Guardsmen or Reservists must have
completed six years of honorable service in the Selected Reserve.  Typically,
this includes a member's participation in weekend drills and annual training.
The six years of service need not have been consecutive.

     The Selected Reserve includes units of the National Guard and Reserve of
any of the Armed Forces, as well as members of the Individual Mobilization
Augmentee (IMA) Program.  Service in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) does
not count toward the required six years for home loan purposes.

     For additional information on eligibility under this new criteria, members
may contact local Department of Veterans Affairs representatives or call the VA
hotline at [phone].

                                     -END-






DoD News Briefing
Mr. Pete Williams, ASD (Public Affairs)
Tuesday, December 22, 1992 - Noon

     Mr. Williams:  Good afternoon.

     Let me just start with housekeeping details.  This will be our only
briefing here in the Pentagon this week.  They're briefing every day,
basically, in the theater of operations.  Either Fred Peck or one of the
colonels from the joint task force headquarters, or General Johnston himself.
As other folks go through the area, they are offering briefings as well.
General Hoar briefed when he was there.  General Mundy. the commandant, will
probably have something to say when he goes and visits here in the next few
days.  So we're just not going to have daily Somalia briefings while the
operation is going on.  They're really doing that pretty well over there.  So
that will be our only briefing this week.

     There won't be any briefings here in the Pentagon next week, unless real
world situations warrant.  Then we'll pick the up again on the 5th of January,
Tuesday the 5th of January.  Bob Hall will brief those two days, and then we'll
continue on from there.

     But as long as we're here, let me just give you a brief rundown on
Somalia, on what I have, and then go into a few other issues.

     The situation in Mogadishu, in Baidoa, and Kismayo is reported to be calm
today.  Troops from the 10th Mountain Division and Canada are operating in Bale
Dogle.  The Marines and the French contingent are in Baidoa.  And the army and
the Belgians are now in Kismayo.  In Mogadishu, both Aideed and Ali Madhi have
said in their agreement that they would begin to take out their armored
vehicles and get them away from Mogadishu.  Aideed has taken about 40 out
yesterday, and Ali Madhi is starting to take his out today.

     The Marines that arrived along with the Belgians in Kismayo on Sunday in
the amphibious operation, have loaded back onto the amphibious ships that they
used for the Sunday landing.  They have now turned over the Kismayo operation
to the Belgians and to elements of the 10th Mountain Division.  I don't have a
specific number for you on how many troops are there, but they have turned it
over to the army and the Belgians.

     The next operations that will go on over the next few days, on Thursday,
the Marines will go into Bardera.  Then the Marines and the French will go into
Oddur on Christmas day, on December 25th.  The Army and the Italians will go
into Gialalassi on the 27th.  And the army and the Canadians will go into Belet
Wen on the 28th.

     Eleven countries in addition to the United States have forces on the
ground in Somalia as part of the joint task force coalition.  Some of these
countries have, right now, a significant representation of forces.  The others
have a liaison team present as they prepare the way for the main body of their
forces.

     About 8,400 U.S. military personnel are on the ground in Somalia, and
they're supported by about 9,000 sailors and marines on board naval vessels off
the coast.  The French have two airborne companies on the ground.  And, as I
said earlier, they're patrolling areas in Mogadishu and in Baidoa.  Saudi
Arabia and Morocco are conducting security operations in Mogadishu.  The
Canadians have an airborne battle group conducting security operations at the
Bale Dogle airfield.  The Belgians have one parachute infantry company that is
operating in Kismayo.  The British have two C-130's and support personnel
operating in Somalia.  Then Italy, Botswana, Turkey, Kuwait, and Jordan have
advance parties on the ground in Mogadishu.  They're working with the joint
task force commander's staff to make the arrangements for the arrival of the
main body of their units.  Then, of course, the 500 member Pakistani force of
UN peacekeepers that was in Somalia prior to Operation Restore Hope is still
there as well.

     We continue the humanitarian flights into both Kenya and Somalia.  To
bring you briefly up to date on that.  We've delivered, since the operation
began, about roughly 3,000 metric tons to Kenya on around 213 flights, and
about 15,000 metric tons, actually 15.6 thousand metric tons to Somalia on
around 1,360 flights.

     We made one flight to Oddur on Monday, and two flights to Baidoa.  Today,
planned into Somalia, four flights into Baidoa and four flights into Oddur.
Then also two flights into Wajir in northern Kenya.

     Finally on Somalia issues, and the last announcement that I have, the
Secretary has authority, actually the President has authority which he can
delegate to the Secretary, and I think Ronald Reagan actually signed the
executive order that delegated the authority to the Secretary of Defense.  So
under an executive order and federal law, the Secretary of Defense has been
given the authority to authorize free mail to members of the armed services who
are in either areas of hostile fire or areas of difficult conditions.  Now
Secretary Cheney has sent a letter to the Postmaster General authorizing free
mail privileges for members of the armed forces who are deployed in Operation
Restore Hope.  The personnel assigned to the U.S. Central Command and located
in Somalia, or in Kenya, Djibouti, and in the adjacent waters, can now send
mail at no cost.  So postage-free mail.

     This free mail is limited to letter, video, or sound recording tapes that
consist of personal correspondence sent to any place in the United States, any
possession of the United States, or any military post office, any APO or FPO
address.

     The way I understand it works, it works similar to the congressional
frank.  The word "Free" is written in the upper right hand corner of the
envelope, and then the name of the person sending the letter, his grade, and
complete military address go in the upper left hand corner.  Free mail cannot
be registered, insured, or certified.

     Q:  What does mail normally cost to send a letter to...
     A:  I didn't anticipate that one, Patrick.  What would it cost to send a
letter?  Since we gave these three examples, what would it cost to send a
letter, a videotape, presumably a VHS tape, or an audio cassette.  We'll get
you each one.  From Somalia.  So, how much are they saving?

     I think the additional thing is, it's for their convenience.  I mean I
don't know where you go to buy stamps in Somalia.  So it's partly to save
money.  It's not a big savings, of course, in terms of money, but it's also in
terms of convenience.  They don't have to run around trying to find stamps or
get them over there or work on that.

     Q:  A couple of Somali questions.  One, we heard out of Somalia that they
were putting a limit on the number of U.S. troops they were going to need in
there of 20,000.  Is that correct?
     A:  No, that's not correct.  Let me just walk you through this a little
bit.

     First of all, General Hoar said last week that as we get a good picture of
the size of the non-U.S. forces that will be participating in this early stage,
it may be possible, then, to revise the estimates on the number of U.S. forces
that are needed.  Is that a possibility?  Yes, it's a possibility, but I don't
think anybody has reached a conclusion yet on, "A", whether we can, in fact,
reduce the potential deployment of U.S. forces that was briefed to you all a
couple of Fridays ago by Secretary Cheney and General Powell.  They said at the
time that it might be about 28,000, based on 10,000 Army and 16,000 Marines.  I
think I got that right, unless I got it backwards, but it was about a 28,000
total.  Let me check that and see if that's right.  But in any case, that's how
they derived roughly 28,000.  (FYI: Army, 10,000; Marines, 16,000; Navy, 1,500;
Air Force, 600.)

     Now it may be possible to do that.  However, I don't think they've focused
on a number yet, and certainly haven't gotten into the units of who's in the
pipeline that they don't need now.  That's the first thing to say.

     The second thing to say is, remember that when the Secretary and the
Chairman briefed 28,000, they were talking about 28,000 people on the ground.
That doesn't count the number of sailors and Marines at sea.  So you'd
actually, if you're talking about the total number of people taking part, you'd
have to raise it up to maybe 38,000 or something like that.

     Is it possible to adjust the number down?  Yes.  But I wouldn't get caught
up in numbers yet.  I don't know where the 20,000 number comes from, frankly.
But what I'm saying is, don't use that 20,000 number to say, well, the old
United Way barometer tops out at 20,000 and we're already at 28,000  Because,
in fact, the barometer tops out a lot higher, because you have to add the guys
at sea.

     Q:  Does the U.S. have any plans or policies in effect to deal with a
situation where U.S. forces go in, pacify the area, if you will, to see that
food is distributed, then pull out, and before they're over the horizon someone
comes in and steals the food?  Or even if it isn't armed people, the stronger
people in the village take it and the weaker people still don't get it?
     A:  We've heard reports from the private humanitarian relief organizations
and, indeed, have seen stories from journalists that this has happened in some
cases.  The private relief organizations have said that they are aware of that
problem.  That it's still better to have food being delivered and have some of
it looted.  Clearly, nobody likes that.  But given the choice between having no
food delivered for weeks and weeks and weeks, which was the situation before
this operation started, and having some of it get through and then be looted,
the private humanitarian relief organizations will take the second one any day.

     Is it a happy situation?  No.  It's something we're going to have to work
on.  I don't think we have the ideal situation there by any means at this
point, but it's certainly an improvement over what the situation was before the
operation started.

     Q:  I understand that, but do you have any plans in effect now to deal
with it, or are we in the research mode still?
     A:  I think we're still getting established.  We're still starting to go
to these main refugee population centers like Baidoa, Bardera, Kismayo, Bale
Dogle, Belet Wen, Oddur, and then we'll, undoubtedly, spread out beyond those
as well.

     Q:  As more and more of the other troops arrive from other countries, is
there a deadline or a date for bringing people back, to begin to bring people
back that are being replaced by other troops?
     A:  No.  First of all, there is no deadline or timetable for bringing
troops back.  I think the phases that I talked to you about last week are
generally going to apply here, where you start with the combat people, and then
you bring back the support people, and finally the command and control people.
But we're a long way from that at this point.  We're still trying to pull
forces in, both U.S. and international forces.

     There's no timetable, but clearly in a month or so, the commander over
there, within a month, is going to have to look at his lay-down of forces and
see whether he can begin to make those adjustments.  As I think General Powell
briefed here on Friday when we laid this whole thing out, the most logical
thing will probably be to give certain regions to control of various nations.
For example, the Belgians are basically running the show in Kismayo.  We had
the Marines in there for awhile, the army's coming in.  But that's going to
be...the Belgians will be down there.  The Italians will be given, probably,
their area, the French their area, and so forth.  So as other forces come in,
you may well want to group them by similar languages and customs and that kind
of thing.  But I think it's too early to know when that can happen, and
specifically, Juan, in answer to your question, no, there is no timetable.

     The answer to your question, Patrick, on what would it cost if you didn't
have free mail.  A letter would cost 29 cents, first class, basically; an audio
tape would cost under $2.00; and a videotape about $2.50.  So the Military
Postal Service Agency says these would be the same as local U.S. costs.

     Q:  I'm wondering what the SecDef thinks of the appointment, assuming the
announcement at 3:00 o'clock, of his good friend and comrade, Congressman Les
Aspin, becoming Defense Secretary?
     A:  I want to be very careful here.  I don't know that it's going to be
Les Aspin.  I've seen the press speculation.  The Secretary has seen it.  So we
certainly have to let the President-Elect make his own announcement.  So let's
not talk about it in terms of any planned announcement.

     Let's take the briefer's privilege to rephrase the question to suit his
own needs, a time-honored tradition in here, and simply say that if the
question were:  what does Secretary Cheney think about Les Aspin as a potential
Secretary of Defense nominee?  I think he thinks that would be a good choice.
He certainly worked with Congressman Aspin when they were together on the Hill.
They have a lot of experience working together.  I think he thinks that Les
Aspin is one of the nation's leading experts on defense issues.  He's had
basically a career of studying defense issues, both as a member of the House
Armed Services Committee, and as somebody who used to be an analyst here in the
Pentagon.  I think he has high regard for Les Aspin's intellect and his command
of defense issues.  And I also think that Les Aspin is somebody that he could
get along with.  And if Les Aspin were, in fact, the choice, it would be a very
smooth transition, because the two of them do know each other, they have regard
for each other, and they get along well.

     Q:  Does he think that Les Aspin will be sensitive to the needs of the
military, more so than the needs of other budget issues, for lack of a
better...
     A:  I don't think that Dick Cheney and Les Aspin agree on all issues that
face the department.  They've had their differences in the past over budget
issues.  That's a natural kind of give and take that happens between a
Secretary of Defense and members of Congress.  It could well be that Les
Aspin's perspective on some of those issues may be different once he gets to
the Pentagon.  There's just a different sense of responsibility between being
the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and being Secretary of
Defense.

     Q:  Would there be the same flavor to the Secretary's comments about the
prospect of Ron Dellums being Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee?
     A:  I think he said once he thought that would be sweet justice.
(Laughter)  But we will wait and see how that works out.  I'm sure that whoever
the Democrats choose to make the chairman of the committee will take that
assignment on with a sense of responsibility for the well being of America's
military.

     Q:  Is the Air Force considering shifting some of the production work for
F-22 from the Martin Marietta, the Lockheed facility in Marietta, Georgia, to
Warner Robbins Air Force Base?
     A:  I don't know what the Air Force plans are there.  I don't think
there's any departmental view that that's a great idea, but I don't know
exactly what the Air Force is working on.

     Q:  Do you have anything else on F-22 today?
     A:  No.  Like what?

     Q:  Restructuring or...
     A:  No, not that I know of.

     Q:  A news agency on Cyprus, apparently one of the local news agencies, is
reporting that the United States has decided, as of December 18th, not to sell
any arms or ship arms to Cyprus at all, to cool down the situation there.  Have
you gotten anything on that?
     A:  It's news to me.  Let me take the question.  Let me make sure I
understand the question.  Is there any change in the U.S. military policy, U.S.
policy on selling arms to Cyprus  (FYI:  No.)

     Q:  And how that would affect Turkish troops on Cyprus.
     A:  Yes.

     Q:  Several Central European Foreign Ministers came out of a meeting with
President Bush this morning convinced that the U.S. will, with Security Council
approval, be ready to go ahead and enforce the no-fly zone in Bosnia.  Assuming
that it does, indeed, happen, what kind of shape is the Pentagon in right now
to go ahead and carry out that mission if it, indeed, is ordered by the UN?
     A:  I should be careful here, because, in fact, we have not received any
instructions from the President, which is the way it would work, to change what
we're doing right now in that area.  We, obviously, have assets in the region.
We've been participating in the operation to get relief into Bosnia for quite
some time.  We're doing regular flights.  And I should say, by the way, let me
take the opportunity since we're on that subject, to say that the relief
flights have resumed.

     The airport was closed at Sarajevo, as you know, for several days, but
they've now resumed flights.  The flights into Sarajevo resumed yesterday,
after being suspended since December 1st.  Two U.S. flights reached Sarajevo
yesterday, carrying 43 tons of aid.  Two others were cancelled because of
inclement weather.  Six were scheduled for today.  The flights yesterday and
today were carrying food.

     We still have ships in the Adriatic that have rotated in and out of the
NATO Standing Naval Force Mediterranean.  They've rotated in and out to provide
command and control and rescue capability.  We still have a field hospital,
surgical hospital deployed, and that has been there since November 15th.  We
still have military personnel assigned to the United Nations to help with the
planning.  So we're still involved there.  We have quite a bit of capability in
the area.  But I shouldn't speculate on what we may do because, as I say, we
haven't received any instructions to carry that operation out.

     Q:  Will we need more?  Will we need to take some further steps to enforce
this no-fly zone than what's already there?
     A: I don't know.  First of all, my understanding is that NATO has been
doing some planning.  NATO said they would be willing to participate if the UN
were to pass a resolution, and I think there's been some correspondence between
the UN and NATO on the issue, so NATO has been doing some planning.  I don't
know, first of all, whether there's going to be a resolution passed by the UN.
I understand it's being discussed among the allies.  But secondly, and more
importantly, I don't know what the resolution's going to say.  Presumably the
resolution may have something to say about how no-fly zones are enforced.
Thirdly, I don't know how NATO is going to handle this.  Whether it will be
primarily a NATO operation, whether it would be a NATO operation with some U.S.
support.  I just don't know.  So I think I can't speculate before...

     Q:  What abouty down the road, what about attacks on the airfields from
which the flights originate?  There's some discussion about that.  Is that,
indeed, still under discussion?
     A:  The Secretary said over the weekend, on Face the Nation, he thought
that was a logical way to enforce the no-fly zone, but I haven't heard any
discussion beyond that.

     Q:  Anything new on the situation in northern Iraq?
     A:  No, we are obviously concerned about the attacks by the Iraqis on the
trucks that are carrying humanitarian relief supplies into northern Iraq, but
the Iraqi military activity in the north consists mainly of minor repositioning
of forces and continued training activity.  There's been no significant buildup
of forces in the region in the last several weeks. no violations of the no-fly
zone in northern or southern Iraq that we are aware of.  We're still flying our
flights over both northern Iraq, regular reconnaissance flights to support
Operation Provide Comfort, and our monitoring flights in southern Iraq to
support the no-fly zone on the south, Operation Southern Watch.  So what we're
doing there is basically the same.

     But the UN did call in the Iraqi permanent representative, I think on
Friday, to complain about the bombings of Turkish trucks, relief trucks.
There's some discussion going on now between the UN and the people driving
those trucks on getting guards, that those convoys can get started again.

     Q:  Any new instances of sabotage in the last couple of days?
     A:  No, because there haven't been any convoys.  They're not driving the
trucks right now.  There's nothing for them to sabotage.

     Q:  Is the United States doing anything to flex muscle in the area?  In
the military-to-military talks, the normal military-to-military talks with the
Iraqis, folks on the scene, have there been any warnings issued on this?
     A:  No warnings that I know of, but there was a very firm message
delivered to the Iraqi permanent representative.  I think those discussions
have happened at the UN, basically.

     Q:  That's at the UN, not at the local level.
     A:  I don't think there have been any discussions out in northern Iraq,
but we can check that.  The regular discussions that they have.  We'll take
that question.  Has the subject of bombing the trucks been raised at the
regular military-to-military meeting.

     Q:  I want to ask a couple of questions about the death of Naval Petty
Officer Allen Schindler, who many believe was murdered because he was gay.
Yesterday's Chicago Tribune mentioned that Airman Charles Vinn, who was earlier
convicted as an accomplice to the murder, was sentenced to one year in Jail.
Yesterday's Chicago Tribune says that in accordance with a pre-trial deal, the
sentence was reduced to four months.  Do you have any details about that deal,
or why the sentence was reduced for the murder of the gay sailor?
     A:  I don't.  I don't have anything on that incident.  The Navy is
investigating it.  They'd probably be the place to go for more information.  I
don't have anything about the case here.

     Q:  One followup question, this is also from yesterday's Chicago Tribune.
The mother of the dead gay sailor said that she hasn't received his belongings
from the Navy, and she's also requested that the Navy send her to the court
martial.  Do you have any comments about possibly sending her to the court
martial of the second man charged in the murder?
     A:  I'm sorry.  I just don't know anything about the case.  The Navy could
probably tell you about that.  I don't know what the Navy procedures are in a
case like this, but they'd probably be able to answer the question for you.

     Press:  Thank you.
     Mr. Williams:  Thank you.  Happy holidays to all!

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT AWARDS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1992

                                     ARMY

    Dania Industries Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, is being awarded a $9,307,000
firm fixed price contract for major expansions at the Radford Army Ammunition
Plant Propellant Wastewater Treatment facility.  Work will be performed in
Radford, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by October 20, 1995.
Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  There
were 201 bids solicited on August 21, 1992, and 14 bids received.  The con-
tracting activity is the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia
(DACA65-93-C-0017).

                                     NAVY

    AT&T Federal Systems Advanced Technology, McLeansvile, North Carolina, is
being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering services and
associated materials for sonar sea systems engineering related to the Sound
Surveillance System (SOSUS) Program.  Funds being obligated today are
$12,922,700.  Work will be performed in McLeansville, North Carolina (93%),
Whitsett, North Carolina (3%), and Whippany, New Jersey (4%), and is expected
to be completed by September 1993.  This contract was not competitively
procured.  Contract funds in the amount of $9,186,700 would have expired at the
end of the current fiscal year.  This contract includes purchases under the
Foreign Military Sales Program.  The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command is
the contracting activity (N00039-93-C-0007).

    FMC Naval Sytems Division, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is being awarded a
$15,094,682 contract modification for MK-15 Vertical Launch Asroc (VLA)
Canisters.  Work will be performed in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and is expected
to be completed by July 1995.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year.  This contract is for the U.S. Navy (78%) and for Japan
(22%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.  This contract was not competi-
tively procured.  The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity
(N00024-90-C-3217).

    Analysis and Technology, Inc., North Stonington, Connecticut, is being
awarded a $10,119,092 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite delivery/indefinite
quantity contract to acquire analyses and studies, design evaluation, noise
reduction services, and mathematical modeling.  Work will be performed in New
London, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 1997.  Con-
tract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This
contract was competitively procured with 52 bids solicited and 2 bids received.
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport Detachment, New London,
Connecticut, is the contracting activity (N66604-92-D-0583).

    General Electric Company, Ocean and Radar Systems Division, Syracuse, New
York, is being awarded a $6,131,694 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite deliv-
ery/indefinite quantity contract to provide engineering services for the
CLIPPER SHALE Performance Improvement Program.  These services are directed at
advanced analysis, consolidation, evaluation, and supplemental experimentation
to validate and/or modify results from data generated under the CLIPPER SHALE
Experimental Developmental Model Program.  Technology applications are for
weapons, unmanned underwater vehicles, and submarines.  Work will be performed
in Syracuse, New York (95%), and Newport, Rhode Island (5%), and is expected to
be completed by December 1995.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of
the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured.  The
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contract-
ing activity (N66604-93-D-A479).

    Grumman Aerospace Corporation, Bethpage, New York, is being awarded a
$6,075,000 modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide an
increment of funds for the incorporation of the NAVSTAR  Global Positioning
System (GPS) into the F-14 weapon system.  Work will be performed in Bethpage,
New York, and is expected to be completed by December 1994.  Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not
competitively procured.  The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting
activity (N00019-91-C-0276).

    Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company, Marietta,
Georgia, is being awarded a $10,000,000 modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee
contract to provide additioinal funds for A/FX weapon system trade studies and
risk reduction activities.  Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia (40%),
Seattle, Washington (30%), and Fort Worth, Texas (30%), and is expected to be
completed by July 1993.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the
current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured by a request for
proposal, and five proposals were received.  The Naval Air Systems Command is
the contracting activity (N00019-92-C-0040).

    Sikorsky Aircraft Division, United Technologies Corporation, Stratford,
Connecticut, is being awarded a $11,649,218 order under a basic ordering
agreement for 31 composite tail rotor retrofit kits and 31 block upgrade
retrofit kits for the CH-53E helicopter.  Work will be performed in Stratford,
Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by March 1996.  Contract funds
will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not
competitively procured.  The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting
activity (N00019-91-G-0006).

                                   AIR FORCE

    CAE-Link Training Systems Division, Binghamton, New York, is being awarded
a $10,234,891 face value increase to a firm-fixed-price contract for HC-130P
Special Operations improvements to the C-130 Aircraft Training System.  Con-
tract is expected to be completed January 1994.  Contract funds $605,652 will
expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Aeronautical Systems Center,
Wright-Patterson Air Foce Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (F33657-86-
C-0103, P00078).

    Hughes Aircraft Company, Missile Systems Division, Tucson, Arizona, is
being awarded a $18,702,161 time-and-materials contract for technical syspport
for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) production effort.
Contract is expected to be completed in December 1993.  Contract funds will not
expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  One bid was solicited and one
proposal was received.  The solicitation was isued in July 1992 and negotia-
tions were completed in November 1992.  The Aeronautical Systems Center, Eglin
Air Force Base, Florida is the contracting activity, (F08626-93-C-0016).

    Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company, Marietta,
Georgia, is being awarded a $1,200,000,000 face value increase to a cost-plus-
award-fee contract for a rephased schedule for the F-22 Air Vehicle Program.
Contract is expected to be completed July 2001.  Contract funds will not expire
at the end of the current fiscal year.  Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-91-C-0006,
P00059).

    United Technologies Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Government Engine
Business, West Palm Beach, Florida, is being awarded a $36,509,686 face value
increase to a firm-fixed-price contract for eight F-100-PW-220 engines (4 for
Singapore; 4 for Thailand), and seven engine modules (2 for Singapore; 5 for
Thailand), applicable to the F-16C/D aircraft.  Contract is expected to be
completed April 1995.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year.  This contract is in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to
Singapore and Thailand.  The Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (F33657-90-C-0057-P00006).

    United Technologies Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Government Engine
Business, West Palm Beach, Florida, is being awarded a $127,000,000 face value
increase to a cost-plus-award-fee contract for a rephased scedule for the
F119-PW-100 engine applicable to the F-22 aircraft.  Contract is expected to be
completed July 2001.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year.  Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio is the contracting activity ((F33657-91-C-0007, P00038).

                           DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

    Chevron USA, Incorporated, San Francisco, California was awarded a
$5,308,760 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for jet fuel
(JP-4).  Eleven proposals were solicited and seven received.  Work will be
performed in El Segundo, California and is expected to be completed by 30
September 1993.  This contract is one of a multi-contract procurement program.
When all contracts have been awarded, additional details will be available.
Funds will not expire at the en dof the fiscal year.  The Defense Fuel Supply
Center, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity (DLA600-92-D-0559).
:END


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