G.I. Dependents: Aid and Comfort

Some Congressmen want them home, but the generals do not

Senator John Stennis, chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, sees them as a liability to the U.S. military mission in the event of attack. But the ranking U.S. military commanders in Europe, Army General Frederick J. Kroesen and Air Force General John W. Pauly, strongly disagree. In a forceful and unusual joint statement submitted to Congress, the generals argued that their presence is "a principal stabilizing influence" and "vital to the. continuing health and readiness of our commands."

At issue: the 236,000 dependents of American soldiers and airmen in Europe, most of whom live in West Germany. In an effort to curtail the number of dependents overseas, Congress has imposed a ceiling on the number the military can sponsor. The congressional scheme would not affect cost of living differentials, PX privileges and other routine fringe benefits given to all overseas personnel. Rather, it would sharply curtail the number eligible for family transportation and resettlement allowances. As a result, many servicemenespecially among lower rankswould find they simply could no longer afford to bring their dependents along at their own expense. Says California Congressman Jim Lloyd: "You can send bullets to Europe, or you can send dependents, and the congressional mood now is to send bullets."

At a time when the armed services are having a tough time recruiting and keeping skilled personnel, the cutbacks are strongly opposed by ranking military brass in Europe. The commanders contend that the presence of dependents is a positive morale factor that far outweighs any disadvantages. In separate interviews with TIME Bonn Correspondent Lee Griggs, Generals Pauly and Kroesen argue that a reduction in dependents in Europe would spell disaster. "Having dependents here is a heavy plus," says Pauly. "If a war situation developed, our people might even fight a shade harder if loved ones were here and in need of immediate protection." Observes Kroesen: "I believe it is an absolute necessity to have dependents along. Dependents help provide a wholesome environment in which this command must live and operate."

Both generals point out that soldiers and airmen accompanied by their spouses are willing to accept longer overseas-duty tours, which contribute to better military preparedness. A tour with dependents is normally three years; for unaccompanied servicemen it is usually two years. "Continuity is a vital factor," says Pauly. "It takes me 150 days to get an F-111 crew combat-ready. We can't be turning over people all the time on tours that must be short because they are unaccompanied. A three-year tour, with dependents, gives me a trained, combat-ready individual for an extra year."

Soldiers and dependents already living in West Germany are virtually unanimous in their desire to keep their families together, even though most of them have a lower standard of living than they would enjoy back home. "It's a struggle, and there are lots of frustrations," says Patty Hall, 21, wife of Airman Walter Hall of Norfolk. "We don't have the money to go out at all, and I wash all our clothes by hand because the base launderette is too expensive. But I wouldn't trade this life for anything." A number of wives do find work, often at U.S. bases.

At the three dozen major U.S. military bases in West Germany, community leaders welcome dependent families as a moderating influence on military behavior, which they say would be much worse in an unaccompanied force. "Kaiserslautern used to be sin city back in the 1950s," says Marie Mayer, a West German community relations adviser for the U.S. Air Force. "There was a lot of drinking and fighting by single G.I.s, who were in the majority back then. Now, with more people married, the military is much better behaved." About 30% of the soldiers in today's volunteer Army are marriedand nearly two-thirds of the Air Force against 10% in the old draftee Army. Pauly and other commanders agree that married servicemen tend to be more stable and much less subject to the dangers of alcohol, drug abuse and sexual adventures with the locals, provided families are with them at these overseas posts.

For the privilege of being together, many families barely get by in the West German economy. Today's dollar buys 1.92 deutsche marks, compared with 4.2 in the 1960s. The Air Force estimates that it costs the average airman whose dependents are not subsidized by the Government $4,600 to ship over and settle a family on his own. Still, more than 10,000 such nonsubsidized servicemen have brought over 25,000 dependents to West Germany at their own expense this past year. Says Airman Maurice Womack, 25, of Providence, who lives with his wife Maria and year-old daughter near Kaiserslautern: "It took every penny I had, and we're still on the borderline of going broke. But the hassle's been worth it, to have the family together.''

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