SOLDIERS’ FAMILIES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29366, 19 November 1960, Page 13

SOLDIERS’ FAMILIES

Danger Seen In Moves

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 17

The Secretary of the United States Army, Mr Wilber Brucker. today saw a threat to Army effectiveness in the order reducing the number of dependents with units overseas, the American Associated Press reported. Mr Brucker thus became the first highly-placed official to enter any sort of public dissent against this phase of President Eisen--11 >wer's efforts to reduce overseas spending of United States dollars. A.A P su'd.

Speaking to a military audience at the Army's infantry training centre at Fort Benning, Georgia. Mr Brucker said he felt “much the same as you do” about the order, which ultimately will affect more than half of the approximately 483.000 dependents with servicemen overseas. Mr Brucker expressed his concern about the impact on morale when he said: "I will do everything in my power to diminish the blow to them (Army families) and to soften the effect on the combat effectiveness and morale of our Army.” His remarks were released though his office in Washington. The Secretary of Defence, Mr Thomas Gates, said today reduction of the total of overseas dependents by about 284.000 would be carried out at the rate of at least 15,000 a month and would start in January. Mr Gates, in a special message to all commands, said the reduction programme would be carried out mainly by: Having men now overseas return to the United States with their families at the end of their normal tours of duty. Returning some with their families before completion of their regular assignments and Reducing the number of dependents sent overseas in the future. Mr Gates said the dependents programme should be carried out without regard to rank or station. He specifically excluded from the programme armed forces units in Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal Zone, the Marianas, Marshall. Midway. Samoa and Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.