European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 16, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Once again you were born and then what by Cunt Swift staff writer he Barracks business can be lucrative encyclopedia salespersons will be the first to Tell units with incoming personnel Are perfect target for skilled Book paddlers after fast sales. Newcomers to Europe often find they have signed up for a 500 encyclopedia package even before they leave Tempo Rary quarters at a replacement know All that often stands Between them and a Barracks full of new Comers is a charge of quarters at the in trance Way to a company living area or a Gate guard at the Entrance to a military installation. Some salespersons Are expert at getting past these individuals. But there Are some units in Europe where the obstacles to reaching and Selling personnel in the Barracks Are considerably More formidable. One of these units is he co 4th brigade 4thinf div Mech at Wiesbaden a Ger Many. Company commander capt. Craig an 1st sgt. . Skolnekovich watch out for their 182 men and women into ways. They control Access to the com Pany and keep a rough idea of How much fan individual s paycheck has been spent before it you control pm salesmen you can stay on top of pm said Skolnekovich who has been in the army in Yean and a top sergeant for salesperson who wants to talk to some one in Headquarters company signs a control log. Unit rules say no More than two visitors per Man and no guests in the Bil lets after u . Without the co s Permis i know who s Here when and whom be talked to said the 35-year-old Skolnek one of my Guys has problems i know whom to go to be business hours the Contr log is kept by the charge of quarters the i divid a often termed the weak link in any unit s defense against unwanted visitors. One Veteran sergeant suggested a salesperson May wait until the company commander and first sergeant go Home and then slip Byan inexperienced or Over Busy no run Ning the billets night shift. Peterson s policy is that persons who want to provide a service to Mili tary personnel should have that Opportunity. But individuals in the company Are not to be harassed. Salespersons come on Post with a Pas from the installation commander. There s no time for an in depth Checkon whether he represents a Fly by night if you control pm salesmen you can stay on top of outfit said Peterson. Probably there just a look to see whether the outfit is on a list of proscribed vendors he rules say a salesperson never is unescorted in the company Guy can t just come in Here and grab somebody said the sergeant. He d better have a name be Able to Tell me Smith called me lot of salesmen try to get a company roster the first sergeant went on. The rosters have the nuns names ranks which Means pay Home addresses and everything. I control s rosters carry control numbers. He showed a reporter one which was designated copy 5 of 40." they Are signed out so he knows where every copyist but there probably is Little that can be done to prevent a determined Soldier with Access from making his own copies an pasting them to those who would pay Well for them. A company commander often has to verify info Tauoa of Tower s re quest for torn or to have u allot ment taken oat Els pay. Peter and Skolnekovich Seise that Opportunity to keep tabs of personal finances in the unit. Skolnekovich keeps a Sheet of White lined paper in Bis desk. I carries the names and ranks of individuals who Are making time pay ments and Bow much is being subtracted from their pay. Just an Extension of my memory said Skolnekovich. He and Peterson Are the Only ones who see the Sheet. We want to know when a Guy can afford an allotment and when it May be time to counsel somebody Skolnekovich know what his pay is and what he has taken out a loan for. If i let him sign that document and a letter of indebtedness comes Down i Haven t done my if a Man shows signs of Money problem Sand wants to buy a set of books he s Likely to hear Skolnekovich say hey set of encyclopedias is Nice but your baby is Only one year old. He won t Nee them for 17 what if a Soldier wants to buy and insist she can afford it the request goes Forward to the co the top said. Peterson helps with the ounce of Preven Tion. I Check leave and earnings statement before they Are issued to the men he said. I Check for new allotments or a not that no pay is due. Mostly i Check people new to the s not big brother looking Over the shoulder of adult soldiers Skolnekovich said. Sometimes he said Yon just have to advise a Gay of. Your Mother s sick and you want to go borne. Button t go to the credit onto. 1 t the red Cross tint " let s try ninety nine times out of a Hundred if Soldier gets a letter of indebtedness he went outside the military system to a loan office to gel the Money Skolnekovich said. Taking the extra time to help a Man witha Money problem or to help keep him out of trouble in the first place is part of staying ready Peterson your extra Effort you win the Man s Trust the Captain said he May even feel he owes Youhua Best thursday june 16, 1977 the stars and stripes Page a3
