European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 05, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday september 5,1977 the stars and stripes Page 11 tetters to the editor Federal women s week was All hassles for her so we be celebrated Federal women Sweek my personal Celebration included spend ing a Good Deal of time trying to clarify the fact that when payments Are made on the car which i own these payments should be credited to my account not to my Hus band s account. Let me explain just a few of the events that have led up to this absurd situation. When i was first employed by civil serv ice in a professional capacity it became necessary for me to have a car. I found one i wanted and decided to buy it in my own name in order to establish solid credit in Case anything should Ever happen to my husband. Despite the fact that i be worked for quite a few years and that i am certainly earning enough Money to pay for a car the Federal credit Union in our area was Hesi Tant to lend me Money. Apparently i m a dependent wife first and a department of army civilian second if at All. Finally i was granted a loan on the condition that my husband countersign a note from my daddy. The next Page of the Saga took place when i tried to Register the car in my own name. Can t be done said the motor vehicle lady it has to be registered in your husband s name. Have him fill out these papers and bring them somewhat chagrined i did this and left the forms at the office next to motor vehicle asking that they give them to the lady when her office was open it s Only open at times when i have to be at work. The paperwork was passed on but i still had t received new plates six weeks later when i attended a conference in Garmisch. Returning on a Friday night i discovered that my temporary plates had been re moved from my car by the military police. It seems i had t completed All the Neces sary registration even though the lady signed the paperwork she had kept the forms and assumed i would return Al though i had never been asked to do this. She later explained that she had run into the Man who used to own the car and had told him i needed to come Back to motor vehicle after much hassle i discovered that i certainly could Register the car in my own name and that any military officer could authorize this. By the Way my husband had to explain to his commanding officer Why he was on the police blotter for an improperly Regis Ted vehicle so my car was finally registered. No More problems right wrong every month my husband who works closer to the credit Union than i do makes the pay ments by Check and enclosing the pay ment slips on three accounts we maintain. Guess what the payments on my car have been credited to the accounts with my husband s name on them. Thus i am Delin quent in my payments. Although both of our names Are on our checks Only my husband s social Security account number appears so despite the enclosed payment slip it was necessary for someone to assume that Only an account bearing his name should be credited. The manager of the credit Union is trying to rectify this situation. However i find it very difficult to believe that a Man employed As i am would have found him self going through All of this nonsense. Discrimination condescension and medieval mentality these All seem to be suitable adjectives in this Case. I m not asking for responses or answers to this list of embarrassing annoying situations i be been Given plenty of them Al ready. What i am doing is saying to those who consider the advances in women s right to be sufficient and especially to those who feel there s no need for an equal rights amendment horsefeathers until the Laws pertaining to Equality Are fully enforced and clarified and until there is no question or hesitation when i or any other woman attempt to exercise prerogatives in the same manner As our male counterparts none of us can afford to rest on our laurels. No human being certainly not an Amer ican citizen should Ever Settle for or be expected to Settle for less than a full Mea sure of Equality in All matters. While i wholeheartedly support and applaud those individuals who organized and contributed to the program for Federal women s week much More needs to be done. Write your congressman or woman file complaints when necessary question restrictions. So what if you re called Pushy bother some a Ladylike or even god forbid militant these terms probably would t have stopped Dolly Madison or Eleanor Roosevelt. A Federal woman Giessen Germany Gas Coupon refusal is problem Germany enjoyed not too Long ago the stars and stripes ran a series of complaints regarding the Purchase of gasoline in areas away from the military Community. Apparently Esso still has a problem with some of its dealers who display the Esso sign. While travelling in the Siegen area recently i stopped at an Esso station on bad Perlberg named Esso Wagen Pfluege which refused to accept my Esso coupons. The attendant completely ignored my plea for service. I proceeded to another Esso station with no Luck. I was forced to Stop at an aral station and Purchase gasoline for 20 do. We travelled to a town named Winter Berg where we were Able to use our Cou Pons. This resulted in our driving an additional 40 Miles out of the Way just to fill our Gas tank. Are we to assume that not All Esso stations Are required to accommodate the Coupon Holder if this holds True Why does cafes limit itself to Only one contract plus by on the autobahn if this station owner is required to support the Esso con tract then he should be required to accept Esso coupons. At the time of the incident i was unaware of who should be contacted. I recommend that a key number be printed on the inside cover of the Coupon books under the statement which notifies the dealer of his addition cafes should display the procedures for reporting incidents at Al Coupon sales distribution centers. To. Sgt. Charles 0. Dutto Rhein main a Germany a similar letter on the same station was received from m. Sgt. Edward e. Camp Bell also of Rhein main a. De. Editor s note col. Oran t. Hrncir director services division cafes Europe replies All Esso stations in West Germany Are required to accept the gasoline coupons sold by cafes. The incident has been re ported to Esso which will take action to ensure that the dealer accepts cafes Cou Pons in the refusals at Esso stations Are infrequent and Are normally resolved expeditiously by the Esso company. While signs and a statement would possibly be helpful to a few people refusals Are so rare that the expense of printing signs for each sales Point and an additional statement in the Coupon Book does not appear justified. If you recall the amount of liners of fuel you purchased at the aral station for 20 do please Forward to us the correspond ing number of gasoline coupons. We will reimburse you the 20 place to go with an cafes prob Ishi is cafes. Assistance is As close As your local Exchange manager and no fur ther away than a Telephone Call to the Exchange general manager whose name and Telephone number Are posted in All major exchanges or the Headquarters cafes Europe customer relations staff at Munich military 2521 6007."thank you for bringing this incident to our attention and we apologize for the in convenience you How do you say goodbye to a Way of life for me that is what Germany has been a total experience a chapter in my life. Only in a foreign country and the service army could a person get so close to so Many people who worked Side by Side at Grafe Wohr tank gunnery and Hohen Fels and on reformer and shared the same problems such As loneliness and confusion and bad German grammar and the thrilling Awe of Heidelberg s Castle Burn ing or the splendor of the oktoberfest or humor and friendliness of a Jahrmarkt. These and Many More places faces and cases make up almost two years of my life. Well it has not All been a song but with hard work Good leadership and Unity i be made it and now look Back on a couple of accomplishments such As our company being named the very Best transportation in the army in 1976 b co. 8th s and t i plus our company s winning in the soft Ball conference b co. 8th s and t truckers. We got beat in the bad Kreuz Nach area tourney but the Point is we walked off that Field As a team and that is the whole key to a Good company. You have to work As a team to win. So now after a few Beers a couple of cheers and maybe even some tears i say goodbye to some very special people. I would like finally to say something to the new people Here get on your team. It s never too late help pull some weight. The buddy system works spec. 4 Herman l. Brown bad Kreuz Nach Germany reminder All letters to the editor must contain full name and address of the writer and must be signed. Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication. Because of the Large volume of mail this column receives daily letters that Are Brief and to the Point have a much better Chance of being published. Real health Benefit so often armed forces personnel and their dependents Are so caught up in find ing fault with their medical facilities and services that they Don t realize that Many of the benefits they receive Are Only pos sible through the goodness of people whore willing to care 1 in Vogel Weh recently there were a number of such caring persons. In an Effort to contribute something worthwhile to the Community during women s week the Vogel Weh family clinic conducted a women s health fair. The Young woman responsible for such a Well organized program was a clinic nurse capt. Carolyn Campbell who supported by doctors nurses red Cross volunteers and other staff members put into action such an outstanding health pro Gram. In my opinion i m sure the other ladies who attended will agree with me the women s health fair was a major Suc Cess. I think All of these individuals who went above and beyond the Call of duty to offer this invaluable service to those women who were interested enough to take advantage of it should be highly com mended. Not Only was the fair Well organized it offered Many tests and services not normally provided in a general physical examination. Furthermore it was a ladies affair and everyone who attended will agree that the atmosphere was most comforting and relaxing. Ladies if you missed it this year Mark it on your Calendar when it comes around next year. I took advantage of such a great Opportunity and i m glad i did. After All when else can you get a Pap smear weight and height Check blood pressure and pulse Check urinalysis a blood test Tine test heart and lung Check Eye Check prescriptions for birth control refills plus More All in less than an hour to All who helped in the Vogel Weh women s health fair thanks a million for offering me the Oil of your kindness it certainly took the friction out of my life. Thanks for taking time out especially on a saturday to i appreciated every second of your time. Evelyn a. Gaston Kaiserslautern Germany european edition col. Billy e. Spangler Usa. Editor in chief it. Col. J. C. Taylor Usan. Deputy editor in chief Mert Proctor. Managing editor Elmer d. Frank. Production manager Henry s. Epstein. Circulation manager this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for . Armed forces overseas. The stars and stripes is published in conjunction with the armed forces information program of the department of defense. 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