European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 08, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. October 8. 1985 the stars and stripes Page 11 dear Ann Landers what should be done when a Friend gives birth to a handicapped child or stillborn Ehas a child who is terminally ill has been raped and everyone knows about it has been indicted or sen to prison has been arrested for Drunken driving has 3 child who announces publicly that he or she is Gay has contracted aids gets jilted after the wedding invitations have been sent out is involved in an ugly divorce is suddenly tired or has his or her business fail has a child or spouse who commits suicide loses a hard fought election the list is endless. I m sure you get the idea. Newts join Glencoe dear to i m so glad you wrote. Millions of people need to know what to do when calamity strikes a Friend. The natural inclination is to pretend they Haven t heard because they Don t know what to say. This is wrong wrong wrong. People in trouble need to know they Are not alone. Silence is interpreted As indifference. It is extremely important thai family and friends reach out to distraught people and provide emotional support. A Short note saying i m sorry about your trouble. Or a Telephone ca1 expressing concern can mean More than Yon will Ever know. Dear Ann Landers recently a contributor to your column confessed thai she was filled with anxiety because her son a Christian was about to marry a jewish woman. She feared they would not be together in the hereafter because according to her bib Lica teachings Only those who recognize Jesus Christ As their Savior will be Al Lowed in heaven. I would like to remind your correspondent that god in his Wisdom chose a jewish woman to be the Mother of his Only Begotten son. Her name was Mary. Someone should straighten out the per son who wrote. Sign me your Catholic Friend in la Crosse w1s. Dear Catholic Friend trying to straighten out people who think like that is an exercise in futility. Unfortunately the woman has a lot of company. Her letter generated a Load of anti semitic mail As Well As suggestions of Bow i can be  Yow thoughtful letter reminded me of this provocative line by Willian Norman ewer How Odd of god to choose the Jet Many years later Cecile browse came a Wilk this insightful rejoinder Bui not so Odd. As those who choose a jewish god. But spurn the  questions about pay deductions Are answered when a  has been Over paid for a temporary duty assignment for example How docs the accounting and finance office determine How much Money to deduct each paycheck until the indebted Ness has been resolved earlier this year my husband was Over paid $64 for a 60-Day toy the Ato de ducted s32 from both the mid month and and of month paychecks. This seemed Logi Cal and we had no complaints. Recently we moved into government quarters. We notified the afo july 16 in order to have our Basic allowance for quart ers slopped. Nevertheless we received bad in the end of month paycheck. We were quite aware of the fact we would have to repay the bad since we were already living in base housing. We assumed the si30 would be taken out in two install ments. Thiu was not the Case. A total of s130 was taken at one time. Our complaint is this Why was s64 de ducted in two instalments but $130 was deducted All at once this is very inconvenient especially when Bills arc due and cup boards need stocking. Is there a logical explanation for this name and location withheld editor s note master sgt. Dave Wright accounting and finance Finan Cial Dimion he Safe replies fora reminder  indebtedness is one of he aspects of our Job and hopefully you will find the military pay system a Little More logical As we address your situation and concerns. Kirst let me say there Are to different types of indebtedness that can affect your pay. One is an overpayment of military pay and allowances such As bad. Bas rent plus or other entitlements overpaid in a previous paycheck. The second is a specific debt arising from a situation outside the military pay area. Exam Plov of specific debts Are Over payment of travel allowances excess costs related to a household goods shipment or any number of other reasons not directly associated with How your pay is initially computed. Overpayment of military pay and allowances and specific indebted Nesses Are processed two separate ways and there fore affect your paycheck differently. In your Case regarding the collection of si30 in bad family housing offices routinely notify the in counting and finance office of assignments to government hous ing. These notices Are not treated As debts but rather As an official notice to Stop further bad payments. This is done the first a Day after notification. However because payrolls Are in he disagrees with drinking Rule i have become increasingly despondent Over bureaucratic rules that come Down through the Chain of command to the sol Dier that seem to have Little thought put into them. What i am speaking of is the Dod policy concerning the minimum drinking age of soldiers. The army implementation of this guidance was june 1, 1985. I am 23 years old and obviously Don t have to worry about the drinking age. However i do. Pulling the time Money and Effort into the wide Range of rules concerning this is absolutely uncalled for. Since a Soldier can die fighting and operate extremely expensive and danger Ous equipment for his country and have that Trust and responsibility put on him often willingly and often not at the Ages of 18, 19 and 20 i cannot see the Validity in implementing this guidance. It should be As simple As this. If a person is old enough and considered grown up enough to defend his coun try then he should be Able to drink Alco Holic beverages. Period. Please understand that i have been absolutely sickened by drunk driving Acci dents and their effect. Remember though that a Good Many of the Drivers have been Over the age of 21. That in itself proves my View that people will drive drunk no mat Ter what their age. Please change this Law. If we can die for our country should we not be Able to have the responsibility of drinking socially and making the Correct decision on driving pfc. Matthew t. Bennett Craib Beim Germany editor s note Judy Ann Miller Deputy assistant Secretary of military personnel equal Opportunity and human resources office of the assist ant Secretary of the army replies tally processed at the air Force account ing and finance Center a Cut off Dale must be established Well ahead of the Actu Al payday in order to process and account for the millions of dollars in payments. These Dales Are approximately the 6lh and 17th of each month. Because you accepted housing approximate the 6th of the month your Stop bad transaction did not process in Lime to affect your end of month Check. However when any transaction processes the Al i s computer automatically collects any overpayment based on the Dale you accepted housing. Conversely the collection of $64 was a specific debt resulting from an indebted Ness related to toy or permanent change of station travel. Though normally de ducted in Lump sum an afo can prorate the indebtedness Over a longer period if they feel it would be in the Best interest of the member. In your Case the def was prorated Over one month or two paychecks. In summary overpayment made through your paycheck Are collected Lump sum because they were paid Lump sum. We rely on our service members to set aside any amount they know they Are overpaid to offset the collection that will occur the next pay period. However specific debts resulting in the collection of non military pay indebted Nesses can be prorated Over a longer period of Lime. We Hope this adequately answers your questions and concerns and gives you a better understanding of How your military Puy system works. If you have any other questions please Contact your accounting and finance office. They Are there to serve you. The Dod drinking policy is based upon Federal legislation that encourages All states to Institute a minimum drink ing age of 21 years. This policy requires that military installations comply with the state Laws in which they Are located. The High incidence of alcohol related traffic accidents and fatalities among the 18-to-zo-year age group nationwide has been the impetus for the Federal initiative. The armed forces As part of the Federal establishment Are required to abide by National Laws policies and directives. The Dod drinking age policy is not a negative reflection on our High Quality and responsible Young soldiers sailors. Marines and air Force personnel rather it is an expression of citizenship and commit ment to National goals and objectives for Highway safety. Thank you to Canadian friends All Fetters to the editor must contain the Fult Priale name and address of the Riler an Musl be Sig de. Edoino. Read unsigned letters but Eiliot. Or endorsed by in  love rom Ril if1� depart men of defend or Ine . European command the appearance of adv Trilling to this publication including Thierl or Tuple mental Don not commute endorse men by the department of defend or the Start and strip at in product or Roket advert Ted everything advertised in my Pum Calion that be mad available for porch me. Or patronage without Ward to race color religion Tei National origin a. Marll Ilalue Prtt Clai two wite. To Tirkel a Watton or any other non Merit Factor of the Durer to outer or Patron. Mill for Addre ii the Start and Sirlet. Apo Mil Init Naik a mall the Slart end strip Point an 11 10 31. A Loq Dart tall ii Germany Tat g to Helm civilian 04155 4010 military Dart lady Ali Rio 7374 741, i a european Telephone. Or them Etal number wi-5741. Telex oj1v-332. New York Ohice room 401, ?s7 seven at. New York 10001, Tel area cod 71 420 3m news bureaus bit Burc Germany Jean Albright building in room 7 10 a Tilburg a Apo 09131 Telephone Civ. 04541 577v, Mil. 2728-7057. Bremerhaven Germany Joe a Polhem building 101. Carl Short Cavern. Apo ow49, Telephone fire Merhavi in Mil 8459, Civ. 047i-m7i7 Kaiserslautern Germany belly Luman and Dick Hoff ton. Building 799 j. Pui Vahl Barrack Box Sill Apo 09012 Telephone to Getwan Mil. 7726 6ms, ets no. 49-4515 or Kalert lantern Civ. 031 51104. Munich Germany Charlie Bowden. Bulk Lnu 4. Stairwell 114. Room 11, Mcgraw Cavern. Sou Reg Apo 09407, Telephone Munici my 2s2ii 7370, ets no. 440-7770 or Munich Civ. Ow-4w Isoo Nuorn beg Germany Tony Newroth building 21. Winum o. Daroy Cavern Apo ot494, Lete Nona Nuernberg Mil. 3421-7754, ets no. 4ao-77m or Nuernberg Civ. 0911 713s43. Stuttgart Germany Den vol Lam and to Owen Budano of room 11. A ten Barrack to 94. Apo 09171. Telephone Pilch a. 2779-m4. Ets no. 4jo-m41 or Civ 0711 477174. Tew 77ss33s. Naples. Italy Robert Leonard hangar #2. Capott Calno As. Fpo by 09s2i temp Hoo Civ. 0039-11 -75 14554, ill Auto on 425-1110 to. 535, United kingdom j. King cru0er and do Tonj building 43 ecu us Raf mate Nita. Apo 09127 Lete phone Mil. Auto on i7m-11w tent kit 1451-7774 or met Dethell Civ. A 7i3w7-i12m. Washington inc a inf Swift and Choc a Latch Oast path Pentagon room 2e754 was Hirton my Leaa Nona 2g3 47 -49. Pm Culatto Offles Germany Berlin Civ. To nitty Rah. 4117, ets no 332 4117 Brt Merhavi. Do. Tsiu my. Lit. Ets no 342-1119 Rwm main. Far hurl Civ. 09-497050 or 497545. Mil. U7s or 7103. Ets no 330- or 7103. Telex 417712 Kai Teft lantern Civ. S7070 or 57079, my. Voe Tweh 40so. Ets no w-0�, Munich Civ. 4tcisoj or 490ij04. Met. 454. Ets no. 440-4554 Nuernberg ctr. 71is5i, Mil. 7001, ets no 40-7001 stunt Wirt ctr. 07im/oi49, my. M30, ets no.470-4030, Greece Alne Civ. 971390. Italy Vicma Civ. I 15354. Sfax pc Madrid Mil. Ottus 4749011 Torreon us Lech Boa Dext. 4tt or Civ. 00341 4541461 Turkey Itla bul Civ. 1464377, trite 24174 sans to United kingdom Gre Metiam common Civ Newburg cams 447 Mil. Newburg 0435 44763 Chi. 709