European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 10, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday december 10, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 11 Ann Landers letters dear Ann Landers it would mean a great Deal to me to have this poem printed in december. The child we adopted will celebrate a first birthday then. Amidst the Joy and preparation of adoptive parents ?. People have a ten Dency to forget the if heartache that was suffered by the birth Mother when she parted with her child. This poem is a reminder to All adoptive parents everywhere that a very big Price was paid by a selfless woman who gave up her precious baby so he or she could have better life. Please no name or state just grateful a birthday it s my child s birthday he just went dashing by his eyes Are sparkling Wilh the excite ment meant Only for today. Presents kisses hugs cake ice Cream it All seems so natural. It s a Day of looking Back and looking Forward. It s my child s birthday but there is something different Hap pening inside me this should be a Day of Complete Joy a Day for thanksgiving but in the midst of All this excitement i pause because my thoughts arc about someone else for a time. It s my child s birthday i have no memories of his life growing inside me and fighting to be released. Another someone was there another someone suffered for my Joy. It s my child s birthday but someone somewhere is feeling emptiness inside. I m sure she is wondering whom he look like if he is big or  if he laughs much. It s my child s birthday and in the midst of this blessed Day that was Given to me i have a . God that i May never forget that someone suffered so much to give life to my  someone loved my child so very much that she gave him the right to live. May i never forget for a moment and especially now today to offer a prayer of to Banda fur that someone and that you dear god will always be there for that someone to help her through the hurts she will have when she stops to think that today is my child s  amen. Pit Bull stories prompt some tips for dog owners As a veterinary technician the recent letters concerning pit bulls caught my Eye. These horror stories circulate every year. Dobermans killing babies turning on their owner the sheep do that Bil the elderly woman who fell on him German shepherds Hunting in packs killing livestock and Chil Dren. None of us like to believe our dog is capable of such behaviour. The truth is however dogs arc animals. They act by instinct not by rational thought. Any dog will bite if Over stimulated. Parents can help children avoid being bitten by teaching them to use common sense and follow a few rules. Most importantly children should be taught kindness never to Hurt a dog or put their face Tew close to a dog s. Hye to Eye Contact to most dogs is a Challenge behaviour. Children should never blow in a dog s face. This almost always causes a dog to snap. Poking i talc fingers in cars eyes nose or Mouth can also result in a bite. If your child is approached by a dog or encounters one there arc also things icy can do to avoid being bitten. They should never run up to a Barking dog. A wagging Tail is not an accurate barometer of a dog s friendliness. A wagging Tail Only Means the animal is excited a slow wag is a sure sign of a threatened  warning signs of an unfriendly dog appearance is Only icing on cake the following statement appeared in a recent letter to the editor the appearance of the Soldier is the Soldier. This is a common attitude in the army especially and unfortunately in Many of the most promising and ambitious of the very Fine Young people who have come into the army in the last several years. It is an Atti tude which they have been actively encouraged to adopt by the army s leadership. It is also grievously wrong both As a pcs Crillion of the truth and As a guide to follow in preparing oneself and others to be soldiers although it May be an Excel Lent philosophy for those whose Only goal is promotion. Appearances arc not reality and the sincere Young no who wrote that letter May find on the Battlefield that the Lime Bult chewing. A Soldier s Pride in his uniform and personal appearance is indeed important but it is the icing on the cake net the cake itself. Teach him Pride in his  with his equipment Confidence in his ability to perform his Mission and survive in combat. Then demonstrate to him that he can Trust his teammates and his leaders. The appearances you seek will follow  him instead that his appearance is what really matters and that s All that you la . Christopher Bassford Wiesbaden Germany he spent spit shining his shoes searching q German Tibung " in of arc growling raised hackles urination or salivation. If your child is approached by a dog caution them never to run. Dogs like Noth ing belter than a Good Chase and usually catch their prey. Children should be taught never to kick or slap at a dog but to yell for help or Back away slowly. If Riding a Bike. They should Stop immediately and do not kick out. Again move away slowly. Dog owners too can protect their pet from the consequences of biting. By always keeping control of your dog and not leaving him unattended outside when not at Home you can avoid being prosecuted and possible loss of your dog. Owners should train their dog not to bite and supervise any encounters with Strang ers. Never Tell anyone your dog does t bite. You can not guarantee what your dog will or will not do. Confine your dog when you have company with Young children or a lot of people at a party.  and confusion can precipitate a bite. Both you and your dog will be More comfortable if he is in a quiet place away from the Din. Keep your dog on a Leash at All times when walking him. Teach him the Basic sit and Heel commands. Let your dog know that aggressive behaviour is unacceptable a Macho dog May end up being destroyed for behaviour the owner condones rather than curbs. Use common sense that s the key. We Are smear than dogs if not More Power Ful. We an All prevent injury and heart break if we do. Mary Cray Nuernberg Germany his dds and memorizing the Cha command so he could spew it Back to  motion boards would have been better spent learning How his weapons and vehicles  May regret the time he wasted supervising his troops As Thi a polished their billets floors to a Mirror finish when he could have been training with them to survive on the Battlefield. He May wish he d struggled to learn what motivates troops to train for combat to endure hardship and pain in the Field rather than straining to win the battalion Abroom Competition and still get off by 4 30 . I know from carefully watching talk ing and training with our soldiers that what they really want is to learn How to be soldiers with the real combat skills and knowledge which that requires. What they get instead is an endless Stream of dog and Pony shows underwear inspections and the constant sight of their leaders sending false reports to higher Headquarters about readiness maintenance morale etc., in the firm belief that appearances Are reality. Or rather that appearances Are even better than reality if it Means a promotion or avoiding a in response to a recent comment from a Reader you might do Many of your readers a favor of introducing them to an Avenue of accessibility to the German press through the German Tribune. This non partisan digest of the indigenous press can provide invaluable insights for americans interested in the contemporary German scene but lacking language skills to learn from the local Media directly. Copies arrive each week by air from Ham Burg and at do 45 per year it has to be one of the least known bargains in Germany. For subscriptions write the German Tribune Friedrich rain cake Verag a Mph 23 Schinc aus Sicht d-2000 Ham Burg 76. . I am not an agent for this paper just a very satisfied subscriber. Joseph Elliott Stull Gart pen pals he has no trouble finding heroes deeping bags trying to get comfortable i would ilk id correspond with others from around the work am 17 year old. My hobbles Are Basket Ball Reading books and playing Chasi. Renalds Cadiz int. U Santa cd Tallnan Street . City 6501 Negros Oriental philippine please add my name to voter in pal lit. I am 23 years old and would no v corresponding Wilh a opt a Over tha world Gregory Kokaj 7732 Wildwood Road Jackson vote Florida i a 24-year-old female who Tove singing read Well they Aid of people in " be Poh Cemen search parties or others. They a where of today heroes Irce were Urff oomph jangly just trying to catch a in mme win. Little bit of rest in preparation for another Long.  tiring Day of training in the Field. New Rommi. Phil Kwiim i could t help but think about the ques i a � vein Oki lion where have ail our heroes gone i in Iasi when i saw those three and thought of the thousand More like them All around me Here in  one is More honorable is More dedicated is More patriotic is asked to Sacri i fice More or endure More hardships than and where o Toay e which a own he pc of our it Lar but i want to talk about a of Mcd Fei Liberty and the Pursuit of  n and women 01 our Iii we a l of us not Taij _ the men and Home forces. Bein of i have had no we do not Lack for heroes. On the contrary there being so Many heroes we Lack Only for a Way to recognize them All As much and As often As we should. Lit . While loved in their Hanau Germany 1m Eail Balabag Valencia negro Oriental philippine i would deep i pals from Al Over the world. I am 32 Vears old. Annath e. . Box ns4 Salal hate of Kuwait i would Ilka pen m i from All Over the world. I am 29 year Oil my hobbles Ere singing writing pen pats outings going to the Beach a overt and disco. Be Navoa san Isidro per Dos Ca car Cottu philippine 6415 i would like to hear from anyone living in Europe. I live in Florida and 1 Clov photography Antiques and learning about other culture. Joann Smith . To 2031 narnia Florida 3303? a Kopeah i option Csc Jeffrey v Zakem us Deputy editor a i Conj of . Blackwell. M. Doc Tom , co Mmott production manager mowing de. Car Cullaton manager this a so Oer it an author lied unofficial pub Callon Tor members of the military service overs i contents of the stars and so toes Are no necessarily the Orff Laj views of or endorsed by the . Government the department of defense or the . European Corrand. The appearance of advertising in ii publication including intern or Luport melt does not Coni Itule endorsement by the department of , or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. Everything adv raised in this publication Shell be made available Tor Purchase use or patronage i Ghoul regard to race color rtt Lolon. Sex National origin age marital status physical hard Jap polite a Nylon or any other non Merit Factor of the Purina a user or Patron. Military address the stars and stripes Apo 0111. Ontero Alloney Mac the stars and so roles Potach ii 10 34. D-4100 Darmstadt ii Germany. Tel Grkes Helm civilian 1 04 us 6010 military Darmstadt Airstrip h7ai 741, me european Telephone by team ets Raj mar 34i-s741, telex 0419-332. New York office room 401, is seventh air new York 10001. Tel