European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 14, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday March 14, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 3 army s family conference stresses importance of prov by Brenda Hosier staff writer Mannheim Germany. The biggest problem facing army families in Europe is a Lack of information about programs and services available to them Accord ing to participants in the army in Europe family action planning conference. The 145 conference attendees including military personnel and family members stressed the Lack of communication among family members service members and support agencies throughout Europe and recommended greater efforts to inform the  we have Good health care we re just not getting the information out on the services available within each Community in Europe said Lettie Raab a family Mem Ber participant from Stuttgart. Topics addressed during the Bur Day conference the second opened to family members from throughout Europe were medical care single parents terrorism family member employment and the department of de sense dependents schools. The conference is designed to identify problems confronting army families in Europe said Florence Ferguson Usa eur family action coordinator. The problems and solutions discussed in each of the five subject groups will be Analysed by major commands Usa eur department of the army and the defense department to determine which level can Best solve them. I think this was a super meeting said Brig. Gen. Edmond Solymosy Deputy commander of the . Army Community and family support Center in Washington. The concerns brought out Here and in previous meetings actually started five years ago when the Mili tary said we were going to talk about family members and their problems. The family action plan our third and Usa eur s second Are dynamic living document reflecting those concerns. We will work on each of the issues until we re satisfied and done All that we can do Solymosy said. We be done Well on some past issues such As the one Stop employment information centers but we re not finished yet. Each plan is designed to capture or add on to other plans. It s a system that allows for continuous  single parents the single parents group recommended that usar eur print a pamphlet for parents and commanders con Taining information on policies responsibilities and helpful hints. They recommended the pamphlet consolidate policy information contained in 15 different regulations. The Bottom line is that sole parents Are Here to stay. In fact they make up some 20,000 important positions in the army said maj. Lee Mortensen group Leader and personnel staff officer for the Usa eur Deputy chief of staff for personnel. We need to get them this information so they can stay combat ready without worrying about their  group members also called for giving authorized individuals Access to commissaries when a single Parent or dual military couples Are on assignment away from Home. The joint travel regulation should be expanded the committee said so that sole military parents can accompany family members travelling on deferred orders. Under the proposal the sponsor would receive emergency leave priority when travelling to the United states on a military Airlift come flight to pick up family members. Terrorism members of the terrorism committee said family members need More information about terrorist acts. Information timely useful credible information about family safety and Security issues in t reaching the family Mem Ber on a continual basis particularly when it s related to terrorism said maj. Dwight Luedtke group Leader and operations staff officer for the Usa eur Deputy chief of staff for operations. Members recommended incorporating information and education about terrorism issues into existing family and Security programs. In addition the group proposed eliminating rules requiring military members to travel in uniform. Committee members said uniforms make americans easy targets for terrorists. Employment family member employment group members suggested that family members be allowed to operate Small businesses such As Selling cosmetics or household goods out of government quarters. The group also recommended that More information be compiled for family members on Host nation taxation of income and other legalities concerning self employment. Medical medical issues raised during this week s conference included the need for More information about who is eligible for health care As Well As the availability of patient care services preventive Medicine and proce dures that attempt to ensure patients get Quality care. Group participants said soldiers civilians and family members should be informed about available medical services in Europe before they arrive. Other issues raised by the medical care group were Host nation health care issues such As Cost Quality Lan Guage and cultural barriers. They also discussed the need for better medical facilities and More health professionals in army medical facilities. Parents teachers look for solutions conference examines problems in Dodds by Mary Hladky education writer Mannheim Germany the perennial hot issues of school busing and discipline took a Back seat to budget cuts and lunches As parents and educators at tempted to spot and solve major school system problems at the army in Europe conference. The 45 members of the committee on Dodds said school bus problems can be solved by Community officials. But they decided that communications school lunches schools officers budget cuts and aids acquired immune deficiency syn drome Are top priority issues facing the department of defense dependent schools. Solutions proposed by the committee Are advisory Only since Dodds operates independently of the . Army. But army officials said they can influence school officials to make changes. Or. Beth Stephens really listens to us Brig. Gen. Edmond Solymosy said of the Dodds director. Solymosy Deputy commander of the . Army Community and family sup port Center said his and Stephens offices Are located in the same Washington build ing. I can go downstairs to talk to Beth Stephens tomorrow he said. The top five issues were selected from an initial list of 72 that ranged from mid dle school sports programs to mandatory Host nation language classes. But communication topped the list. There is a need for better two Way communication among Dodds military and family members at All Levels said it. Col. Anthony Slovacek chief of Community services for the Usa eur Deputy chief of staff for personnel. Group members said annual meetings Between Dodds and Usa eur officials should be reinstated various types of Dodds advisory Council meetings should be maintained and the Public should be Given More information about current is sues facing Dodds. Military personnel assigned As school officers could help improve communication Between the military Community and schools the group members said. Some communities have no schools offi cer. In others the officer has too Many but most agreed schools must be pre pared to handle issues that arise As the services begin testing military members for the presence of the antibody to the aids virus. If the sponsor is tested and turns up positive. Will we have pickets at schools Slovacek asked. There Are perceived problems. We must be prepared to Deal with counselling and  the group recommended that medical there is a need for better two Way communication among Dodds military and family members at All Levels it. Col. Anthony Slovacek other duties to do an effective Job with schools. As a result group members said this should be a full time position in every Community and Usa eur major com Mand. Gripes about school lunch programs pushed this Issue High in the group s scor ing system. Parents complained about schools that do not serve hot lunches and the Quality of lunches provided to schools by the army and air Force Exchange service. There is no attempt to make it attractive said one father from Berlin. It is not an appetizing meal. Their heart is not in  the group recommended standardizing the Type and Quality of meals and work ing with military officials to determine if and when More school cafeterias should rebuilt. The aids subject stirred controversy As factions debated whether it was a serious problem and if it should be consid ered a schools Issue. Officials Brief school personnel on the Dis ease and that Dodds prepare a program to teach students about it. Budget cuts due to the Gramm Rud Man budget balancing Law also worried parents and educators. There is a need to maintain the cur rent Quality of education in Dodds regardless of budget cuts Slovacek said. So far budget cutting has had limited Impact on schools. Most of the pressure has been Felt by teachers and administrators unable to attend conferences and training programs. But school officials expect bigger prob lems next school year. I think it will have More of an Adverse affect on our school system than we presently anticipate said Harold Henry chief school administrator for Belgium the Netherlands and Norway. The cuts will be especially hard to Deal with in Small regions because our budgets  group members urged officials to fill All teacher vacancies maintain  Sicular activities not to Cut school supplies and to reinstate teacher training pro Grams. The recommendations however did not please All participants. Five student delegates and one Parent argued that the re commendations missed Many key school problems. It has nothing to do with students said Tommy Shaver 18, a senior at the american International school in dues Meldorf who attends that school because no Dodds school is located near his Home in Sheinberg. I Don t know How Many people go Home and talk about Bud get  Shaver called for future conferences to include a student group that could make recommendations on priority student is sues. That group probably would focus on the Lack of scholarships for student ath letes inadequate information on other types of scholarships and curriculum is sues Shaver said. I Don t think the five issues Are a True reflection of How family members feel said Carol Becka a member of the school advisory Council at Frankfurt Junior High. She listed curriculum personnel safety and sports As major items largely ignored by the committee. School officials said they were not caught off guard by the group s recommendations. Most of the things that came up we have heard before said John Davis chief of executive services for Dodds Ger Many. Although not surprising the issues Are valid officials said. There is no question they were Good valid concerns said Joe Correll Pupil personnel services coordinator for the Dodds Mediterranean. I think this kind of conference is beneficial. When Dodds and military people get together to share ideas that is