European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 letters the stars and stripes Friday april 4, 1986 Host nations can limit retirees7 Apo privileges re the reply from the spokesman for the mail services Branch he . Army postal group. He stated the military postal service follows the same postal regu lations and procedures As those of the . Postal  not so i am a . Citizen and use the Post of fice stateside with no restrictions. Yet As a . Citizen and a retired service person my mailing privileges arc severely restricted in Spain. How do you reconcile your answer Withy reality Archie Tyler Torrejon a Spain editor s note we received two replies o this letter. The first is from maj. Cynthia j. Stewart 7025th air postal so director of operations at Kapaun As the individual is Correct in stating that in overseas locations we limit retirees postal privileges plus we further limit them depending on the Host country. While the military postal service does follow the same postal processing regulations As the . Postal service we must nevertheless operate within the confines of various International agreements. The department of defense has also imposed certain restrictions since it pays the transportation Bills. The first restriction is a Dod one applicable to All serv ices. That is that retirees even when a Host country allows Apo privileges can Only Send or receive mail which does not exceed 16 ounces. This was a move on the part of Dod Many years ago to reduce a spiralling mail transportation budget Well Over $100 Mil lion. As an Extension of the . Postal service the military postal service acts on uses behalf in overseas areas where the uses does riot operate. You must keep in mind that we Are on duty in Over seas areas by invitation of the countries where we serve and Are subject to their Laws rules regulations and especially what is in our status of forces or other operation agreements. Apo postal service for retired military personnel is a privilege a privilege which they enjoy Only in the absence of objection from the Host nation. If a country raises an objection we must negotiate the Point separately. In conclusion let me say that there is no inherent right to Apo privileges every where by virtue of retirement from Mili tary service. It depends on the Host government Many countries regard them As residents or tourists travelling visiting or residing in their countries voluntarily making themselves subject to the same restrictions As any other resident. In some cases the Host country has prohibited Mili tary postal service to retirees altogether. I Hope this clarifies the differences in postal service you have experienced. Rest assured we will provide retirees with sup port within the restrictions Dod and individual countries impose on us. The second response is from Sec. Bradley Mitzel mail services Branch he postal operations directorate 1st personnel come the military postal service is an Extension of the United states postal serv ice beyond the boundaries of . Sovereignty and provides full postal services As nearly As practicable for All Dod personnel overseas where there is no uses available. Army Post offices operate under uses department of defense and United states army Europe postal directives. Though we follow the same postal regulations As the uses there Are some services provided by uses that our military Post offices do not offer such As cod and express mail service however we Are working to implement a military express mail service in the near future. As set Forth in the Dod 4525.6-m volume i Dod postal manual appendix a mail service for military retirees Box r is limited to less than one Pound in weight when using military Post offices overseas. The Box r weight restriction was initially imposed to limit Dod transportation costs and reduce mail processing workloads. The Dod moves mail addressed to Mili tary Post offices from uses Points of embarkation new York san Francisco and Miami to its final destination at no Cost to the sender or recipient As a service to personnel serving overseas. This Headquarters has expressed dissatisfaction with the Box r weight restrictions to the military postal service Agency the Dod postal Headquarters and the assistant Secretary of defense manpower installations and logistics. As late As August 1985, a request to remove the one Pound weight restriction was submitted to the assistant Secretary unfortunately it was disapproved due to the additional transportation costs the Dod would he required to absorb. Family members need not apply writer says 11 in 111ff for a Fri or cd Lvi Nie to a n 1. R in i i i would like to address the Ever constant concerns and complaints Over a very familiar situation that is what else family member hiring. On our second tour to Europe i am amazed at the vast differences in the hiring practices at the Bamberg civilian person Nel office As compared to other areas i visited. And with this complaint i realize that 1 would probably never get hired but perhaps your response can help others like me. I do realize that having such a Large con Tingent of soldiers and families can create Many jobless situations. I also realize that due to the status of forces agreement we must hire a certain percentage of local nationals and that the in stands a much better Chance of hire because of their longevity. What 1 do not understand is Why at least Here in Bamberg the local co even posts open positions to family members when in reality few will be hired anyway. Los and family members already in the system will get hired regardless of who else applies. They also go on a first come first served basis regardless of previous experiences. I have beat a constant path to co s door at 6 30 or 7 . On Days that new lists will become available hoping to be one of the first five to apply,.and still have received negative results even though i was rated eligible for most positions applied for. There Are Many others like myself. Therefore the Only solution to the prob Lem it seems is for co to Post select and hire from within As it does anyway and Stop getting our Hopes up too High current applicants in a no win situation. Beverly Luper Bamberg Germany editor s note Donald Dixon he Usa eur Deputy chief of staff person Nel civilian personnel division replies you ask Why even Post open positions to family members when in reality few will be hired anyway current employees Are normally considered first for jobs. However hiring cannot be limited to current employees As you suggest. Losses to the work Force through retirements returns to the ., resignations etc., must be replaced by hiring new employees. Civilian personnel offices project these losses and if the Job is one which May be filled by hiring a new employee applications will be accepted from external applicants. Qualified family member applicants Are then considered in Date of application order ahead of external local National applicants. Since current employees Are normally selected for higher graded jobs most new employees Are first hired in lower graded jobs. Final decision on who will be selected for a Job rests with the selecting supervisor not with the co. Although Usa eur communities do have some flexibility in establishing their own personnel policies and practices barn Berg s hiring priorities and practices do not vary significantly from other communities. Job opportunities vary by Usa eur Community and by occupation. In Bamberg and Many other Usa eur communities there Are More family members than jobs. In spite of the fact that the demand for jobs is greater than the Supply . Army Europe has Long been a Leader in providing employment opportunities to army family members. There Are currently More than 28,000 family members employed in activities serviced by Usa eur pos and nearly 500 Are employed in the Bamberg Community. The nato status of forces agreement does not specify a certain percentage of local nationals must be hired As you state. On the contrary family member employ ment has increased from about 5 percent of the work Force in 1971 to More than 25 percent today. In order to qualify for a Job local National applicants must possess any English language skills required by the Job. Even Dollar pay clothing allowance explained so  revleive8 a -985 rather than Hsk ne8ative conclusion lie affairs officer . Army finance and into an a ent. It is error free but there Are  the a a i can it a. Ples ried Forward to the next month. When i have been reviewing my final 1985 jumps army leave and earnings statement two questions i need to have answered. While my pay is a matter of Public re Cord there is something about the disbursement and withholding that is i fear very private possibly illegal. 1 was a member of the old army finance corps and we paid All soldiers once a month in Cash to the Penny. The new action army seems to be Able to Deposit most of my pay into my mandated Check ing account but unable to pay my Odd cents. This makes no sense to me. Is account 16" Money being used by anyone if so it is surely tax or interest free use. Am i the Only person who wants to know where All this Money is going Bottom line sir is i want All my pay. Dars a a predate the Way 1 spent my clothing re the decision to Oak in placement allowance. Without consulting carry Forward Odd cents a h me finance is withholding Money again ago so that paving agents Mth s against my  again without paying would not be burdened with carry is Large interest into a really Large account to i amounts of coins each payday 8 g Nance god knows what Tum a. Of the practice continues today because what is going on Why not withold half there Are several locations where Check my paycheck who knows after 10 years payments Are still converted to Cash Pav 1 could have a Down payment on a House ing the Odd cents to soldiers on sure pay sgt. Paul Crossgrove would not be a problem however it would Kaiserslautern editor s note Gary Olson pub the the army they receive the amount due. Second question deals with clothing replacement allowance. Beginning in octo Ber 1985, the department of defense directed payment of an annual allowance in place of the monthly maintenance allow Ance that had been in effect. The army does not invest Cra Money be discriminatory to pay some solders that a a is not withheld from any w to 5way and not others. Imp  paid until soldiers Are entitled the army does not invest this Money thinking about a ferret for a pet think again 1q a Nettl of Tutsi fnwma4-n ,. 1j i _. Pc i m 27-years-old and would like pen  Dees 70 Elm no re. Plumstead . 18 London England i am 18 years old and would like pen pals. I like cooking and planting. Gertrudes c. Pagon co la Sican s Mart Zamb Anguita Negros Oriental Philippines 1 have noticed hat ferrets Are being sold was sleeping. The child sustained the loss on military bases Germany. This letter is of most of her nose. In both Florida and to inform would be buyers of the dangers London England children died As a re associated with owning these animals. Suit of ferret attacks. In Ohio one baby recently the american veterinary medi j 68 b  death and a Young Colora children / f a communities to consider such a ban to la re highly susceptible to rabies safeguard the uninformed Public against a a a i we i it i tit 31411 Ducu i children being brutally attacked by pet ferrets. Canine vaccine can be used but neglect to mention that it is not considered effective. Consequently when the question of rabies arises the animal must be killed to be tested. California Georgia and new Hamp i i a in jilt a ?4 1_ _ i. L. It