European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 9, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Education it s Best Protection against crooked salesmen stories by Mary Neth. Consumer editor no matter How far the Dollar drops. Members of the american Nii Lilliy overseas remain Tarot lib customers at Europe s it aveling salesmen. Generally massed together in housing. Areas and unsure of going into local stores where hey might nol be understood they Are almost a captive. Audience for the go English speaking Salesman. We a there not some controls in fact you can bet doer bolls in housing areas would be ringing nonstop and every military installation would be swarming Wilh Rod doors. Nol All of them of course would have the customer s Besl interests Al heart this is Why All service members and their families should know Fust what the army air Force directive on commercial solicitation spells out. Said Howard Hammond chief of i he personnel and services Branch Lor to office Clifio adjutant general. The directive he noted Al a recent seminar for Tom sum Alfaris of Peers in Heidelberg was designed to Oro Lect the service member from unethical business dealings and general harassment. To be Ell Clive however Servic wembers must know wha i n contains and adhere to tha rules. Gelling tha word Cut to the Serviceman consumer was mid big emphasis of the seminar which was attended by 17 consumer Alkalis officers from i Lierenz areas of Germany. _. Consumer Amalia officer were instructed to speak to All groups of military possible and have the. Information published in local military Media. First of All when approached by a Salesman tha service member must Realise that he should ask to see the Salesman s Usa eur solicitation said Hammond ii is not Only in his own interest to do so but required under army and air Force regulations. Serve remembers. Can be subject to military discipline if they do business Wilh a Salesman who does not Hava such a. Permit. Salesmen including life insurance securities correspondence course and land safes agents must have permits in order to sell on . Installations. The permits Are issued by the consumer affairs office at Usa eur he in Heidelberg sales Are nor allowed even we a Permil in Barracks or other Public rooms such As processing areas or housing for transient personnel or of members of the military while hey Are on duly door to door sales never Are allowed on . Installations which include teased housing areas. A Salesman must have a personal invitation from the customer in order to come into a Home and present his goods or services. The solicitation permits Are not a guarantee of product or services Barbara Baeck of the consumer affairs office Poir led out they Are. Though an Assurance that no Adverse information such As criminal business activities has been reported about the Salesman or the company. Even Wilh such a Permil. The Salesman does not have the Light to sell in a local . Community. He also must have a letter of permission from he Community commander. The consumer should ask to see it also. The local military commanders have Luris diction Over All . Installations housing schools Etc. In their communities noted Hammond in open installations Many want to get their Honda in the it t Money however the roads including the sidewalks Are hos. Nation firms also Are not allowed to display or leave commercial advertisements on installations. This includes billboards posters car top advertising Etc the firms ate not allowed 10 use . Forces identification cards or passes to gain Access to military installations. To procure or Supply rosters of . Forces personnel. To solicit by Telephone or to Oiler rebates or promotion or to eliminate Competition. To use government allotment terms. Allotments arc to be used Only to pay insurance premiums on commercial tile insurance. Representatives of commercial firms life insurance loan finance investment companies Are nol allowed to give talks on insurance government Benetis. Savings Estale planning Etc. Who checks to see thai the commercial solicitation rules Are upheld thai s the responsibility of the family support division s com Merical attains officer. Complaints about salesmen or requests for information on the regulations concerning soliciting in a local area should be reported to them. Besides regulations that Ward off hordes of salesmen the directive gives rules on commercial solicitation by . Forces personnel. Here the biggest misunderstanding according to Hammond centers on those at Home sales parties thai Are so popular in the United Stales. 5 photo to Gui Schuelter i is Legal to give these parties in Sta beside military quartets. 11 is not permitted in Europe the regulation reads family members of . Forces personnel or their family members wifi no use any gov emment owned or government leased quarters As a business showroom store or warehouse for the display storage or Sale of Why these restrictions on inviting friends for a Tun sales evening with prizes co fee and cake the Bijj Mculty is that these sates do not conform to Host nation Laws which require company registration and payment of taxes. Disregard of such Laws is a violation of the agreement Between she United Stales and the Host country. Violation could endanger the Bannies Amer Cap military Are allowed under the Lalus of forces agreement sofa including sales tax Relief and members of the military and their families also May nol use their duty free customs privileges under Hanato sofa agreement to import or Export merchandise advertising material or any other items pertaining to a business. They May not use a . Registered car or Tan free gasoline Lor their commercial pursuits. They Are however allowed to have garage Safas As Long As such sales do not develop into a private business. They can charge for services such As tutoring giving singing and dancing lessons and baby Silling and they can sell Exchange or Trade items produced As a Hobby. Concessionaires of cafes and non appropriated fund activities Are not required to have solicitation As permits. They Are accredited by those organizations s which also handle any complaints about their act Vulles a Page 14 the stars and stripes of Day t
