European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 16, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes Friday. January 16,1987 letters learn about government writer challenges this letter is not As much a protest As it is an Appeal or Challenge i extend my Challenge to All armed forces members to learn More about Lite government they work for the government that shapes what they Are and when and where they Aci i m going to loss a few live ones in the direction of Tome of the establishments we at americans hold in my View to be All Loo infallible i just Hope my ideas Don t come across so Strong As to be Dis missed As Radical. The recent situation involving the Sale of arms to Iran and the supposed diver Sion of profits to Anli Sand Mista troops in Central America was not such a Blunder or scandal and would not have resulted in even a portion of the present trouble even if it did Tail had it not been exploited by the press 1 am a firm believer that the purpose of the press is to inform and present he a manipulated fact not to formulate opinions and Mold our thoughts. Too Many americans believe verbatim what they read. Publishers realize this and use it to their advantage. The Reagan Gate affair is an example of snowballing an Issue out of frustration mounting due to an inability id pin a major scandal on this administration Uver a Long six years. Furthermore by exposing this operation prematurely the chances of a possible release of More americans held in the Middle East May have been prolonged or even voided. Consider in a hypothetical sense that negotiations were under the control of a pro american faction of the iranian government with a Strong position in the forthcoming struggle for political control pending the Aya Loulah s death. Then con Sider that these negotiations were under the table As to the knowledge by Khomeini just As they Are rumoured to be on our Side. It is logical to assume that if such a thing could be suspected within such Awell structured institution As our govern ment that it is even More Likely a possibility in the political disorganization of Iran. Think also of the unimaginable damage that May have been dealt future ,-Middle Eastern relations not to mention the compromising position that Israel has been put in by such an unti Mely exposure by now you May have decided that i hold a less than favourable Point of vie concerning printed news sources. This Tor the most part is Siruc but i must con cede that at least they offer enough information to allow you to if you wish to separate the Grain from the chaff and Are Able to. Obtain a substantial amount of viable information. At least so percent of my information is gathered from printed sources although not Nessa Rily newspapers the next and most misused source of information today is the local television news program granting conditional Pardon o the Magazine formatted programs. The average local news program consists of 30 minutes of air time. This time is further divided into is minutes of paid advertisement five minutes of weather five minutes of sports and five minutes of International National and local news. The night s headline Story May receive 30 seconds of actual air time to be shared with a few quips and an occasional Jab at the co Anchor. Network news programs hold slightly higher esteem due to the absence of sports and weather plus a marked in crease in the standards of professional ism. These programs still fall woefully Short of their intended purpose. The United state is in dire need of a institution either private or of the slate to educate the general and especially the voting populace these Are Only Ballpark figures i am not positive of the pinpoint accuracy. Of the . Citizens of voting age 50 per cent Are registered. Of these registered 60 percent actually Vole. My question ii what percent of those costing a ballot even know whom or for what they Are casting it for two Hundred years ago when our forefather Laid the foundation for our government they look his into account by working toward a More realistic representative democracy shunning the inconceivable True democracy. I for one am at ease knowing that until we As a people gel our Heads out of the Clouds and understand the real is sues and what will realty work instead of pointless Sid tracking by the pres Sand other unnamed groups with unrealistic goals we have a few Hundred competent congressmen to cast that vote for us. Don t be so docile get out there and read understand ask questions. Let s take More control Over what is in Theo in of us and for us. Pfc. Robert a Brummett n Val Hongen Germany Safe gives reasons for end of free buses in mid october lured by arc s promises of inexpensive vacations in the bavarian Alps super Saver Tours at Berchtesgaden Chie Sec and Gar Mischi called the toll free number to arrange a ski trip for my Section. I was told 1 could Reserve 30 rooms at ii per person per night. Great then i was told that if at least 25 people were in the group and 50 percent or More were e-5s or below arc would provide free transportation for the trip. What a Deal i reserved spaces for 75 people at Chiem see a few Days later. Then i called arc group travel to arrange for the two free buses. Things went downhill from there and i Don t mean on skis. It seems Only the army can get free transportation not the air Force it would Cost us Well Over $3,000 to rent two buses for a two Day trip from Hahn a a train trip is even More expensive our vacation was cancelled and 75men, women and children were bitterly disappointed. The air Force no longer contributes a amount of Money to arc but the army does and thus has free transportation. Safe give us a break we work Long and hard for you. Many of us have just been involuntarily extended in Europe. Help us make our Long Tours More enjoyable. Reinstate the fund to afr i Muster sgt. Larry j. Moner we Schwelm As Germany editor s note Gene a silvers acting director morale welfare and recreation he Safe replies thank you for the Opportunity to clarify the reasons Why the air Force stopped providing free bus transportation to arc Ger Nany. He Safe provided pro rata funding support for the arc free but program until the end of fiscal 1983. The program was funded with funds versus appropriated funds used by he Usa eur to underwrite their pro Rala share o the total transportation costs for the two components. The arc free bus program was extremely expensive costing Safe approximately $450,000 during the last cur it was funded fiscal 83and estimated to cast Man than that during the ensuing Yean. Unfortunately unlike the he Usa eur program appropriated fond were nol available to provide free bus service to arc Dennany. When the he Safe Nona pro or laced funds Council considered All com Peting funding requirements for fiscal 1984 and beyond it was noted that Cora Mand mar facility upgrade needs amounted to More than $16 million of which Only a fraction could be funded with available and projected unappropriated fond resources. These facility require ments would have benefited air Force personnel and their families throughout the eight european countries where they work or live. Thus we had the Choice to continue supporting the free bus program which Only applied to Central Europe or apply these resources against Safe wide mar needs which benefited the entire command. We chose the latter. Pc have requested appropriated funds for the arc Dennany bus program each year since fiscal year 1983, but have not been successful. We will continue to seek ibis support but appropriated funds prospects for the arc bos program on now even More grim based on new budgetary constraints looming on the horizon. Although fret bus transportation ii unattainable with the super Saver plan arc will arrange fret bus transportation for air Force personnel As nut of aimed of promotional program called bavarian thai program features Atwo night package in and arc hotel and includes transportation hotel two break fasts two dinners a special $15 recreation Coupon and a Welcome beverage. The bavarian Blitz program was temporarily curtailed so that arc could concentrate on special Holiday and lid program during december and january Bat officials advise that arc will re establish the program again beginning in february. We recommend the itt office at Hahn a be contacted for additional details and assistance in planning for this service Orother travel and tour opportunities where Cost is an essential ingredient. Thank you for your interest in this important mar program. George and Charlie solve world problems the arguments Between my neigh Bors George and Charlie classic examples of Candor generating conflict Are sometimes interesting but Are More often dangerous for anyone else with slow reflexes standing too close. Such was he Case the other Day when George announced to Charlie frankly i Don t care what their Cap tors do to the hostages in Lebanon if you stand too close to the Bull you should t complain about getting the Charlie was momentarily speechless. These Are just simple men trying to earn an honest living he finally said. Simple minded George bellowed but anyone who is smarter than a potato knows that if you step into the Middle of a War and half the people there hate your american guts you might gel your ail shot off or become merchandise for Trade at the local a Charlie stood five inches taller and slowly turned red. These Are Ameri can Folk heroes who stand four Square for Freedom and paid for it with months of these Are Guys who were looking for the big Bucks you get when hauling dynamite or jumping Over 30 cars with a motorcycle and our government mortgaged its Pride by trying to buy their greedy Butts out of their self inflicted George moved closer and flared his nostrils. I Don t care if they tie them to a Slick and paint them Orange. They have no business being where people scratch their nose or Lake hostages at the same frequency. And our government has no business com ing unglued to extricate Charlie who had been singing a Cho rus of America the Beautiful stopped Long enough to proclaim the government should do every thing within its Power to get the rest of the hostages out. The press won t stand for such shabby treatment of our Citi the government stepped on its Necktie trying to do just that and is in so much hot water now that it has ground to a standstill and the press smelling another watergate is in hot Pursuit like the Sioux nation charging Custer at the Little big the press has its responsibility to the people Charlie shouted. The press is Only interested in sell ing papers. They carry gasoline to a tire. They have the ship of stale in a Small Lake and Are draining it. Iran and Iraq Are old news. Democrats burning republicans now that s paper Selling news have you seen any articles in their papers about the plight of the hostages now that they have washing ton in the oven Charlie fearing loss of ground shifted his argument. Our govern ment should do its humanitarian Best to Stop the Iran Iraq they both hate our guts too Char lie. And if we can neutralize them in a self consuming War without firing Ashot history will Hail it As Brilliant it s a More Complex problem than that. You re too simplistic. Ordinary people like you and me should t at tempt to solve the problems of Ute government we have politicians to do George shrieked in agony. Charlie who always held a Rake when he talked with George said coming and ran for the House i m in trouble As soon As i remember hat i forgot to pick my wife up at he Exchange. skip at Graf Grafe Woehr Germany watch s owner sought will the lady who lost her Gold watch in the laundromat at Robinson Barracks on dec. 27 please Call me at 420-6146. Walter Ford Stuttgart
