European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes Friday May 15,1987 letters Usa eur says it tries to help newcomers 1 am writing primarily to question who is behind the Liberal concurrent travel policy. Is it done Here Inu Sarteur or Back in the Continental United states in any event with the Rock Bottom Mark rate shortage of housing and Large influx of personnel due to the permanent change of Slation delays we Are setting ourselves up for disaster. A Blanket concurrent travel authorization is Ludi Crous. Part of the problem can be attributed to state Side posts poor overseas deployment briefings on what soldiers should expect when arriving in Europe. How Ever to a Young inexperienced Soldier who has never been to Europe a concurrent travel authorisation is a perceived statement that housing is readily available and within Days nil family will be settled and ready to begin a Happy new life in Usa eur. Las wednesday i got a Call from a Young private first class who was at list replacement with his dog his wife was arriving the res Day he said he was wailing for pickup and wondered if there was a do Kennel near  obviously his perception of Post was a Large centralized Post with Beaucoup housing and a full gambit of support activities. He ? in. For a Nide Awakening. Thursday he picked up his wife and Friday he waltzed into the Pac and asked for a finance appoint ment because he had no Money. His Chain of com Mand quickly whisked him off to army Community services in Hopes of getting a loan. Since this Saga will continue let s Trace what Proba Bly Grill happen to him and a vast majority of other soldiers who arrive under similar circumstances. Instead of moving right into government quarters As he i pecked they Are not available he will attempt to find off Post housing. In the meantime he and his wife Are forced to slay in a hotel if hey can find a room and cat on the Economy. Although they will be reimbursed for these expenses later they Are expected to have enough Cash on hand to cover them until they receive their temporary lodging allowance la. Do they the Soldier goes into work in processes and visits the housing referral office. However Economy hous ing is in Short Supply. After living in a hotel for a week or so the Young Soldier accepts an apartment 20 to 30kilometers away from Aschaffenbur. I problems ? wrong now he must come up with the Money to pay the Deposit. Additionally he must buy Acar. Probably not having the Money on hand he is forced to borrow Money at shylock s rates from one of the local banking establishments. He gets the Money and buys an Over priced car from one of the local dealers nearby who serve soldiers next he must think about insurance with his age group and the Mark rate $100 per month is not too far fetched. We Haven even discussed the need to buy Gas yet finally he s settled in. He drives to work in the morning leaving his wife at Home in a strange country with no to nobody to talk to and nowhere to go. Within weeks he is having financial troubles his pay is not covering the loan payment for the car and apart ment Deposit insurance Gas and that of his rent and utilities bad and Oha Don t cover. His officers and senior Nepi must then counsel him about his fiscal responsibilities. Ironically most of these officers and senior cos live in government housing within walking distance of work. They own care Loo but not out of necessity. My battalion has instituted procedures o try to avoid some of the potential problems discussed. How Ever no matter How Good a unit s support channels and intentions it Ciumo wave a magic Wand and Cre ate affordable Economy housing within walking Dis Tance of work. With the year of the family recently passed it would teem logical that we would do everything Possi ble to enable families to have a smooth enjoyable transition Inlo Usa eur. The false signal that Man Yyoung soldiers Are receiving by being authorized con current travel makes this difficult at Best. Is a Blanket concurrent travel authorization in the Best interest of everyone 1st la Mark sir Der Asch Altenburg German editor s note we received two replies to Ihus letter. The first is from Sec. Michael Doc Hue office at the Deputy chief of staff resource management he Usa eur you Are absolutely Comet everything possible that can be done should be done to make pcs moves smooth. To thai end the Deputy commander in chief Usa eur has formed Tusk Force Good move the goal is to ensure that soldiers and families moving to or from the army in Europe have a Good move. Many of your Points Are already being reviewed. While other agencies will discuss family travel Deci Sions allow me to re spread id your finance questions. Soldiers arriving at new stations without funds after spending a maximum of three months Advance pay were identified As a problem by army chief of Stan in 1980. Regulations were changed to restrict Advance pays to one month at the old station and two months at the new station. Additionally the repayment period was extended from 12 o 24 months. Temporary lodging allowance la is designed by Law la partially reimburse soldiers for the Mare than Vonnal expenses incurred during occupancy of Tempo Rary lodging. Over he last several years Many la change twee been approved by Dod. In fact changes were made As tale As Jan. 1, 1987. The problem of paying hotel meal expenses prior o receiving la. Was recently addressed to thai office. We Are now staffing plan to pay la in Advance. Living end shopping on the Economy overseas can be difficult. The plunging Mark Rale does not help but As the Exchange rate drops overseas booting allowance Oha and Cost of mag allowance cola Rise. When establishing a residence up front Money a available. In addition id Advance pay previously Dis cussed Advance Oha is also available. The amount available for Advance can equal be Oha acc Mable forthe length of a Soldier s Lour. Repayment can also be stretched out for length of tour with first repayment suspended for three months. Finally repayment of the portion of Advance used to pay Security deposits of $1,000 or More can be suspended until the Soldier vacates that rental quarters Oha and bad Are designed to cover 180 percent rent for 80 percent of All miters. If your Soldier wit housing s help rents within his rental ceiling his Oha will increase As the Mark Falls. These change ensure funds Are available upon arrival to cover Many of the expenses you mentioned. Even with All the above Chain of command involve ment and unit support channels cannot be stressed enough. Finally a comment on shylock lending rates. Al though you did not identify the lending sources you consider to offer shylock rates please note thai Mili tary banking facilities and credit unions Are available for Loans Al reasonable rates. The second reply u from Kay Jendras chief personnel movement Dir 1st personnel come there is no Liberal or Blanket concurrent travel policy in the army in Europe. Family travel decisions made by 1st per com Are based solely on forecasts provided monthly by Community housing offices. If government or private Renu bowing is projected to be available within 60 Days after the Soldier s arrival concurrent travel is granted. Every Soldier who applies for family travel receives a Tetter from isl per com that contains important information on his her assignment to the army i Europe. Following Are portions of a Sample letter seat to every private first class with a one bedroom require ment of assignment to Aschaffenbur this letter contains information that will help you during processing for assignment to United states army. Europe Usa eur. If you have not already attended tin overseas orientation briefing you an your spouse should arrange to do so. Be sure to ask for a copy of Usa eur pamphlet55-2, furnishings guide which contains information on household goods weight allowances government furnishings and housing conditions in Europe. You should receive a pamphlet 608-12 Ger Many facts you need to know. This pamphlet pro Vides information on life in Germany including Pri vate rental housing Community living social customs recreational areas and other general information on what to expect when you and your family arrive in Germany. Your orientation briefing should include a film pcs Germany which gives tips a personnel about to serve a our in Germany such 3t planning ahead for housing and travel putting aside Money to Complete the move and taking along housekeeping essentials. You Are being assigned to you have Bee granted concurrent travel to private rental housing which Means you and your family will travel together overseas. If you elect not to have your family travel with you they can travel within 60 Days after your port Call. Some soldiers choose this option to enable them to Complete processing Inlo their new unit find housing and then have their family join them. You should if possible establish their Pon Call before you leave. Private rental housing is expected to be available within 60 Days after your arrival. However if govern ment housing becomes available upon your arrival you will be required to accept Vliem. You will be temporarily billeted in a local German hotel or Iran Sint facilities until you find housing. You will be paid a temporary lodging allowance to offset the More than Normal expenses incurred during this temporary period. You will be assisted by the housing referral office pro in finding private rental housing. Soldiers who obtain private rental housing after arriving in Germany will not be assigned government controlled housing for one year from the Day they sign the lease. By Law. German landlords can charge up to three months rent As a Security Deposit. Private rental housing is usually unfurnished and differs widely in style size Cost and proximity to work areas. Unfurnished Means no Light futures closets wardrobes Kitchen Rabi diets or major appliances arc available. However Kitchen stove refrigerator Washer dryer and Light fixtures will be provided and installed by the government. You will also be furnished Kitchen cabinets and wardrobes. You will be paid an Oversea housing allowance to compensate for expenses incurred far private rental housing if. The amount exceeds your Basic allowance for quarters bad. To Register a car in Germany it must pass a rigor Ous annual safety inspection which is Loughan than nearly any stateside safely inspection. Be aware if you ship a car it will not be released from the port Al Bremerhaven if it docs not meet Usa eur inspection standards. If you plan to ship a car be sure you ask your installation transportation office for information on Usa Keur Auto safety inspection Stan Dards. It is important to communicate Early with your sponsor. If you have not heard from your sponsor by the time you receive this letter write your new unit commander and request thai your sponsor Contact you immediately. The sponsor has Many agencies available within the Community 10 assist him or her in responding to your questions and help make your move to Germany As pleasant and smooth As Possi blk. You will probably arrive in Frankfurt either at the Frankfurt International Airport or the military air lift come terminal Rhein main a when you will be met by representatives of the 21st replacement in. They will act As your interim sponsor during your Short stay in Frankfurt until you reach your final destination where you will be linked up with your sponsor. Good Luck on your new assignment. Additionally the following information is available in inc Continental United states processing activities for use during Oversea orientation briefings video film pcs Germany which include Seg ment depicting difference Between caverns and posts and disbursement of support facilities at several Ca Serns. The film emphasizes the importance of Finandal planning to absorb the one time High Cost for private rental homing. Usa eur orientation briefer s fact Book do dated annually and furnished every army Community service office civilian personnel office and person Nel service Center in the Continental United Stales it includes information on Oversea housing allowance and options for advances to pay for High Start up costs. Pen pals l to  nil Cou r to. England Josh no a pan pm lion a Rosita i am inn my Norm it owning and m my Luj z. To Odd 4v or Moc Nofu. Q dt9 s a Coy 65hj1. Tui Paragi 1 no  Rory Affif a t pfc in Willa to poop Iron no Fly to. Tin Star cited in watering to iriv Uhny pay. Ivor Rorm a. Mown Tiu we and in tag