European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 27, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday november 27, 1987 the stars Ano stripes Page 9 German woman fulfils dream of joining this Man s army9 by Joseph Owen Stuttgart Bureau Schwa Ebisch Gemuend Germany if the German army recruited women Carmen Schmid might be in the midst of a military career right now. But it does t. So Schmid a 29-year-old Schwac Bisch Gemuend native who runs the Bismarck Cavern Kontak program is fulfilling her military ambitions a Little late and in a different army the american one. Germany prohibits its citizens i ugh joining Ether nations armed forces while still in their own country. So last Friday Schmid drove to France with a Recruiter and a 56th Field arty come officer maj. Jerry Hart to be sworn  o the . Army. They crossed the Border near Jastatt and Hart administered the oath to her in a simple ceremony on the Rhine River s West Bank. Then they drove Back. It was t the first time Schmid had left her country to pursue her opportunities. She moved to California at 18, obtained an associate s degree from a Community College in Bakersfield and became a Legal Secretary there. At 24, she returned to school earning a Bache Lor s degree from the University of California at Berke Ley in political Economy. When she returned Home in june after an 11-year absence to become the local coordinator of Kontak Agerman american Friendship association her family and old friends thought she might be around a while. But Schmid is staying just Long enough to say goodbye again. She will leave Germany in March to report for Basic training at fort Mcclellan ala., april 4. If get what i want and i like what i m doing then i d like to make a career out of it Schmid said add ing that she Hopes to get into the army s aviation held and eventually to Fly. Her parents did t take the news Well. They re extremely upset. They Don t want me to leave for four years and my  thinks it s danger Ous she said. But Schmid impressed by the soldiers in Schwac Bisch Gemuend has decided she would rather be part of the army than a civilian working for it. Already a permanent California resident she is applying for american citizenship so that among other things she urn a eligible for the office corps. "1 used to think that if i gave up my German citizenship i d be denying my heritage or something like that. I Don t feel that Way any More Schmid said reflecting on her decision. She added that while she May not get to be an officer she would be satisfied with achieving a warrant officer rank and flying helicopters. Even if that does t work out she said she sees Opportunity for Job satisfaction in other areas and likes the ides of working for an organization that requires its members to stay physically fit. Schmid said she and other German women she knows would have enlisted in the German army Long ago if it weren t for its ban against women recruits. I know they re going to change it eventually but it s going to be a few years she said of the restriction. And by then i la be too old. I really think that it s blatantly unfair that German women Are not allowed to go into the  she said Many women probably could not handle combat jobs due to hygienic and privacy needs. But she added it s not fair to assume that they can because they re females and would have  Sis photo by  Schmid letter in soviet party newspaper elite accused of evading duty in Afghanistan Moscow up a letter published in the communist party daily newspaper pravda wednesday said the sons of the soviet elite have managed to Dodge combat duty in Afghanistan. Had the sons of communist party privileged served there the War might have ended Long ago it said. The letter gave a fresh glimpse of How a negative aspect of the War Only occasionally mentioned in the official Media has dominated the minds of Ordinary citizens since soviet troops first occupied Afghanistan in 1979. There is talk that the War in Afghani Stan would have ended Long ago if along with the sons of workers collective Farmers and the intelligentsia the children of the leaders were sent there As Well said Pavel Rudakov in a letter to pravda. Rudakov identified himself As a Moscow worker. In response the communist party daily said it had contacted the military registration and enlistment offices which said soldiers conscripted during this year s annual fall Call up had not been sent to Afghanistan. Many soviets have complained of the special treatment Given 19 the offspring of the elite who use their influence to keep their children out of combat. Without elaborating on Why no new conscripts were sent to Afghanistan pravda named the sons of four officials currently serving part or All of their two year military duty there. But the newspaper also defended the failure of the Mili tary to Send the sons of High officials into combat. Only the Best those with the Best physical training arc sent there pravda said. It May seem strange but the sons of leaders Are very poorly trained physically pravda said in reference to the paramilitary training All boys must undergo before Leav ing school. Until now there has been much pres sure to get their children freed of army service or failing that to get them sent to a Safe place pravda said. This year there has not been an pressure like that the paper said in apparent reference to soviet Leader Mik Hail Gorbachev s attempts at reforming society and decreasing at least some of the privileges of the clue. Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan dec. 28, 1979, to prop up a pro soviet government. The soviet Union currently maintains an estimated 115,000 troops there. Outlining another aspect of the War obviously affecting morale is the fact that on the Graves of soviet soldiers killed in action there is no mention according to pravda of where they died unlike those of soviet soldiers killed in other wars. On the tombs of soldiers killed in Afghanistan often Only the Dales accompanied by the words died fulfil Ling International duty arc inscribed but the place is not mentioned. This was whal ministry of defense used to stipulate. But since 1984, tombs Are inscribed according to the wishes of the  although no official figures on the number of deaths in Afghanistan have been released Western diplomats Esti mate that More than 30,000 soviet sol Diers have been killed or wounded on Active service in Afghanistan. Soviet life exhibit to open during Gorbachev visit Washington a a three week exhibition of soviet life from space flights to polka danc ing will open Here monday for an engagement that coincides with soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev s Summit Here with president Reagan. The show titled the .s.r. The individual family society is aimed at giving americans a glimpse of soviet life under Gorbachev s Glas nost policy of a More open society. There Are great differences in our systems but we Are very much alike and have common strivings Oleg be nyuk chief information officer at the soviet embassy said. We extend a hand of Good will with the Hope of better relations and belter  be nyuk said with a smile that it is a Lucky coincidence that the exhibit � in be Here during Gorbachev s dec. 7-10 visit to Washington. The display which occupies the sprawling com Merce department auditorium on Constitution Avenue is Halfway through a nine month tour of six american cities that began in new Orleans last August and continued in Atlanta. After in closes Here dec. 22, it will travel to Memphis tcnn., and Cincinnati before ending in Kansas City mo., in May. The show features photographs movies and Dis plays highlighting the life of soviet people and their accomplishments since the bolshevik revolution 70 years ago. The subjects Range from soviet spaceship  Els to children s an Folk crafts Vodka and fashion furs. Modelling of soviet fashions and performances of polka dancing will be staged at the exhibit and soviet athletes scientists and cosmonauts will be available for conversations with visitors. A Souve Nir shop will offer books jewelry records and tapes and other goods for Sale. Besides seeking to improve cultural relations be tween the two countries the exhibition sponsors made Clear at a news conference thai they Hope to create an atmosphere for expanding soviet Ameri can Trade. Igor Bassos Deputy soviet Trade representative complained of High . Tariffs on Many soviet exports and Trade embargoes on such goods As furs fertilizers and rocket launchers for commercial american space satellites. These difficulties prevent us from developing mutually beneficial commercial ties Bassos said. He said american business executives have been invited to the exhibition Hall on dec. 2 for a round table discussion of various opportunities the soviet Union can  Vyacheslav Melnik the exhibition director said that improved relations Between the two countries is very essential for the whole world and that the soviet people Are Only too eager to strengthen peace and Security on the  the show was organized by the soviet chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the . 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