European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Paga 10 the stars and stripes i i. I .1 i b��������Tjibh11bb� diet Coke procurement safety discussed 1 Hope this letter will have some simple answers. Why Are the americans Over sea i still receiving diet Coke with saccharin 5.8 my. Per fluid ounce ? the front of the can states use of this product May be hazardous to your health. This product hat been determined 10 cause cancer in Laboratory  before anyone tells me they inject Laboratory Ani Mals with huge quantities compared to body weight look it the amount found in each ounce of this 12 ounce can. Die Coke now has a product with 1qd percent Nutrasweet. No saccharin and has been Avail Able in the states for at least eight months. Again Why do we still have to have this old diet Coke which is clearly a health risk when the Naira Sweet product is available is the govern ment a fes buying All this old diet Coke for a bargain Price if so. Where Are the savings to the consumer by the Way in a vending machine in the Heidel Berg area. 1 bought a diet Coke with Iod percent Naira Sweet. Thai was around october 1986. Where did that out 1 bought come from i asked the Vendor when i nest saw him stocking the machine but of course he could t know where or How it was a Parrot his Stock. A Civ i me if and when 1 might be Able to Pur Chase i nyc Willi Iuo percent Naira Sweet her in Europe. Pm inv Don t Tell me it will be a complicated Mailer to i i Lilii new product because the product in Psi Tion in t new. If we weren t so anxious for answers 1 know hundreds of other Dick Coke drinkers would endorse this idler. Dolores Jewell Milij. Matthew a earn Vaihinger Trul Germany editor s note Oil. Dunnaw a Gilbert Al commander he cafes Europe. Replies cafes Europe Shire your concern in health is sues. Allow me tint however to address if log Tia of Why we still aspartame Nutrasweet and saccharin blended dirt cokes. All diet sodas Are bought from stateside producers. The artificial sweetener which arc incorporated Inlo them an Prtrt Eminem enl Only by the manufacturers. Diet soda which arc sweetened with Only aspartame have a relatively Short shelf life compared id those which an sweetened by a blend of Aspa Ruthc and afr Chimit. Far this reason virtually All manufacturer i hip but and tit product to averse marketing areas. Considering the transit. Storage and delivery Lime from stateside manufacturers to our stores diet drinks sweetened with aspartame Only in old often be out dated before he could be old. It if Likely that the diet Coke without saccharin which Yon purchased in 1986 at a can inadvertently included in a shipment from the United stain. Vou slate lha a dirt Cor which contains Wacelia Rin i clearly a health risk saccharin a inn Stu died extensively and there is no scientific evidence which Ink a it la any health problem la people. The Assumption that diet drinks containing Only aspartame pose it health risk than those containing in astr Tai tie it Sharfn blend it in fanned. As i Laid previously the Ehrle if nun int Rule sweeteners with which a product in formulated ii Wile by at Che discretion of the manufacturer. When cafes europ makes a Purchase request to coca cola for Dick Cor the Coke management determine which Type of product will be provided. Thank Yon for your interest in this Subj act and the Chance to answer Roar question. Army education program will continue when the department of the army recently abolished the sep Basic skills education programa5ep classes offered by big Bend Community College throughout u5areur, they accomplished a savings Ofilos per Soldier per class the total Cost of each 60 hour class being Only $1,698. On the other hand the Cost of transforming a new recruit to a working Soldier it approximately 140,000. Without the Opportunity to attend sep classes nil soldiers with it scores of less than 107 will have Small Hope of raising inc score and will therefore be ineligible to re a Nim after their second term unless the army Lowers its present standards. These trained sex  soldiers will then have to be replaced by new recruits at a Cost of about 140,000 each. How can this possibly be viewed by anyone As a savings unfortunately even though most new army recruits arc now High school graduates a significant number of them exhibit less than loth Grade proficiency in read ing mathematics and communications. The sep classes were designed to improve skills in each of these areas and were successful in raising the scores of most of the student in each class to at least the loth Grade level during attendance in one or to classes. A it score of 107, the minimum score necessary for re enlistment after the second term is realistically achievable with a lout Grade proficiency in the three Basic skill areas. As a former sep Asep teacher i am disappointed to lose the most professionally rewarding Job of my 15 year leaching career and annoyed at the false Economy of the Cut. But Mast of All 1 am indignant int these deserving soldiers ate once again victims of a disinter ested system. They were already cheated once by our Public schools at name shuffled through and out of High school although they did not have High school proficiency in the Basic skills. Now the army is letting them Down As Well at a ice Ribic Cost to our country both in Money and in human resources. Gail Nicolls Hanau West Germany editor s note Mary Ann phii.,-", army continuing education system Dir office of the Deputy chief of staff operations he Usa eur replies the depart Neil of the army Bai recently author had continuation of the Basic skills education program sep at 50 percent of fiscal year 198? expenditure. This  nude in the face of Terr a diag reductions across it army demonstrates the importance the army places on providing Edu Almal opportunities for soldiers needing assistance in the Basic kills areas. Even at reduced Levels of sep however the need to help sold Len to improve their Baste academic skills is still i major Mission of army education enters world wide. Sep ii a very important tool in fulfilling thai Mission but it is not the Only one. While the scheduling of sep classes will be deter mined ii each Cornu indy based on soldiers need and availability of funds Yon can be certain that Eldien who need to increase their proficiencies in the Basic kills Arau fur re enlistment cod in Preizl Job performance can go to their education renters am receive the help the need. Reduction in survivor benefits explained 1 am presenting a question to anyone in an authorized position who can clarify Why my army retire ment survivor benefits have become less and less each year my husband was in the service for 22 years received a Bronze Star during world War ii and upon his death in 1940,1 began to receive a monthly survivor benefits Check in the amount of s373.00. Since the beginning of 1986.1 began receiving less the Check i receive now totals f241.00. Since 1984. My survivor benefits Are si32.00 less. That is nearly one third less since 1986. How is this possible it is beyond me How a government can expect its Mili tary veterans and their spouses to feel secure in their retirement when our leaders reduce survivor benefits. Is this what a Veteran s widow has to look Forward to after 22 years of evict to this country from her spouse reducing survivor s benefits is a terrific Way of telling veterans and their spouses what you think of them 1 can Sec clearly How people who depend on their survivor benefits and social Security end up As homeless statistics these Days. Take a look at our City sir cols not All he homeless you see Are mentally ill or skid Row bums. Liat you see is a combi nation of individuals who could t pay die real or their overwhelming medical Bills. What you Sec Ana number of people who depend on survivor benefits and social Security and find them reduced by nearly one third Over a two year period without Ala nution or tolerable reason 1 question the working knowledge of our present administration and How it can justify decreasing retirement survivor benefits and in the same breath dictate no in crease in taxes Over a seven year period. This is unfair and reprehensible 1 look Forward to new leadership and understanding. Hopefully the next administration will not think so Little of veterans and their families. A conclusion rather than creating government Statis tics maybe increasing taxes is a viable solution to main Taining benefits i want to know Why survivor benefits have been Cut and what recompense can be sought  Munich editor s note or Carl Dirr. Retirement services officer. Sarell r replies from the facts presented in Jour letter i must con clude m ire now Orr age 62. At age 62, sep Bedel tries become eligible to receive social Speirl tar Bene fits. Since 1957, soldiers Hare Cunteri Buyrd to am an eligible la receive benefits from the social Security sys tem. Tie government As Belr employer matched Hue contributions. In enacting the Taw the Congress decided int sep annuities should be reduced or outset by the value of the Soldier s military earned social Security rage credits. Two of Jarl ii limited to a maximum reduction of 40 percent. The combined income you receive in normally re nil to or in some cases greater than the sep annuities Yea Receil before age �2, for additional information concerning your sep annuity please Contact your nearest military Community retirement service officer or Contact me directly at he lit per com attn Teupe psst per Apo 09081, Telephone ets j79-63s3/7819. Writer says he chose unaccompanied tour in response to the letters some dislike idea of sending families Home 1 would like to add my two cents Worth if i May. First of All 1 am a former air Force no now in the army As a staff sergeant. 1 am about to retire after this tour which Means i be been around and should know what i m talking about so Here tots. I can agree on some of the comments but not All of them. First of All Money could not be saved by Send ing dependents Home. This would mean the Lour length would be reduced to 12-18 month. Can you imagine what this would Cost each year because of the turn around rate too much actually we re saving Money for our government by having our dependents Here because of the stabilization. Now if you really want to save Money How about nullifying the 14 percent pay raise that somebody gave themselves and put it to use cutting Down our National deficit. We could also tale the $36 million that was recommended we give to South America and put i to Eood use in our own aimed forces pay checks. Split tour ways among the four major branches that would be $9 million apiece. Quite a pay raise would t you say second if a Soldier Sailor or airman both male and female needs a Crutch to lean on such a a husband or wife every time something goes wrong or they Don l eel their Way then our country would be better off without them. After All nobody twisted their Arm to join so i Don t buy the excuse dependents help keep the morale up. Don t get me wrong. I m a family Man and have attn married for i i Yean to the same Lovely under standing woman. Some sacrifices have to be made and understandings can be reached when the family u a whole is included in the discussions. What do i know Well this is my third unaccompanied tour. The first two Trinci 1 had no Choice but this time my family made the Choice to remain in our retirement Home my wife because she Liko it and my children because they wanted to stay in school with their friends for a change. So if this so called separation is bad for the mar Riat. What s my problem could it be that my wife and i respect love and Trust each other come on people try again staff sgt. A arrest Paul enter we bunt West Germany