European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 13, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Rin Landers Page 11 letters dear Ann Landers Racine and Kenosha wis., Are on the verge of hard times. This article by Roger Hoff appeared in the Racine journal times. It will help Many of us and i thought it might also be helpful to others who Are facing the same problems in other parts of the country. I Hope you will print it. Racine Reader survival is a technique the announcement of the Chrysler Plant shutdown came As " a Shock to Many especially to the workers and their families. I would like to offer this advice to the workers who May find themselves without work. About five years ago i found myself in the same position. Here Are some practical things you can do. 1. Remember you Don t have to fall apart. There is life beyond Layoff. Believe in yourself. Keep up your personal appearance and Don t sit around feeling sorry for yourself. 2. Get into some Job training or education program. I decided to do that and now i feel that i can get a Job in almost any part of the country. 3. Don t remain Idle. Consider doing some Volunteer work or find some temporary work while you Are looking for full time employment. 4. Consider joining a support group or Start one yourself. Participants can help and encourage one an other and share information on resources and Job opportunities. 5. Talk to your creditors. Don t wait until they come knocking on your door. Most Are willing to work out some plan that will fit your Means and one that is reasonable. 6. Don t Rule out relocating while you re out seeking work. 7. Don t turn to drugs or drink. They May ease the pain for a very Short time but can leave scars that will last for years. 8. Get involved in some recreational activity. This will Channel your energies and renew your Hope. 9. Don t be afraid to use the resources made Avail Able for unemployed people. You have helped Many in the past and now it May be your turn to receive. Receiving graciously gives All of us a Chance to serve. Together we can survive and grow even through much pain. Dear Reader i agree that Roger Hoff has put Forth some excellent suggestions. Unemployment can kill the spirit. People who Are unable to find work can become abusive severely de pressed and alcoholic. Work is essential to one s feelings of personal Worth. In a country like ours there should be a Job for everyone who wants one. Dear Ann Landers i read an item in the Salt Lake Tribune about a 13 year old girl who suffered serious Burns when she was hit by a Bolt of lightning that came through the Tele phone. The lightning struck a tree next to the House entered the underground Telephone lines and travelled right through the phone. A while Back there was quite an argument in your column about this. You had warned readers not to talk on the phone during an electrical storm and several readers said you were crazy. In t it Nice to be proven right . Dear . You bet. Thanks for the Flash. If you la excuse the Pun. Readers wishing to write to los Angeles times Syndicate columnist land ers May address their letters in care of the stars and stripes Apo 09211, . Forces writer says taste life beyond main Gate ver the last four years i have read with much inter have Learned German from to and my neighbor Rogerest letters complaining about an programming the Exchange and just about every service offered to make life More pleasurable during a european tour. Granted not everyone can be pleased but i would like to thank those trying and encourage them to keep up the Good work. For the ones who Don t think there Are any other choices we know that they Are wrong. Although mar the . Government and even cafes spend lots of Money on services with the american service member and his her family in mind i have come to the conclusion that the ones who complain have thus far Only been Able to find the to dial and what is not in Stock at the Exchange. There Are maps on Post and signs that will guide them to the main Gate but since they can t speak German they Don t bother to try shopping off Post or if possible tuning into German to which has lots of sports programs music shows cartoons and even a German sesame Street All of which can help build German word Power. The choices Are there it is the Effort of these  ple that is lacking and the belief that everything should be catered to them. I m leaving now after my second four year euro Pean tour. This time i made a Choice and moved to a Small Community where i and my family Are the Only americans. There is no an the nearest shopping is six Miles and no one Speaks English. As a result i hav neighbors played on the local soccer team been to the German Church services been to Italy and Denmark with my German neighbors and have made some of the Best friends of my life. Living has been just like suburban America Only with the touch of a different culture. For now and probably in the future i will Call it Home. That is what a european tour is supposed to be about. For those who have lived a similar experience 1 congratulate you. For those trying Don t give up. For those who can Only find the to dial and the Exchange i apologize if an had to cancel or change a program that the commissary is out of sodas and cheetos and that the Exchange does t have every size in Blue. After All you have no other choices or services available to you As you walk Home complaining passing by the main Gate the recreation Center offering a shopping trip downtown the Bulle tin Board listing the Kontak club activities the Edu cation Center offering a new German course the Library itt gym arts and crafts and acs or Thueso. Maybe when you get Home you can pick up the stars and stripes skip Over stripes Magazine s Calendar Section and turn to the to programming to see what s not on and listen to an radio now that s a Choice. Staff sgt. Jeffrey s. Allison Hillesheim West Germany Reader expresses concerns for elderly recently i saw a program on television that broke my heart. It was about growing older in America. What really got to me was the widespread poverty of America s elderly. These Are people who Are totally dependent on the government for everything but the government is unable to provide very much for  is that one woman featured on the program had no Gas in her Home. The Only Means she had to heat her Home was a Wood stove. She had to Wash her clothes outside on a scrub Board. She had such a problem with rats that they were eating holes in her clothes. But the woman had spirit a spirit that has really made our country great. A spirit to make do with whatever one has. But this is taking things to the extreme on one end Don t Moke billets worse i am writing to express my views about something few people know about re repair and utilities. I am the re no for a cavalry troop. This is my second time Over Here on a similar Job. As every trooper knows who has been Here More than a week nothing applies As far As Normal billets maintenance goes. Since i am single and have lived in the billets my entire seven years in the army i feel i have a bit of experience. For example the plumbing. Anyone who has lived in the billets knows that smell was not a big concern of German engineering. Well to the heart of the matter there is Little we can do to improve but at least we Don t have to Worsen the condition. Most of us Joes and Josie accept Barracks life As one of the prices we have to pay when Over Here. I just want to Tell them that when you throw Butts in the urinal break windows write Graffiti on the Walls and generally make life hard on the rest of us just think you re not hurting them you re hurting us sgt. Michael d. Novak Budinger West Germany there Are people with so much Money that they can t possibly spend All of it in one lifetime. On the other end Are people like this woman old or sick and very poor. I believe this is a disgrace. I hang my head in shame because i am not doing my part. We All need to try to help out our fellow americans in need. This can Range from Volunteer work at a food line or shelter for the homeless or donations of old clothing or helping out an elderly person by volunteering to do some repairs around the House and driving them to the grocery store. Anything no matter How Little will make a Dif Ference. . Johnson Naples Italy pen pals i would like to correspond with people All Over the world. I like Riding horses discos sports music and travelling. I am a 19-year-old non smoke. Susan Eastwood 32 Uplands Road Orpington Kent r6 or England please list my name in the pen pal column. My hobbies Are music dancing swimming and writing. I am 17 years old. I know a Little English. Cristina Palacin c/avila28j-d 50005 Zaragoza Spain i would like to correspond with people All Over the world. I am a 24-year-old Catholic from sri Lanka. My hobbies Are Reading sports watching movies and listening to music. Harshani Senanayake Haupt str. 73, 6571 ols Brisken West Germany american school reunion a reunion is planned for anyone who attended or taught at the Taipei american school from 1970 to 1979. Contact Steve Eisenbaugh Cotas 1970s alumni Assoc. . Box 804 Stephens City a. 22655 Telephone 703 869-6526 the St is  Tuch a european edition col Jeffrey m. Cook Usa commander editor in chief it col Suzanne l. Phillips Usan Deputy commander editor in chief Marie Kominicki Mert Proctor Deane b. Mcdermott production manager managing editor circulation manager this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes Are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the . Government the department of defense or the . European command. 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