European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Letters the stars and stripes Page 11 Ann Landers role of army training area discussed Usa eur division invades Grafe Wohr training area permanent party members held hostage no this in t an actual headline from the stars and stripes but on any Given Day Here at Grafe Wohr it very Well could be yes it s happening again a division is now in Den sity at Grafe Wohr and All the facilities on Post Are swamped with soldiers who Are Here  the Bank shop Pette Exchange commissary gymnasium and cafeteria Are All literally swarming with soldiers from other communities. I and Many others stationed Here at Graf would desperately like to know Why we Are forced to take a Back seat to each and every unit that comes Here to train when we Are the ones who live Here on a Day to Day basis. Some of the situations we witness Here Are ridiculous. On one Day i counted Over 80 soldiers in our Bank line. This was Down somewhat from Over 100 i counted a few Days earlier but still not Ideal on any Given routine Day we can count on 20 to 30 train ing troops in line. Yes we have other Means available to Cash checks Exchange finance office but Only the Bank offers certain other services. Once you leave the Bank Exchange etc., you then must put up with the countless tactical vehicles rang ing in size from jeeps to five ton trucks that Are darting All Over Post. Not Only do they Park in places they should to they Are constantly stopping in the Middle of roads and in front of facilities to drop off or pick up their loads of soldiers. The times they make wrong turns and drive where they should t Are too numerous to mention. Trips to the boy by tactical vehicles to drop off officers who Are roughing it for the night Are also numerous. And the list goes on. In Short just How much support to units in density should Grafe Wohr provide and How Many Perma nent party toes have to be stepped on to give this support years ago soldiers coming to Graf to train would complain about the mud or the dust. Now it seems the Only things they have to complain about Are the Long Bank lines the Lousy parking and the picked Over selections in the commissary and shop Pette let the main Post be released from the gripes of thousands of training troops and let those of us who live Here enjoy the use of our facilities name withheld Grafe Wohr West Germany editor s note col. Washington j. Sanchez jr., commander Grafe Wohr training area replies i am Happy to have the Opportunity to explain the relation of the training population in regards to the permanent party at the Grafen Wuhr training area Sta. Sta was established As a training area for usar eur soldiers in 1947. Through the years its growth and significance has made it become a training area for nato units As Well. Sta continually expands to accommodate the constantly changing needs of modern technology and doctrine. The Range facilities Are some of the most advanced in the world and provide soldiers a realistic and challenging Opportunity to fire some of the army s most advanced weapon systems. The Grafen shr training area permanent party has been assigned Here for More than 40 years to provide the vital direct and indirect support activities to assist the units training m order to fulfil the Overall Usa eur Mission. It needs to be understood that the size of Many of our major facilities such As the Field House theater Baskin robbing ice Cream parlor Burger King and Bowling Alley includes accommodating training troop population As Well As the permanent party. Our Community is Well aware of Long lines at the Bank and other facilities. We always Welcome suggestions for improvements from everyone. We continually work closely with the members of the Community and All these activities to jointly find ways to help ease the situation. Some examples of the results Are that additional Bank tellers Are now available when there Are Large numbers of troops at the training area. Training units Are encouraged to have pay officers to help alleviate the overcrowd ing and Long lines at banking facilities. In addition soldiers who use a counter Check must use a separate line to verify the amount in their accounts thus reducing the time required to Complete a transaction. Times Are listed in Many facilities indicating the Best times to transact business and to shop. In regards to tactical vehicles on main Post Exchange snack bar Burger King area these vehicles must Park at the Tower theater parking area. The Bottom line is that the Grafen Wuhr training area is Here to support Usa eur training require ments and to also ensure the Quality of life of those permanently assigned to our Community. With the continued help of the entire Community we will seek ways to improve the Quality of life for All our soldiers and family members. Pen pals please print my name in your pen pal column. My hobbies Are Reading cooking swimming dancing sports and travelling. I am a 21-year-old roman Catholic. Daisy s. Descartin 136 Jupiter St., Mac Sandig Bagayan de Oro City Philippines i would like my name published in the pen pal column. My hobbies Are knitting Reading Garden ing and pop music. I am 40 years old divorced with two children. When i go out i usually go to our local film club and i also enjoy discos and dining out. I work As a full time Secretary for a Multi National Oil company. Jill Perrin 111 Woodlands Avenue Immingham South Humberside England dn40 2jn please place my name in your list of pen pals. I am 18 years old. Brigitte Trinidad 37 Istanbul St., of Homes que metro Manila Philippines i be been writing to service people since i was 16 years old that was 29 years ago. I would still like to write to anyone who wants a Friend who cares about our men and women in the Mili tary. Age makes no difference. I like music of the 40s, 50s, and 60s Brenda Lee and Connie Francis. Joan m. Beauvais 110 St. Joseph ave. Fitchburg mass. 01420 i would like pen pals. I am 20 years old and a Catholic. My hobbies Are Reading cooking play ing Badminton and going on outings. Josephine h. Janiola Generoso Extension Barrio Obrero Davao City Philippines 8000 i am a 28-year-old sri lankan and am presently working in saudi Arabia. I am a Catholic. My Hob Bies Are writing to pen pals Reading listening to music watching movies and walking outdoors. Ranjan Perera communication dept. Of directorate Kim a . Box 23 Hafar aibatin31991 saudi Arabia i am 22 years old and would like pen pal friends. Veronica Bautista Mitra 5-1 5th St. Plaridel ii Bali ago Angeles City Philippines 2009 i would enjoy having a pen pal from America. I am 36 years old and divorced. I have Many interests. Dorothy Burton 12/2 75 Plean Street Scotstown Glasgow g-14 Scotland United kingdom i would like to have pen pals. I am a 22-year old Man whose hobbies Are swimming writing travelling and classical music. Sii Leyman Kari 263 soak no 7, a 7 35360 Hatay Izmir Turkey please publish my name in your pen pal column. I am 20 years old. I like Ball games Reading listening to music and Reading the Bible. Jovie m. Isidor Lun Sayan Street sum Pong Mala Balay Buk Dnon Philippines 8700 i would like to be a pen pal to people in the military overseas. A. Persons . Box 43 Seale Ala. 36875 i would like a pen pal Between the Ages of 19 and 24.1 am 21. My interests Are keeping fit listening to pop music writing letters and going out. Mary Stott 2a Bordsall ave Little Hulton Worsley Manchester m28 6sa England i m 26 years old. My hobbies Are cooking Reading writing music. Please place my name in your pen pals column. Nena Taquita 1157-f san Marcelino St. Armita Manila Philippines please place my name in your pen pal listing. Merla f. Perez to. Bulado Gui Huangan Negros Oriental Philippines dear readers remember the letter from the woman in Bristol conn., who complained that her husband a private sanitation contractor regularly picks up useful items that stores have discarded to make room for new merchandise she said almost every month he brought Home a big Box of shoes from the Thorn can stores. She said each shoe had been Slit up the Side so it could t be resold. I contacted Thorn can about this policy and was told that the company slashes and throws away shoes Only when one shoe from a pair is missing or the pair is mismatched. I was assured that there would be no More slashing and that shoes would be Given to charities. That letter sent Shock Waves around the country. Apparently there is a great Deal of this sort of thing going on. Read on Fremont neb i used to work for Wal Mart and it made me sick the Way they threw out clothing that had the slightest defect. They Cut shirts and pants and sweaters Down the Middle and put them in the trash. I asked Why they did t give these items to the needy. The answer was because they would come to expect  i then asked Why they did t give the garments to employees. They said anyone taking merchandise from the store will be  i Hope that woman s letter helps put an end to this nuttiness. Palmer Ark when i worked in Alaska Kinney stores up there slashed not Only the shoes they could t sell but ladies purses As Well. I tried to get the store to Stop this but. Was told to mind my own business. Sierra Vista Ariz that wasteful system of Mer Chandise disposal described by the woman in Connecticut goes on Here too. It s obscene no City please you want to talk senseless waste the food thrown out by the military is enough to make a grown Man cry. When i offered some sensible suggestions on How to get that food to the homeless i was told to keep my trap shut or i d be in big trouble. From West Palm Beach Fla just because shoes Are mismatched is no reason to Cut them up and throw them out. Single shoes Are useful to people who have major foot surgery. Any foot doctor knows How to get in touch with groups that coordinate distribution of single shoes. I m an 11 left and a 13 right Newark . Apparently slashing shoes that Don t sell is a common practice. Last Winter i was walking behind a mall and picked up dozens of pairs of shoes that had Small cuts in them. No it was t Thorn can. It was shoe town. Modesto Calif some bookstores Here tear off Cov ers of perfectly Good books and they Are then tossed in the trash. When i asked about donating the books to our rummage Sale i was told it s too much  Louisville by i worked in a Good shoe store in this City and saw them slash shoes left and right and toss them out. When i asked Why they weren t Given to the poor i was told foot  this answer was an insult to my intelligence dear readers the Only plausible explanation for slashing Mer Chandise came from Columbus neb. A woman wrote retailers must protect themselves against people who get merchandise through charitable organizations and take it Back to the store for credit. Most folks Are decent but there Are a lot of Crooks out  Well readers if this is True there s got to be a better Way. We invite the stores named to respond. Well print their statements. All letters to the editor must contain the full printed name and address of the writer and must be signed. We do not read unsigned letters but we will withhold your name on request and protect your privacy. All letters Are subject to editing. The St is and fat Lpes jul or 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. The appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorsement by the department of de sense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. 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