European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 7, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Arm Landers dear Ann Landers Why arc Young men and women who go into the military considered second rate our son had no Clear idea of what he wanted to do with his lire when he graduated from High school and decided to join the marines. He Felt it would be a real Chal Lenge and we did not discourage him. It seems however that every time we mention the fart that our son is in the service my wire and i Are put on the defensive by family and friends Here Are some of the comments none or our children would be allowed to be in the military. We want them to associate with top notch people and the military attracts the Dregs. My Boss said this what s the matter weren t his grades Good enough to gel him into a decent College did he have trouble with the police what a shame. The military will make a killer out of him. Wilt you please inform your readers that most Young men and women enter the military after considering All their options College is Fine if you want to go. I have a . Degree but there is nothing magical about it. 1 Hope you will print my letter. 1 have never seen this topic discussed in your column. . In Swedesboro no. , your Rita Law ind friends and that Boss of yours sound like idiots and they ire Needle artists to Boot. The military offers some splendid advantages not the lets of which is discipline something great Many Young people need today. I Salute your son s decision to sign up. He sounds like a lad Yon can be proud of. Dear Ann Landers just a few comments on your recent letter concern ing the woman and her difficulty with her son about attending a funeral. The scene is 1942. Jersey City . A hot sunday afternoon. I am 4 years old. My brother is 2. My father s doctor had died. It was an open coffin. I will spare you the details of what i think about that ignorant . Who just happened to be my father but the fear that he instilled in me has persisted to this Day. My dad picked me up and pretended to put me in the coffin i was terrified thinking that i was going to be buried alive with the dead person. I became hysterical and was taken out to an overheated 1934 Ford where attempts were made to Culm me Down by offer ing me dimes. I realize that to attend or not attend a funeral should be a personal decision but 1 come Down on the Side of not forcing anyone especially Young children. Mount Holly no . 1 agree with your assessment but there s another Issue at hand. Your father sounds like a sick Man. I m sure Yon were traumatized by being lowered into that casket but to Call him an ignorant ." 46 yews after a incident thai occurred when you were 4 suggests that there is still a lot of anger boiling under the surface. Counsel Long might help. 1 recommend it. Dear Ann Landers How Odd that men marry women hoping they won t change and women marry men with the idea that they can change them. Why is this Dayton Star Dayton beats me but they both Are almost always disappointed. Lot and to to Nett 3ymftcalt centum flu Linden Otto mow your itt tors. You in into to a in an of to Bittl ird Stunf. Apo d921i, .  Page 11 letters reason for banking charges explained during my first tour in West Germany american express served most military communities adequately. Now we have merchants National. We were promised that this change would be transparent to the members of the Community. Is this really so7 my first concern is with the 11 fee being charged for All Check cashing services to non account holders of the merchants National Bank. Is it truly an inconvenience for this Bank to Cash our checks freely most of us need German Marks at least once a month for rent and utilities. On these trans actions the Bank lakes its percentage plus a 11 service charge. How in the world did american express sur Vive without his service charge i expect a reply along inc lines of we arc obliged to Institute this service charge to defray the Coil of handling your checks and arc implementing Normal Bank ing practices used at other Banks. All one needs to do is to open a Small savings account with our Bank and we will Cash your checks for free up to a 1500 limit of course because we Don t really Trust you the vast majority of the military Community can not afford to let several hundreds of dollars sit Idle in a savings account Al a Bank they Don t want for their primary banking facility. Can the base finance offices help How about a Dollar to Mark conversion for personnel who live in Economy housing what have the personnel who negotiated the merchant National Bank contract done to help service personnel in this time of poor Exchange Rales and financial crisis amongst military members name withheld Rhein main a West Germany editor s note Yvonne Wise manager pub Lic affairs. Merchants National military banking re plies the new Check cashing charge and merchants National Bank came upon the scene at approximately i he same time this year giving the mistaken impression merchants was responsible far implementing them. However As reported in bulb May and july in the slam and stripes the fees resulted from an 18-Tnonlh Pentagon Sli Idy to find ways la improve service while at the same time reducing losses to inc department of defense. All three banking contractors in Europe and Asia were instructed la implement the fees. Intended to off Sci operating losses by july i. No we Are not going to encourage you to open convenience account just to avoid these charges. Be would much rather be your primary Bank daring your overseas tour. We will provide the convenient Friendly efficient service and on line information you expect and deserve. On line Green machines Are being tested Al Frank Furt area locations right now. Once the Pilot phase is comp cled All Community Bank Green machines will be brought on line and connected la the Cirrus and Afan networks in the United states allowing customers travelling in the United states to Access their military bunking accounts. On line Teller machines arc nol far behind nor Are other automated systems thai will make service at your Commin ily Bank comparable to thai offered in the Best stateside Banks. Qualities of outstanding cos listed i am writing in regards to a recent letter about senior cos titled Reader takes Pride in lauding us  i would like to congratulate the Soldier who took the Lime la write the letter and most of All his keen judgment of a professional Soldier. However there Are some Pitfalls in becoming that outstanding no that i would Tike to let you in on. First of All do you know yourself do you under stand the army philosophy will you give your life for another arc you color Blind to the human race can you and do you rust everyone you work with do you explain to your civilian wife in a language she can understand what your daily duties arc when walking with someone senior to you do you always position yourself to their left last but not least do you Wash the dishes Iron the clothes mow the Lawn clean the House and Wash the car without being asked by the wife these arc just a few questions you might ask your self. If the answers Are yes to All then you arc Well beyond becoming one of the military s finest. The Point is How Many of is really appreciate thai hard working dedicated motivated no who finds time for everything. It s a Burn  next time you re in the club exchanging horror stories about cos ask the Soldier if his room is clean has he shined his boots pressed his uniform or read the training schedule for the Neil Day before he left for the club thai s showing  name withheld Ludwig slurp West Germany Reader is confused by political logic1 this letter is in response to governor Dukakis constant referral to his greek  the fact thai he is the son of greek immigrants is told in every Story we read and hear about him As if this somehow gives him the ability to understand the common Mac belter than George Bush. The one part they usually tend to Overlook is that his father is a Harvard trained physician and that gov. Dukakis was raised in one of the elite sections of Boston. He also attended Harvard where he be came a lawyer. In fact his spoon seems just As Silver As George Bush s. The democrats arc constantly saying that the vice president does nol understand the plight of the common Man because of his upbringing. If this is so then How is gov. Dukakis better Able to under stand i know this is politics but sometimes the logic that these understanding people try j use on the common people lend to confuse this   sgt. Richard l. Faulkner rams let a West Germany pen pals i m 22 Ynn of. My Hohul to xxx nning. Ute King Lur tips a trying ind thring pan Pitta. Oily ill my Liln 1u by Hsi. A Difeo. On re . Bom i Kkt it kind of Mutuc and to Iva Tow Max or hum m your Fen . Try slfnpton4c33w.dinu Urx Kyj. Aril Tell as304 it Fllch Plov or non it Rauf Jmel my he Tefoa. Pau Tom Marshall i Lang a vat act Englon Loki. Bb5 Lbw. Enuf Wal twin nun the sure ird sep. Apo will Hunu Bonal mail met Ait and  11 m37,d4ioonirmtucn ii of Marne. Eth hmm dam Tel Eurih 237s 71o/�tt�lmi�l.n Osis Simlue a Hlf 348-5823. To 04ibjh. Trofa. 081k.boi37s. New Bosi Fpo no mul old Phon Auto on 123-1110 til. Tit h Civ. Et3 34u41 a 1w.s82j thei i York office room Oil 92 Swinton an. Her Yolk idol Tel Kiel United Kinq Dok Din pm. Buddig 4� ecs5-uk. Hap mkt Elul Apo 00127, up Kwi Auto on 2w-22� us Keoua at. Of european Edmon col Jeffrey m. Cook. U9a command Ednor in cd it col Suzanne l Phillips a St a Putic Ammino Redito Ichill Mafli mom ice Merthem Krofl  Pidd cuon manager it Jird Taw Cucu Lazion mtr Vetr Tell Neon papa u in unwind Anodic us put cajun for own Mai Al of i tire a Tui ohm commit no the Sun ind Sulon v my Imus by we Aldrin in i of or Andor Tarj by. Of  oot it neral. Bit Denjun men of of Lvov Orina .  to oppt Ariski 01 Louir Tina in did puh Leibon my tuning inure or Tuph Nanti. Don run Coni Tuti tit Armmel by Tea Toan Manl pid Mem or tin Sun ird Sulapat a Pradub or Hymi is Tarwid. Evtihy Leno Livrud in Ihli pan Petilon thu by my in Auto Lor pure the. Us. M juror Job Moul Ganilo m. Etna. Otai. My. Ruu Taral origin. X T1ul Lutu. Pity Ioctl a note. Fool Tift Litton of try Odd pm Pihrt in tax a in Puro Hiher ukr or a tron. News  term adv met Wnm. Aux a in. Rown 210. Us. Stutt Ofalt Oeh Mantl Johnm of Birlea 2307. Boom 4o3. Patti birr ice. To Iii. Apo 0912s we Phon ets 43chms or Butl Upeor Muumuu a King in Jet my alb. Ingra it pm. Late Aba Derma Hyl Burtn. In. Jd1xu. My. Ib7. Ets 332412 a Trier he. In. In. S51m, my. 81 in Etc 9ffi.i1 in Nutto uni. In noun in. Oft Gotho or was. My. Of a 7101. Etc 3m-60js or 7103, to. 412712 Khz Nuzum. . 57079. Wirtl. Vonehren 7 00. Ets4w 7100 Mondl Elf. M�h3 or w01km. I. Him ets Io-6566. Hutsn Bug Civ. 71235. It 7001, ets 4hv700i sur girl or. Ohi-870km, ntt.7l7s,ets40-7t7s. Greece am m. Do. 23390 Italy to Mai us 51 s3m. Staihr mldred. Ill Roumi 40s-0 Ott