European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday december 22, 1988 the stars and stripes auctioneer la urls in Midi left Seck Inua Luher a Flor. Points his Nutil at Ivr retd. A t. I is class Robert Newman makes n bid. Buyer gets Money s worth1 at demo soles is Kengo Orgett u Ron Jensen staff writer the sales Puiul auctions conducted by the defense Reutilio atm Anil marketing offices Are an inglorious  the government service of such things As Beds Anil dressers typewriters and tents. It is at these sales and auctions that unneeded sleep ing bags and unwanted jeep trailers close out their Public careers and enter private life. And at bargain basement prices. You get your Money s  staff ski. David Wiseman of he 6dlh consolidated aircraft main so at Schach a. West Germany said at a recent Sale in Kaiserslautern. Desks and dressers sold for $5 apiece. Sleeping hags were priced at so apiece. Corduroy bathrobes could be had for $3 each. A bed was available for $10. What we do is take the acquisition value and figure out what 15 percent of that value  said Linda Streeter. Chief of Reutilio action and sales at the Lanau defense and Keu Tili action marketing office. That Fig ure goes on the Price tag at the retail sales. Fifteen percent .1 for proud pianos shovels Back packs blankets and couches .1 of. The shame of it. There Are so Many bargains Here it s unbelievable said spec. Lewis Andrews of the 122ml support in in Lanau. I bought an automobile at an auction for $20 and sold in Lor 700 Marks. I drove it off the  the items told at the sales and auctions have out lived their usefulness to the department of defense. Most of the self we get is used which is logical said Fred Otto i Geler. The Public affairs officer in  rope for the organization. People buy new Muff to replace  the merchandise does t automatically go on Sale. The first duly of Reutilio Alion officials is to find a use for it within the defense department. There Are still people who might need it Egeler said. Equipment replaced in one Engineer unit for example might be just what another unit needs. Employees of the service Check each of the items that comes in a must a computerized wants list. If a new Home is not found it leaves government hands at an auction or retail Sale rather than abandon or destroy in we sell it to the Public said Dan Larston supervisor at the Kaiserslautern office. The defense Rutili Alion and marketing sen ice in Battle Creek. Mich., oversees 4,000 employees in 133 offices throughout the world including 14 in Europe that try to find new uses for excess property. The european offices have been successful in finding new duties for nearly $70 million Worth of merchandise this year. More important to the individual Soldier Sailor airman family member and civilian arc the nearly $14 million Worth of items sold at the auctions and retail  auctions items Are sold in Quantity or lots to the highest bidder. At an auction in Lanau recently a Box of Snow parkas and trousers sold for $85. Several pieces of equipment for a repair shop sold for $ 100. Lefure the auction prospective Huvers examine rns of merchandise in display in a Hur Muse in Lanau. "1 picked up a lot last time that had a couple of Diamond rings in  said sgt. 1st class Robert new Man of the i27lh my co. I paid $80 for it and had the rings appraised at of 50." lie once bought a baseball pitching machine for $20. Which he said is Wonhas much As $500. Although retail sales Are open Only to people eligible to shop on military bases the auctions arc open to  buyers. We used to have a German lady come in and pay $ 1.000 to $ 1,400 for  stricter said. German textile buyers bid on Large boxes of curtains tablecloths and other cloth items she said. Other buyers come for the vehicles that Are sometimes put on the Block. At our last auction we had something like seven ambulances and four pickup trucks she said. They sold for Between $700 and $ 11400. The retail sales Are More popular than auctions. Larston said the monthly sales in Kaiserslautern be came so crowded and chaotic that a six month trial period of weekly sales is in Progress with attendance averaging around 40. Shoppers Lay claim to items by getting to them first and ripping Price tags Oft the merchandise when sales were held no More than once a month crowds of up to 100 persons sometimes got out of hand. A lot of this furniture has been refurbished and looks Brand  Lla Sion said. He recalls a dining table Selling for $30. The person who was Lucky enough to get the lag of of it was offered $80 for in on the spot he said. Egeler said a family can furnish a two bedroom Home with furniture from retail sales for $ 150 to $200. Another Bonus unopened boxes of unclaimed House hold goods shipped from the states sometimes Are sold As mystery boxes for $20 to $30. Two families with a total of i3 children used to attend the sales Anil outfit their children with clothes from mystery boxes. I have seen mss Iery boxes with Brand new leather jackets uniforms boots Egeler said. The sales and auctions Are becoming More popular each month. However despite announcements in the stars and stripes and on an some Servic members said Many of their Peers do not know about them. It s still kind of a secret Wiseman said. But one that can t be kept indefinitely. News of bargains travels fast. Where else asks Larston. Can you buy a Good piece of furniture for $5"