European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily by Anita Gosch staff writer Alentine s Day was a week away. Leanne Libby a 20-year-old army specialist in Darmstadt. West Germany was looking Forward to spending the Day with her Boyfriend who also is in the military. She had even bought him some gilts As tokens of affection ill Call you he had said when they had last met. But he did t Call not during the week not on Valentine s Day not the Day after. Two Days later Libby was just leaving the Cavern when a taxi pulled up to the Gate. I saw Rny Boyfriend get in the taxi with another woman she recalls. Mike not his real name 30-year-old divorced army sergeant in Frankfurt West Germany had been going out with his american Girlfriend Lor two months. As far As he was concerned the relationship was a Good one. Things were getting  Mike says it was at the Point where i was going to ask her to move in with me. Then i found out she was married. A Friend of hers told me i was really  tales of Heartbreak Are common among single service members stationed overseas. In fact conversations with a number of military men and women have revealed an ugly picture of the military dating scene. Libby Calls it a hopeless  Long working hours and Field duty compounded by potential charges of fraternization and sexual harassment make socializing difficult for both male and female soldiers. The very transitory nature of the military seems to instill a similar attitude when it comes to relationships. Libby and other women also say Many military men treat women poorly and without respect. They say the men Are often immature and unwilling to commit themselves thai they lie about marital status and that they re preoccupied with casual sex. Since i be been Over Here i be lost a lot of Laith in the american male says Libby. But the situation is a two Way Street often military men Are the targets of women s social shenanigans. Men treat women As bad As women treat men says army sgt. Susan Barnes 24, of Ramstein a West Germany. Adds Mike it does t seem like a whole lot of people give a darn about other people s feelings " Mike attributes the Lack of care and consideration among Many military members to what he and others Call the go  soldiers Are stationed overseas for relatively Short periods of time two to three year they re in a foreign country where nobody knows them and once they Complete their Tours of duty they Ici urn to the United Stales Many never to set fool overseas again. A lot of people say to themselves. Hey. I m a Short timer Here. When i leave til never see these people again so i can get away with whatever i want i might As Well grab what i can when i can " Mike explains. Loneliness compounds the problem. Many soldiers Are Young and away from their families for the first time or they Are overseas on unaccompanied Tours. Add to that the stress of being in the military coupled with drinking As an olten common Means of escaping that stress and the problem intensifies. I never Felt More lonely in my life than when i was in the military recalls Robert Jones 23. Of Babenhausen West Germany. Jones an american civilian recently returned to Europe alter six years in the army. The military is a hard life there s so much  he says so you re always going out ust to to Able to continued on Pago 14 the Heartbreak of military Mour monday March 20. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13