European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 26, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes letters increase in fees at campsite explained i be been a permanent camping resident at the armed forces recreational area at Chi Emsee for the past eight years and at Garnish for three years before that. I recently got the Shock of my life. It was when i found out that the permanent yearly fees which were $800, had been increased to $1,350. When one looks at the Cost of rooms at the arc and now increased costs at the campgrounds the ques Tion comes up Are we pricing ourselves out of Busi Ness i for one will have to look elsewhere for another Paradise As even 1 can t Cope with inflation rates that High. I m sure All my fellow permanent campers feel the same Way. Or is this a Way arc is saying we Don t want you and can drive you out with higher  even though our number is Small at least we were dedicated to supporting arc and its programs. I was informed that a Survey of German campsites was used As a pricing Index for arc. Surveys arc like statistics any of which can give you the answers you want to Sec or hear regardless if they Are factual. For example 1 just called the family Gru Naugle who oper ate the German campsite next to arc Chi Emsee. They have Sites which were to be available May 1 and their rates Are 1,300 Marks for the year plus extra costs for showers and electricity. All this and Only 371 meters from the american campsite. Do i want to go there not really because i want to buy american each and every time i can. Sometimes i think our own people arc working against us. My recommendation is simple As improvements Are made and taking into consideration All factors inflation pay increases increases in costs of services and supplies Etca yearly increase of a Factor of 8 percent be considered leveling off at $1,200 a year when reached. . Post Augsburg West Germany editor s note James Mccrindle executive director armed forces recreation Center Germany replies from 1980 until 1987 the Chi Emsee Campground prices remained unchanged and were not in line with other american campgrounds in Europe. A Survey of the Chi Emsee area campgrounds was conducted in 1986 to determine what the local areas were charging for Camp ing fees and How they compared not Only to arc Chi Emsee but Garmisch As Well. This Survey and a push towards self sufficiency throughout the army mar system led to systematic Price adjustments beginning in 1987, without reducing sen ices or pricing activities beyond the financial reach of lower Grade personnel. To support these Price adjustments a phased Camp ground renovation project was initiated with a comple Tion Date of May 1990. The first phase of construction was completed last summer which included the Camp ground support building with a resale store video Arcade television movie room game room and i miss operation. The second phase which is now completed and ready for this summer season includes a new overflow area hand dryers in the Bathhouse Horseshoe pits and an army recreation machine Slot machine room. The final phase of this renovation project will be completed in time for next summer and will include landscaping new roads new tent Sites 44 new trailer Sites new Pavilion second Bathhouse new group Camp ing area Gazebo and a new playground. In comparing arc prices to the local campgrounds you must remember that local Sites have numerous hid Den costs in addition to the Basic site charge which Are not at first seen by the unsuspecting customer such As per person daily fee Holiday tax and a per kilowatt electrical charge. These hidden costs drive the local camping fees far above those charged for our customers. There Are no hidden costs in arc Chi Emsee camping fees which allows our guests to belter budget their Vaca Tion. Further renovation to be completed by May 1991 will be enjoyed not Only by our hotel guests but also by our Campground guests. These renovations will include a racquetball court Sauna indoor swimming Pool Chil Dren s pools Jacuzzi fitness Center windsurfing shop a ski Issue facility and disco As Welt As recreational pro Grams to support these facilities. Arc is striving to provide state of the Art facilities at reasonable prices to maintain our customers Ameri can lifestyle during their overseas assignment. Writer provides details about red Cross Ann Lam i is pm Nelly ran a couple of columns about Llic role of the rail Cross during world liar ii. The jello n ing Teller is in response to her column. With reference to the letter regarding red Cross policies in world War ii. I wish to offer the following comments and clarification. Unfortunately this was a very misunderstood and controversial episode for an organization that has historically extended so much of its financial and human resources on behalf of service personnel and their families in Lime of peace and conflict. The policy to charge for refreshments in rear areas was ordered by Henry b. Linson Secretary of War. In 1940. As the column indicated Mobile units that served at the from line were exempted from this order and did not charge. As suggested by at least one Reader if cigarettes and other Comfort items designated As free were sold it was illegal and in violation of red Cross policy. We suspect that those few who sold such gifts did Solo reap personal gain not to help the red Cross. Travel funds for service personnel were routinely provided when the commanding officer of an individual unit authorized emergency leave orders. The red Cross also financed pro embarkation and Post debarkation furloughs but the Cost became so greats troop strength increased that these Ordinary leave Loans had to be discontinued in 1944 in order not to interfere with other More essential military services. A total of 2.5 million Loans were made during the War. The american red Cross collected Over 13 Mil lion pints of blood for use in the War Effort at Home and abroad but administered no blood to the wounded anywhere in the world. Neither did it Ever charge anyone for blood. The american red Cross served both officers and enlisted personnel whenever it had canteens on Mili tary installations. It is also common knowledge that millions of peo ple around the world were helped through the dedicated efforts of the american red Cross during world War ii including refugees and prisoners of War Many of whom were kept alive because of red Cross Relief efforts and prisoner of War packages. Korea and Vietnam were further testimonials of the american red Cross commitment to stay the course with our armed forces regardless of Cost or political controversy. We Are an organization of human beings who touch the lives of millions of people often in emergencies and stressful times. We Are a transparent organization that is open to scrutiny and debate proud of our history and resolve to continue serving the men and women of our armed forces who unselfishly serve us. George Gorgakakos senior regional manager american red Cross european area Stuttgart West Germany Charity still begins at Home says Reader America s Long running budget deficit has spawned a multitude of novel and innovative solutions. However we have to look no further than the manner in which this country prioritizes its resources. President Bush and company believe that the Only answer to the deficit is to Cut military and do Mesic programs. Mar and other Quality of life programs Are taking ,1 real beating. Medicare and Oiler critical Domestic programs Are falling by the Wayside. Our senior citizens who have Laboured to make this country what it is today must suffer because of those cuts. When Poland decided to Institute democratic re forms All of a sudden the president was Able to come up with a billion dollars in economic Aid for that communist country. The imagination runs wild when trying to conjure up All of the wonderful things a billion dollars would do for the american Economy of course the contras Are still immune to budget cuts they la still get their $50 million plus each year. Think what that $50 million would do Here in the european command. Unquestionably life s greatest mystery will always be Why president Bush and Congress refuse to exam Ine their ludicrous foreign policy by continuing to pump billions of dollars into foreign countries each year. Like most taxpayers i would rather put my hard earned tax dollars to work in America. For example will somebody please Tell me Why the United slates still gives Israel Over $3 billion each year Why must americans suffer and sacrifice for the israelis the United Stales has the highest infant mortality Rale of any industrialized country legions of our Citi Zens Are without shelter our education system is deteriorating and the drug situation is a plague upon our country among some of the of her sacrifices we arc making yet we place the welfare of. The israelis and others above that of our own  president Bush and Congress come to grips with these que Lions and their own asinine policies the deficit will continue to grow and americans will con linux to  would not be a budget deficit had we kept our resources where they belong in America Ellis d. Carter Worms West Germany erroneous death report left eerie feeling has there Ever been a time in your life that you were pronounced dead when you were alive and Well it happened 10 a member of my family and it s an eerie feeling. I d like to shed some Light for those of you who read this column. If this does t make a person count their bless Ings then i Don l know what will. On May 13, a car Accident took the lives of five men. One of the men was a Friend of our family and a colleague of my husband. A card Wilh my husband s name on in was found in the wreckage. Presuming that he was one of the victims of the Accident the Bat cry commander and first sergeant had the Lask of identifying inc bodies of their sol Diers but they could not find my husband s. Be cause of this command s concern for both their soldiers and family members the Bat cry com Mander and first sergeant made yet another trip to the morgue to try to identify my. Husband s body which was t there because he was Home Wilh me. On Mother s Day morning a Friend of ours told us of the details of the Accident and that my Hus band was presumed dead. The first thing we did was to Call his Mother then we began to count our blessings. Through this All there is a valuable lesson that we can All learn life is a precious gift thai can not be Lakin for granted. I d like to share a word of thanks to my husband s command. To the Baury commander first surge and chaplain colonel general and All personnel having to Deal with this tragedy i d like to Send a special thank you Wilh All my heart and soul. To All of you who approached my husband with words of gratitude that he s alive god bless All of you and thank  d like to express our deepest sympathy to the families affected by this tragedy. Our prayers arc with you at this Lime of mourning. Ill. Simpson ecu Ulm West Germany