European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 13, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Planning paperwork organization we met a lot of people that Way Howard said. However some enlisted wives prefer not to Volunteer their spare Lime at All. Either because they Don t think they should have to or because of other commitments. One enlisted wife is fed up with the whole scene enlisted wives Are looked upon As being Loo dumb and having too Many kids to have any social influence in the Community said he wife of an air Force sergeant in we Brucken West Germany who holds Bachelor s and master s degrees. She asked that her name not be printed. Volunteering was t rewarding Lor this wife who worked in a com Mummy support organization for 18 months. She said her supervisor an officer s wife told her they worked Lor a Neutral organization air Force and army no rank involved but alter the wife added several enlisted wives to the Volunteer Rosier he area supervisor told her there were Loo Many enlisted wives in the Agency. She said she hoped to get a paying Job in the organization and was qualified for one but was passed Over. Finally she quit her Volunteer position. Unable to find work in her Field she took a Low paying Job in the Community. Enlisted wives work at the Bowling Alley the Shoppelle or the Library. I guess i lit in Fine she said bitterly. While some husbands particularly those of lower ranks May not support their wives involvement in the clubs others Are All in favor. Mine was pleased. He said. It la give you More to do " Pressey said nonetheless the wives interviewed said they did is Abrams my rewards Are helping the enlisted who need it says Sharon u Ren president of the Heidleberg enlisted wives club. Not feel pressured to join to help their husbands careers Howard and Pressey said Volunteer work or their membership in the club May have made them More visible in the Community but it has t benefited their husbands careers. Ii it did i d work harder. The More i do. The prouder he gets said Pressey. Janet Dugan said that her duties As Secretary of the upper Hoy Ford club keep her Busy but that s the extent of her Volunteer work and she does t feel any obligation to Volunteer. There s no loot in my Back she said. There Are no expectations or qualifications to belong to the but being Active in a club can t Hurt. I just think if you re involved even indirectly in your husband s career it helps because you re said Giscla Tepe president of the Navy wives club in Naples. The View from the top by Ron Jensen staff writer he military Mission Lor col Warren p. Giddings was to prepare to Slop an invasion from the East through the Fulda Gap but while planning for a hypothetical War he also had to Deal with the very real problems of peace. Giddings until recently the commander of the 3rd army div s 1 St brigade in Kirch Gons West Germany commanded not Only his soldiers at Ayers Cavern but also their families. We have a lot of agencies. We have a lot of Well intentioned Good people said Giddings who has been reassigned to fort. Sheridan iii., since this interview. When All is said and done. The Bottom line is we the commanders have been charged with the welfare of the soldiers and their family members at whatever level that May be. We charge these Guys to do that in peace and War. But when that wife does t do Good and she jumps out of the second floor window because something went wrong nobody goes to the Giessen military Community and nobody goes to Congress and says what went wrong Why did t you take care of that woman " Giddings said that As Long As soldiers have wives commanders will have to absorb them into the Community and make them feel Welcome. The perception out there is that the army does t want them does t need them and that s totally wrong we must acknowledge and thank and encourage our wives at every level. I m Happy to have families come to Europe. I like to have families Over Here and i think it s important to have families but the wives face a Tough adaptation to me in protocol and entertaining play an important role in the life of an officer s wife. That s not always the Case for wives of the enlisted who unlike officers wives got no formal social training or orientation in etiquette protocol or entertaining. Nonetheless they May be expected to attend unit get together and coffees teas and luncheons held to introduce new senior members to the Community. Howard said that enlisted wives tend to feel a Little inferior a Little bit lower than officers wives because they May Lack social poise and expertise. They have not had the Structure or support and guidance through these classes to know what s expected said Sharon u Ren president of the Heidelberg club. They re very insecure. Many decline to attend the meetings. They re completely afraid Pressey regrets that when she arrived in Europe no one told her what was expected As an enlisted wife and what functions to attend. Some people Don t know the difference Between Normal and Semi formal she said. As for learning protocol and etiquette both Prosser and Howard found mentors in the wives of senior soldiers. The senior wives Are real Good about helping us How to hold Leas and coffees Pressey said before Pressey joined Iho Heidelberg club she said she Ell like that has changed considerably i Leel Good again she said maybe somebody will ask me a question or i can help with something i Leel like somebody i m not ust this body cooking cleaning and watching the stall writers Effie bather. Amy gel Silor Jones. Gary Milter Mary Neth and Michele nay contributed to wits report Europe Giddings said. Many of them Are teen agers As Young or younger than their husbands Many Are living away from Home Lor the first Lime most of them Are away from the United Stales for the first Lime. The adjustment is exacerbated if the couple is forced to live on the which happens when Young enlisted personnel Are last in line for on base government housing. That s exactly who you Don t want living on the Economy. You have the youngest least stable members of our society out on their own Giddings said. At Ayers Cavern the Young enlisted soldiers and their spouses Are the first to get government housing. Senior officers Are next in line which Means the Middle level enlisted personnel and officers Are most Likely to live in German housing. If somebody s got to Deal with the isolation it s probably better to have that group Deal with it Giddings said. The wife is already dealing with what is often an uncomfortable situation. Since most of her husband s colleagues Are unmarried she receives More than a Little attention. He brings his wife into this environment. Ii takes a Strong relationship and Strong people Giddings said. The army has several organizations and agencies to Cushion the culture Shock and to Deal with problems that might arise. At Ayers Cavern. Giddings used family fair to acquaint new arrivals with these programs. The goal is to bring them in an almost carnival like atmosphere balloons food and expose them to All the agencies available to them like banking counselling the red Cross he said. Here was a Chance for us to really capture these wives and let them know what s available to there Are always wives who Don t learn the roles of the agencies or How to take care of themselves when the husband is away. This becomes especially important when the soldiers Are in Tho Field something that happens often with the group known As the ready 1st." ii a wife is in trouble and she s got an emergency she can t Call mom. She can t Call Home and get advice Giddings said. When we re away it s usually the platoon Leader s wife or the first sergeant s wife or the commander s Wile. A lot of it is the husband s fault. He has cocooned her from life. She does t know How to write a Check. She does t know How to got Money out of the Bank. Some of the stuff you hear will bring tears to your since the army has brought them to Europe soldiers and their wives should be Able to turn to the army for help Giddings said. And he said if the concepts of team and family have been Well defined and put in place the help will be personal and caring. I we really Are a team then there will be an emotional attachment he said. Commanders Are told he explained to know their soldiers their wives their famines. General motors does t give a Damn he said _ they Don t care if you beat your wife. All they care about is How you perform from 8 to 5. whatever it is we care about you from whatever is to 8 in the enlisted Ives sunday August 13, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 17
