European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 01, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse The stars and stripes letters Page 11 Ann Landers go waiting for housing wants answers i once was under the belief that the army cared and took care of its own. Due to the problem i m having now i m not sure anymore. I m a new arrival to West Germany and i m mar ried. My wife is on deferred travel status waiting in the United states. The catch is she s pregnant and Only had until dec. 8 to Fly Here. Now we must wait for our child s birth and for it to become old enough to travel. When i inquired about housing however i was put on a three month plus waiting list and referred to the housing referral office. Upon checking out the pro it was Clear to me that due to my very tight budget i could t afford to have a apartment on the Economy and feed my family Only Hope we have left is checking with the government rental housing program daily but even that has t come up with anything. One thing that has me confused about housing is the exemption to policy Rule. If our situation in i one then what is the army proclaims that families Are special. Well to be honest i m not sure they feel that Way. Name withheld Mannheim West Germany editor s note col. G. Beckford Forrest Dep Uty Community commander Mannheim replies we Here in the Mannheim military Community certainly sympathize with this Soldier separated from his family while he seeks housing. Unfortunately the Immi nent arrival of a child is not sufficient cause to jump ahead of other soldiers who have waited months on our family housing waiting lists. We do offer this Soldier and 800 More on our waiting lists the services of our housing referral office and the government rental housing program. Our task is made even More challenging became we Art competing on the Economy where the West German nation As a whole i Short 1 million housing units to adequately House its own people. Making the shortage even More acute Are the thou Sands of Brave people who have left Homes and property to Cross the crumbling Iron curtain seeking Freedom in the West. To enlist the entire Community in the find individual dwelling find program we have offered rewards to those energetic soldiers and civilians who help us add to our inventory of houses rented to americans on the Economy soldiers and civilian employees who find their own rental units win twice because they reunite their families and receive the awards. We Are also encouraging soldiers and civilians Al ready renting on the Economy to be Good renters and to notify us As soon As they receive their permanent change of station pcs orders so that we can encourage the owner to continue to rent to americans. Right now we have Over 1,300 soldiers on the Economy renting Ade quate housing at or below the total of the Basic allow Ance for quarters and overseas housing allowance for an e-4. In Mannheim families Are special. We will continue to do our utmost to help our incoming soldiers and civil Ian employees get families Back together and adequately housed. Soldier offers helping hand to others so Many people think alcohol is just a liquid that has the Power to drown out their everyday problems. But it wears off by the next Day so they drink More and More every Day to drown out the unsolved prob lems of yesterday and today. But i can Tell you from experience that alcohol is not just a powerful liquid you can use to hide your prob lems because that s what i was doing for about six months while i was serving in West Germany. Every Day i would crack open another bottle so i could hide yesterdays today a and have a head Start on Tomor Row s problems. I had never thought that i could act the Way i did when i was drunk. I got violent Rowdy and could control my actions. I did t realize what alcohol was doing to me until i ended up in the Hospital for the second time within a month. That s when i realized that i was addicted to the lethal drug that alcohol has in lying in the Hospital bed the second time i thought about what problems got solved when i was Downing bottle upon bottle of alcohol. I discovered that the Only thing that happened was my problems go worse. I be discovered that alcohol is not helping my problems i decided to quit drinking and face my problems. In the six weeks that i be been sober i be managed to solve some of my problems. Yes i do still have Many big problems yet unsolved but i m going to conquer them on my own Power not it h the false Power of alcohol. I have a jct Al disease that Many people have but Don t know it. It s called alcoholism. It s a disease thai has killed three of my friends and it has come so close to killing me. I would be dead if it weren t for friends of mine who weren t controlled by alcohol. I was Able to break free from this lethal disease alcoholism and so can you. I was one of the Lucky ones who managed to break free on my own but maybe you can t. If you feel you need help go to your first ser Geant or commander and refer yourself for treatment. Your life is much too important to waste on alcohol and the Prospect of becoming one of the unlucky peo ple like my three friends. If you wish to discuss any of your problems or just want More advice on breaking from alcohol please Call me at civilian 6181 and ask for me monday through Friday after 6 . Or weekends any time. Pfc. Doyle Brink Baum older West Germany pen pals i my a 3s-Yaar-222 or civilian 0636-512226 Washington do Chuck Vrh. Whom Bartman. Oast a. The Pentagon. Room 2e756. Box 46095. Washington. Do 20050-6095. Telephone 202-697-6695 Tel fax 202-693-6366 education Dave Wazak. 06155401226 or ets 346-5741 Medicine Janet d ago Mono. 06155-601326 or ets 346-5741 business Randy Modem. 06155-601326 or ets 346-5741. Circulation offices Germany Berlin Civ than 6331646. Ets 332-4412 Oreme Raven. In Lan 0471-65166. Ets 342-6m9 Ronen Mam a. Civilian 069692050 or 692565. Ets 3304025 or 7103. Telex 412712. Kaiser Lautem. Civ an 0631 57070 or 57079. Ets 469-7100. Munich. Mckan 0694801503 or 6901504. Ets 440-6556. Tel fax 069-699.1606 Nurnberg. Mun 0911-712556. Ets 460-7001 Stuttgart civilian 0711 -546743. Ets 4zo-7175 Greece Athens civilian 9923390 Italy Vicenza. Civilian 0444-515356. Ets 634-7545, Lelela 0444-300 641. Spain Madrid military 00341-205-6600. Civilian 00341-6561465 Turkey Istanbul civilian 664372. Telex 26174 sans to United kingdom civilian Newbury 0635-44768. Auto on 266-3209
