European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 11 letters military spouse preference explained a recent writer asked about military spouse prefer ence map. Her questions were answered by a representative of the civilian personnel division Cpd but let s look at How map is working in one particular area. I look a is position intermittent on Call some Lime ago. Map was not explained to me at my Orien tation by the civilian personnel office. In about three months i was promoted to temporary part Lime. The paperwork for my Extension was submitted without my knowledge and no signature from me. I did t know it bul that s when i lost my map. Al that time my name dropped from group a people with map to group b people without tsp. I did t find out until the following year when i was told that i could not be Given a promotion to a permanent position because was extended losing my map. And the permanent positions have to go out to those who still have map. This Means that the position i be been working shard to attain will go to someone outside of my workplace. It does t matter if this person has never worked a government Job or is not or is in any Way familiar with that Job. All you need is map and to apply. The Only Way that i can get a permanent position while i m Here is if All the people in group a turn these permanent positions Down. Chances arc very slim that this will happen. I can t get map again unless my husband gets assigned to another base. This also puts you in a position of vulnerability. For instance if slots have to be Cut Back because of decreased funding or for any reason the first to go would be on Call people then temporary part time. So. It is possible to lose your Job. We want to know Why people with map who get jobs can t Start at the Bottom which is Only logical ? also was the original intent of map to make it easier to compete for these jobs and if so How did i evolve into this and How can we right this wrong. Anyone who has knowledge of map will not accept any Job unless it is permanent which gives me reason to believe that is Why map is not explained to new employees. But. To educate those out there who arc about to enter into the system you should ask How map applies to the Job you Are about to enter. Sec what your contract says about Advance ment to a permanent position. If during your Orien tation nothing is mentioned about map or Advance ment you should ask questions. From what i understand some jobs May guarantee advancement to a permanent position but some Don t. Name withheld we Brocken a West Germany editor s note Carolyn White personnel staffing specialist civilian personnel division office of the Deputy chief of stuff personnel he usar eur replies the writer states that. If slots have to be cutback because of decreased funding or for any reason the first to go would be on Call people then temporary part  when it is necessary to Cut Back efforts Are made to decrease the Adverse Impact on allem Plo yees to the maximum extent possible. However if it becomes necessary to release employees it is done based on several factors such As the competitive level tenure or Type of appointment length of service and performance rating of employees. In most cases this Means that employees on Tempo Rary appointments Are released prior to releasing employees on permanent appointments. However it does not mean that employees with an on Call work sched ule will be the first to go. The writer wants to know Why people with map who get jobs can t Start at the Bottom. There is no prohibition on individuals eligible for map to Start at the Bottom. They like All other applicants can reconsidered for any Grade level and position for which they Are qualified and meet the Basic eligibility requirements. In addition the writer asks was the original in tent of map to make it easier to compete for these jobs and if so How did it evolve into this and How can we right this wrong it was the original intent and remains the intent of map to make it easier for Mili tary spouses to compete for employment. Map is generated from a need to alleviate some of the Burden military members and their families encounter due to relocation and the attitude of employ ers about hiring individuals who Are in such a Mobile status. Map is based on the military family act of1985." since it is Law any change must be made through the United Stales government legislative pro Cess. Writer says German was 1 St rocket Pilot i was assisting my 6-year-old child to learn a bit of history when he asked who was the first rocket Pilot. At first i was going to answer that it was a russian in 1961 who was the first rocket Pilot. It occurred to me though that rockets had been around since the chinese had invented them Long before Marco Polo. That is the fellow who brought Spaghetti to Europe bul not to digress. 1 went in search of the very first rocket Pilot. It turns out that Germany holds the record to the Best of my findings for i he first rocket Pilot. In the waning months of world War ii. A Young lieutenant by the name of Lothar sic bar volunteered to be the first rocket Pilot. This was not a rocket air plane the likes of which had been around since 1913 in Italy. This was the first near vertical Takeoff much like ours rocket propelled Craft to Lake a Man into flight. I would therefore recommend that feb. 28 be declared the anniversary of manned rocket flight. This year is the 45lh anniversary of this momentous event. For those of you with a sense of adventure an actual rocket Craft a a 349, like the one that first carried Man into the upper regions is on display in the cuts chs museum in Munich. Even today there arc those who would deliberately hide the truth rather than admit someone else who might have lost the War could be first in something. After All the gentleman who headed the american space program including the Mercury gemini and Apollo space programs was an american right or was his first name Werner Joseph l. Sieber Mannheim West Germany reminder All letters to the editor must contain the full printed name and address of the writer and must be signed. We do not read unsigned letters but we will withhold your name on request and protect your privacy. All letters Are subject to editing. Ann Landers dear Ann Landers recently you printed a letter from a woman who had joined a dating club to let you know How i they came out. Well i am More i than Happy to Tell you about i  being a widow for two years i was very lonely. 1 signed up with what i thought was a High class dating club. It seemed i like a Good Way to meet a Tew Nice gentleman. A Salesman came to my Home and explained my options. One year s membership Cost j699. It was my understanding that each month i would receive the names of several men in my area who had been care fully screened. I was really quite excited about the prospects. Here is what  no. I was so heavy that his shirt buttons looked As if they would pop off at any moment. The first thing he said was you ought to lose some  Man no. 2 was not yet divorced from his wife. He did say however that she was giving him a hard  i showed him the door in a hurry. If i had wanted a married Man i could have found plenty Only own Man no. 3 arranged to meet me for a cup of Coffee. When he arrived at the cafe he said. I stopped to buy some tomatoes and i Don t have enough Money left for Coffee. Do you mind picking up the Check Man no. 4 had a severe Case of emphysema. He wheezed and smoked one cigarette after another. I m sure he was looking for a Good nurse Man no. 5 removed his dentures at the dinner table. He also let it slip that his year s membership had Only Cost $60.i wrote to the club and demanded my Money Back. No response. I then contacted my local to station went on a talk show and told All. I still did t get my Money Back. I decided perhaps i d had a run of bad Luck and that i should give it one More try. I agreed to meet no. 6for supper. He seemed charming until he mentioned casually that he had served Lime in prison for rape. That s when i decided i was through with dating clubs. There May be some legitimate services out there but after what i be seen i would t touch another one with a 40-foot pole. Dorothy in Jacksonville Fla. Dear Jacksonville thanks for the fill in. 1 Hare always operated on the theory that strangers can be dangerous. For this reason refuse to put my readers in touch with one another. I am sure there Are exceptions but in the interest of safety my advice is Slick to introductions from people you know. Dear Ann Landers please Settle an argument pertaining to a recent column. It was about people who cat their Way through grocery stores. My Friend says that in North Carolina this can get you two years in jail plus a $100 Fine. I can understand this but he said in addition to the larceny rap a per son could be charged with concealment of  say that if a person cats something a handful of nuts for example the nuts Are gone which is not the same As trying to conceal them. Am i right a $10 Bill is hanging in the balance. Durham . Dear Durham i m no lawyer but it seems to me that when a person eats merchandise in a store without paying for it he is not trying to conceal anything As would be the ease had he hid it in his pocket. I d say you win the $10. European edition col oct t. Townsend. 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