European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday february 25,1990 the stars and stripes Ann Landers Pagan letters dear Ann Landers i am a Black Middle class Stu Dent attending the University of Maryland. I live in the City that has the highest murder rate in the United states the District of co Lumbia. It also has the highest school dropout rate. This City is terrorized by 14 and 15-year-Olds who Wear beep ers carry Uzi machine guns and do not go to school. Vrho says Russia is the enemy i am writing to you because the american Middle class both Black and White has become apathetic to the dangers that threaten us All. Dropouts have an enormous Impact on society. In 1986, the government spent More than $200 billion on welfare. Of those receiving Aid to families with dependent children 27.4 percent were mothers who did not have a High school education. Dropouts not Only place a financial Burden on hard working tax paying citizens they arc also responsible for much of the crime. Many teens who drop out of school turn to drug dealing. Our nation s capital is not governed by the president or by Congress. It is governed by fear. Fear of 14 and 15-year-Olds who might shoot you if you look at them wrong. There arc certain sections in this City that no sane person would venture into after dark. Many believe the problem is being poor and Black. Wrong. It is much More complicated. There is no sin Gle answer but the family. Church and Black Community must Piny a larger a in making America s Blaik youth Trouil of their Chni Black children need n a models. We read and hear too much about Black pimps and drug dealers and not enough about Blacks who have made it. Maybe this is what happens when the press radio and to arc pre dominantly White. . Reader dear . Reader you be written a prot Odalite letter. I ish to Point out however that major problems facing Black youths Are the same ones while outs have no Core family unit no parental guidance inadequate education an joblessness. A specifically Black problem however is that 84 percent of crimes against Blacks Are committed by  me me when you complain of Bias in the Field of communications and an absence of Black role models. Afew who come to mind Are Oprah Winfrey Bill Cosby Lena Hume Sidney Poitier Michael Jordan magic Johnson Walter Payton Mike sing Clary publishing tycoon John Johnson supreme court Justice Thurgood Marshall Gen. Colin Powell attorney Marian Wright Edelman and or. Louis Sullivan of health and human sen ices. I could go on but i m sure you get the idea. Dear Ann Landers this letter is a blueprint for husbands who Are sure their wives would never  attention to unexplained absences especially when she says she needs a vacation alone because she must get a rest from the  needs diversion and Bowling every tuesday with the girls is  classes at the local College arc so of of stimulate  Alert to change in the Way she dresses new makeup a sudden interest in losing weight or a younger  suddenly buys new lace undies and nighties but rarely wears them with you. Check the mileage on the car just to make sure. I hated doing these things but that s How i caught her. Fooled no More dear . What s the end of the Story Tell me so i can print it readers decry Impact of hiring freeze dear or. Cheney i am a Soldier stationed in Germany who has a great Deal of admiration and respect for your attempts to lower the budget and Cut defense spending. What 1 would like to know is Why this is being done at the expense of the Soldier and the Soldier s family Here in Europe in my Case your efforts Mav very Well Cost my wife her career in the civil service. I volunteered to come to Europe in the Hope of furthering my career. My wife and family came with Hopes of enjoying another tour with Usa eur. My wife has been with the civil serv ice for 15 years and is currently on a i Cave without pay status. Because of the freeze however she cannot reemployed for any of the civil service positions currently open. I had deferred travel and had to leave my wife and family in the states. When i finally found a place to live it was just barely within my financial  expecting my wife to be gainfully employed by the civil service i rented a German Home incurring All the German Bills that go along with it. Now thanks to the hiring freeze our future is dismal at Best. You think not try living Here for three years supporting a family of four on my paycheck. For 15 years i have been a Good Soldier. I have always believed the various ads which proclaimed that the army lakes care of its  a few years ago. The army had a theme. Year of the army family or something in that effect i Vair of the hiring free a. This car could Well be in signalled demise of the army  or. Cheney please Cut something else. Without civil service jobs our spouses and family members arc virtually Cut off from any possibility of employment. I realize the decisions you sometimes have to make arc not always the most popular and they sometimes unintentionally Hurt select groups of people. But whoever advised you did not take into account the family members Here in Europe. My wife s Cave without pay status runs out at the end of March. If the freeze is still in effect 15 years of her hard work dedication to the army and her career As a civil service employee Are lost. Nobody asked us what effect a hiring freeze would have on our families and our lives Here in Europe. I Hope somebody listens. John p. Hayes Nalmberg West Germany i am writing this letter in reference to the hiring freeze that has been imposed by Secretary of defense Dick Cheney. I have been in the military for almost 17 years and have seen a lot of hard times. When i came into the army in 1973. We had just gotten out of Vietnam and we were not a real popular Bunch of people. But we had served our country when called upon. We were not the ones who made the decision to Send troops to that War. But we were the ones who had to pay the Price. Over the cars our military has responded to All Calls for service from our elected leaders. Vietnam Granada and now Panama. American  lives have been lost. These Are not the lives of elected officials they arc hard working soldiers airmen sailors and marines. They spilled their blood in the name of Freedom. One thing has always been expected of the service member you keep your Mouth shut and do what Ever is asked of you. And if by Chance the elected officials in charge of your life at that time throw you a Bone you arc expected to sit up and beg. When or. Cheney imposed this hiring freeze on us did he Ever think of who might suffer did he think about the e-3 or e-4 with kids whose wife will not be Able to gel a Job or the hard working e-6 who now will not be Able to Send his children to College do these elected officials Ever think of us As people or arc we just the fat that needs to be Cut away whenever they want to score Points with Congress 1 have been listening to a lot of other soldiers and sen in members. It seems they arc in Shock and cannot believe what is happening. Soon we will not be Able to do even the Basic things Over Here. Our Basic rights As . Citizens have been ignored and we arc just expected to take it in stride. We have no say in the matter whatsoever. I have three years left in the army and will retire As soon As i can. I want to do that before it retire men too is taken away from me by an elected offi Cial who just does t give a Damn about me or my family. These arc the elected officials who voted themselves a raise this year and who now want to affect the Way i live my life. I guess it has taken me 17 years to figure out that we will always be the ones to suffer the ones who will have to go without always the ones who will pay the Price for what our elected officials think should be the policy of our country. Sgt 1st class Gordon Ritterath Baum older West Germany new Troa chapter seeking members the retired officer s association Troa is a worldwide association of . Military officers not necessarily All retired. The organization supports the interests of retired officers but is open to All . Military officers. The association currently has several Hundred Mem Bers in the european area. There is a group of about 80 members that recently met at Simbach to organize the first european local chapter of Troa. Various committees were established and will recon Vene on March 4 at i . At the Simbach officers club to act on recommendations. The primary goal of the Early meetings is the adoption of a working charter for submission to the general membership meeting scheduled for april 29 at 1 ., again at the Simbach officers club. Anyone interested in helping organize the new Chap Ter or in becoming a member is invited to attend one of these meetings or Contact Bill Taylor the chapter chairman at Box 1085, Apo 09130, or Telephone civil Ian 06303-4294 or ets 483-7139. You May also con tact me at civilian 06302-5211. John Palm Sembach a West Germany 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. European edition col. Gene e. Townsend. Usan commander editor m cruel it. Col. Suzanne a Phillips sap Deputy commander editor in Chiel Marie Kominicki Mert Proctor Deane 8. Mcdermott production manager managing Settlor circulation manager this newspaper la an authorized Enol tidal publication Tor members of a military services overseas cont anti of the Start Ana slopes Ara not necessarily Tia official views of. Or Endor Tad try. The  nov Armant. A department of defence or we us european command. Tea appearance of advertising m Una pub Calion. Including Means or Aupp laments. Doaa not cons Rituta Andora Amant by Tea department of a Sanaa or the Shari and so pea of Tea products or services Advar Miaad. Everything Advar Miaad m this publication than be made available Lor Purchase use or Pat Onaga it Trout regard 10 race color religion sex. Rational origin age. 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