European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 7, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes a Page 11 letters a writer asks right of privacy in Barrack Sann Landers dear Ann Landers i have been fortunate. No one in my family has Ever abused drugs and i thank god. But i was deeply moved by the enclosed article and i Hope you agree that it deserves wider circulation than our local paper the Chesapeake observer. A d.l., Brandywine my. Dear Brandy i do indeed. Here it is. Thanks for sending it along. The Saddest discovery no one knows the heartache of parents when they discover their child is addicted to drugs. Even thing they Ever wanted for their child is suddenly in jeopardy. This is not about a child who uses drugs but about a whole family that has been devastated by this killer of love reason family traditions and ideals. The family goes through a Range of feelings sorrow Over what will never be fear of what a ahead anger for what has happened to the family shame that others will know guilt that it is their fault hopelessness of not knowing where to turn for help frustration when nothing seems to work sadness for the loss of innocence Hope that perhaps this is a Nightmare horror when they discover that he a been stealing to support his habit loneliness when they think no one else feels these emotions panic when the police come to their Home looking for their child. They ask themselves when did he change where were we what was missing in his life that made him turn to drugs Why did no to we recognize the changes in him where were the teachers who saw him every Day Arentt they trained to recognize the symptoms Why did we let him get so far away from us where were the parents of his friends if they knew Why did no to they Tell us where were his Brothers and Sisters Why did no to they see when we suspected Why did no to we talk about it we know now that the problem wont go away on its own. But we also know that after thousands of hours of therapy thousands of hours of punishment thousands of dollars spent thousands of Miles driven thousands of angry words and thousands of tears none of it helped. Why could it have been we did no to say we loved him a thousand times or did no thug him a thousand times we did and do love him. He knows that a does no the a Sherry Goeller dear readers i Felt that this piece had Merit and that Many of you would relate to it. I have a problem however with the underlying message that the parents somehow Are to blame. Granted some parents Are not As attentive or caring As they should be. But Many do their darn est and their kids still get into trouble. Done to they have enough pain without adding the Burden of undeserved guilt please have mercy. C creators Syndicate i am a 39-year-old woman an  staff sergeant a wife of 19 years and the Mother of a 17-year-old daughter. I have just under six years in the  some time in the Marine corps and a lifelong association in other capacities with the military All branches. I recently read several stories in your paper and heard several on an discussing ways to make the Quality of life better for the a a single Soldier. As a geographical Bachelor living in the Barracks i have a few suggestions for you. Treat your soldiers living in the Barracks with the same dignity and respect for privacy with which you treat your soldiers who done to live in the Barracks. A Soldier living in the Barracks is subjected to almost daily invasions of privacy in the Guise of room inspections and the infamous health and welfare invasion. There is nothing quite like the feeling one gets when one is roused out of bed at 4 a.m., made to stand in a hallway in pyjamas and Robe while some Semi strangers search ones room and Rifle through ones belongings. Several years ago someone broke into my Home and slashed All of my underclothes. The feeling of having been invaded and violated is much the same. It is also much the same to return to the room at the end of the workday to find that someone has been in my room going through my personal belongings turning on to stereo or sewing machine to see if its plugged in often damaging the equipment in the process. This is done because someone believes that an appliance is using Energy while plugged in whether its turned on or not. This is done while i was out doing my Job a to defend other Peoples rights to due process probable cause and Protection from unjust search and seizure. I say a other Peoples rights a because with the health and welfare system and room inspections these Are not the rights of a Soldier living in the Barracks. My suggestions for replacing a system that i and Many of my Peers find degrading Are simple. Supervisors supervise your soldiers. Observe the when i first Learned of the initial proposal to provide enlisted Severance pay i was somewhat dubious about the equity of such a plan. Upon Reading however that the congressman a proposition would use the same criterion already used in formulating officers Severance pay i  help but feel optimistic. This optimism quickly changed when i later read the Pentagon a counterproposal which Caps enlisted Severance pay at $ 15,000 while lifting the $30,000 ceiling already in place for officers. To Institute their proposal would not Only require the use of a separate criterion for formulating enlisted Severance pay but would ultimately result in significantly less compensation for the enlisted. What rationale do they plan to use to explain this inequity in pay for comparable years of service rendered to make a Case that officers require greater compel soldiers who come to work looking like rag bags. They probably live the same Way. If so Deal with them. Supervisors supervise your soldiers. Frequent lateness abuse of sick Call and poor attitude May indicate a drug or alcohol problem. Investigate and Deal with it. Appoint a Barracks no then let that no do the Job. If the no needs help the no will ask for it. Let the Barracks no handle the Barracks. After All this is an no not some trainee who Hasni to Learned anything yet. Stop having the Type of Barracks inspections that Only serve the purpose of showing off to someone that someone else wants to impress. That kind of inspection Only serves to lower already Low morale. Most of the soldiers i know who live in the Barracks done to want to live in a dirty unhealthy place. We take Pride in our  and that a what it All comes Down to. The Barracks is our Home. How would you react to someone coming into your Home while you were out searching through your belongings turning on appliances and leaving them on All Day if you left them plugged in confiscating anything they thought you  have How would you feel standing in the Hall in your night clothes while someone searched through your closets dressers and cabinets counted your bottles of alcohol checked the ripeness of your fruit on the Chance that they might find something they done to approve of put yourself in your soldiers place. How do you think that Soldier feels finally when your Soldier asks Why this is necessary done to give the tired out answer a this is the Way its always been  just because its always been done this Way does no to make it the right Way. Find another Way a one that does no to deprive the Soldier of dignity and self respect. My suggestions Are just one Way but i have seen them work. I have seen these methods work better than the Way its a always been  a staff sgt. Darlene e. Russell Bremerhaven West Germany station becomes even More irrational when you consider the average employment potential of each group. Obviously no one is or can be fully prepared for the unexpected Prospect of Early separation however the officer with his her College degree surely stands a somewhat better Prospect of finding employment than his her enlisted counterpart. Bottom line in a not against officers getting Severance pay i just want comparable pay for comparable service. The Only Way to provide equitable compensation is to use a Standard formula with the Only variable being ones base pay. Enough is enough stand up and be heard enlisted or be prepared to get the Short end of the stick. A tech. Sgt. James r. Britt Lindsey air station West Germany pen pals i am a 35-year-old sales girl and i would like to have pen pals from All Over the world. A Lucile Samson Bundo North Road Dumaguet City Negros Oriental Philippines i would like pen friends. My hobbies Are Reading hiking singing and cooking. A Lilia v. Santillan Slaton Negros Oriental Philippines 6219 my hobbies Are Reading and i love Mellow music. A  n. Ragay planning amp development office Seaton Negros Oriental Philippines 6219 my hobbies Are Reading and biking and i would like to have pen friends. A Susan j. Egera planning amp development office Seaton Negros Oriental Philippines 6219 i am 11, going on 12. I love talking on the phone and much More stuff. I m in the 7th Grade. A Latonya r. Sikes Box 37 . 09021-5360 a equity of Severance pay is questioned european edition col. Gene e. Townsend Usan commander editor in chief it. Col. Suzanne l. Phillips Usan Deputy commander editor in chief Marie Kominicki Mert Proctor Deane b. Mcdermott production manager managing editor circulation manager  san authorized unofficial publication for members of Jne military services overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes Are not we a y 0, views of or endorsed by the . Government the department of defense or the . European command. "t1� appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or Ion. Lema hts does not constitute endorsement by the department of de Rense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. Advertised in this publication shall be made available for Nail i0, us or patronage without regard to race color religion sex an a �9�?T a90. 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