European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday july 29, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 11 dear Ann Landers the Best thing that could have happened to me took place last night i was arrested for Drunken driving. I am 23 years old and have been pushing my Luck for five years. On a typical night out i would get behind the wheel and think a i Only had a few Beers in a  Well last night i thought i was of too until 1 touched my nose with my right hand when the police officer had said a left a saw two moving fingers instead of one and found walking Heel to toe impossible i was one of the Lucky ones. At least i did no to kill anybody what concerns me is that there Are thousands of Drivers on the Road tonight who think they re of too. One has a can of Beer Between his Knees and another is about to pass out at the wheel. Hopefully they will All spend the night in jail and like me they will realize How Lucky they were to get picked up. Of course there san awfully Good Chance that they wont get picked up which Means  be on the Road again tomorrow. Good Luck everybody. A lesson Learned on . Dear . One of the worst things about people who drink and drive la that they Are in no shape to assess their own competence. Did you know that More people Are killed in traffic accidents every year than died in the Vietnam War and wait there a More a the majority of those Drivers were drunk. The writer of the next letter knows More about the subject than i do. I printed his letter Many years ago and it was one that i will never forget Here it is dear Ann Landers six years ago today my life was mined by a Drunken Driver. Its a Miracle that i survived. I was a pedestrian and the Guy who hit me was going 70 Miles an hour on a downtown Street. Mom says i died that night and in a Way she a right. I am no longer the son she knew. I am trapped in a body that does not work sentenced forever to a wheelchair. The one part of me that still works is my mind. I remember growing up Riding my Bike roller skating and swimming doing everyday things like taking a Shower feeding myself using the toilet by myself a things i will never be Able to do again. I was engaged to a wonderful girl when my life was forever changed. Its awful to know that my dreams of being married and raising a family will never be realized. I cry at night for what i am missing and for what i will miss forever. It hurts when i realize that i am 26 years old and live in a nursing Home with old people and that this is where i will spend the rest of my life i am pleading with everyone who reads this letter to lease done to drink and drive. Done to make another Amily go through what mine has had to go through. And please All of you who were once friends or family come to visit me. I know it is difficult for you to see me like this but i need you. A Ricky in South Dakota Gem of the Day after accepting an invitation to a dinner party Mark Twain Learned that he was to be the 13th at the table. A a done to go a cautioned a Friend a a it a bad  Twain replied a a that a  the following Day Twain met the Friend again. A you were right about that party a he said a it was bad Luck. There was Only enough food for 12.�?� i a readers reply to a stripes for skills critic i am writing this letter in response to a letter on the a a strip is for Kilisz program. I As Well As other a Asp soldiers am tired of hearing the belly Ching and moaning of people about How we Are just Given our stripes and All we Nave to do is hold our hand out and accept. If a person is not competent in his of her Job As Len licensed practical nurse or As a future Leader it is up to that soldiers commander to provide for the necessary training or take further action As he secs fit. I came in the army under the a Asp program and am glad i did. It is not easy for us. It is very difficult learning everything that an no is Quot supposed to know As soon As your commander pins on your stripes. You learn like you learn everything else by learning everything you can As fast As you can. I am not going to say that i know everything. But if you really think about it there Are probably soldiers in your own company who have been in the army 10 or 12 years who know even less than yourself. Just because a person can Send a radio message or do any of the other Cut skills step by step does not mean that that person can Lead troops or has More potential than someone else. That brings me Back to my first Point you probably know someone who is Good at their Job but who is not a Good Leader. The writers comment that he would not follow an no who came in under the a Asp program really stuck out. This gives me some insight into the attitude of this Soldier. T no matter How the no received his or her train ins Lyou must follow and lawful order Given by that not or subject yourself to Ucma action. This attitude is what prevents a person from being promoted. You do not have to necessarily respect the person but you must respect the rank held by the person. As for the soldiers who Are getting out due to so called discrimination by the army that is a Bunch of Bull. If these soldiers worked that hard to move up in the ranks to be an no i have no doubt that they will obtain that goal and More. These Are the types of leaders that we need in the army of today and tomorrow not soldiers who think that they should receive their rank because of time in service or blame their failures on their own Lack of motivation. _ finally some food for thought. Suppose the army did not allow nurses to enter the service under the a Asp program and they decided to stay in the civilian Job Market. In the event the United states went to War there would not be enough 91cs to take care of the wounded. You Are lying in bed and Are in pain but the Anc officers Are tied up with new wounded. You Stop a Soldier As he passes by and ask him to give you some thing to relieve the pain. He turns to you and tells you that he does not know anything about giving medicines but he can Send a very Good radio message. A sgt. Jerry Clakley Berlin in a one of those lpns who entered the army As a private first class and was promoted to sergeant upon the completion of a probation period. I was a practising civilian Len for six years prior to enlisting in the army. I feel that the hard work 1 did in school coupled with the experience i have is deserving of the title of no. Also what this individual fails to realize is that it is not a peaches and Cream Quot coming in under these circumstances. Just because we Are Brand new to the army does no to mean we get any special considerations. We Are expected to know How to be an no and As such usually have to work extra hard to gain the respect other cos already have. In be been called Many things such As a shaken bake sergeant a a ready made a Etc. Should i be condemned because i decided to have a career before deciding to serve my country i should think not As for the soldiers who Are not getting promoted Are they really trying or Ait they just expecting the rank to be Given to them i May not know All there is to know about being a Leader Soldier Etc., but in a learning. Who Isnit i can Tell you one thing. I know about being an Len 91c, and in a quite competent in my Field. Is the writer saying he she is upset about the fact that a private had to teach an no How to do something i thought that the . Army was a team with everyone both cos and soldiers working together. Isnit that what it is All about it does no to really matter who does the teaching whether it is a private or sergeant Gior As Long As the information benefits the individual receiving it. As an no in a not ashamed to ask a private for instruction because i also know that i can Lead that private in areas he May be deficient in. So if the writer is not already in a leadership Posi you anything1 know and in Tow and if you Are in a leadership position i suggest you go Back and review your traits. After All we Are always learning from one another. That private who showed the no How to use a radio May be the same one that no saves one Day. Knowing that he she will receive Good medical care from this civilian trained 91c should make the writer feel better. In a not afraid or ashamed to sign my name a sgt Lisa Comeaux Berlin a writer discusses German value added tax As an owner of several a amp a Block franchises i feel obligated to reply to the incorrect information you recently presented concerning the charging of the 14 percent vat value added tax by a amp a Block offices German tax statutes do require the addition of the 14 percent added value tax for tax preparation services i have enclosed a copy of the Law which i suggest you pass on to the Usa eur experts. My own offices As Well As the other a amp a offices Are regularly audited by the German tax authorities to ensure that we comply with this provision of German Law. My a amp a Block franchises As Well As Many of the others in Germany voluntarily participate in the vat tax Relief program. A client should always ask about this when requesting services. A amp a Block cannot establish a company policy concerning this matter As All of the offices Are independently owned franchises. I take this Opportunity to ask the Stan and stripes Why it allowed Usa eur to provide the sole answer to a question which involves a commercial firm. 1 do not believe that Congress has Given Usa eur the charter to dictate the policies of commercial enterprises nor to interpret the tax Laws of foreign countries As they pertain to private Enterprise. A representative of a amp a Block or at least an individual franchise owner should have also been contacted to provide input to the reply. A Ronald j. Smircich Buscho Eshelm West German the str a prices 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 this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication Lor members of the military services overseas. Contents of the Start and stripes Are not necessarily the official views of. Or endorsed by the . 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