European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 13, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes monday August 13,1990 get Good news care in news by Jimi Jones staff writer Heidelberg West Germany a the Quality of military medical care for retirees in Europe and the United states May be equal but treatment is More readily available in Europe the president of the . Army in Europe Retiree Council said. Retired army col. Bernard Greenbaum said saturday that leaders of Retiree councils across the United states agree that Access to military treatment facilities in Europe is a much greater than is being enjoyed by retirees in most areas in the United  stateside dental care for the retired military Community is Quot almost Zero a he said. A a Quot so if we Are having some troubles Over Here we have to keep that in perspective with nationwide  but Many of the More than 600 military retirees and family members attending the 10th annual Retiree open House saturday were not pleased with All aspects of medical availability. They had several complaints and questions on the civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services or champu5, supplemental insurance and medical insurance coverage after age 65. A 7th medical come official strongly urged retirees to obtain supplemental insurance. He cited for example the $30,000 to $35,000 Cost for open heart surgery in most Urban areas of the United Stales. Under champs the Retiree would be liable for 25 percent of the Cost. Additional coverage is especially critical for retirees in Europe since they do not have Access to medicare which is available at age 65 in the United states. One Retiree said he is so fed up with supplemental costs that he is convinced that the Best solution to turning age 65 is a to die and get it Over  in his address Greenbaum discussed items of interest in terms of Good news bad news and a Glimmer of Hope. He placed the army a pledge to maintain its Standard of services to its alumni on the Good news list mentioning a recent agreement with the air Force to allow retirees travelling to appointments at the army Hospital in Lan Stuhl to Book in Advance space Avail Able reservations at base billeting. Greenbaum told retirees that because of the defense departments civilian hiring freeze the employment situation could not be much worse. Quot if you Are a new Retiree trying to get a Job with the . Forces the employment picture  be  in his Quot Glimmer of Hope category Greenbaum talked about a proposal to Fly the bodies of deceased retirees Back to the United states on a space available basis at no charge. A when retirees Are alive they can travel space available. But when they die they Arentt people any More they re freight a he said. The Retiree Council has proposed to Congress that if military retirees should die while living or travelling overseas their remains be airlifted space available to the United Stales. He said a change in the Law looks hopeful. During the Daylong conference military retirees heard updates on medical Legal and financial matters. Usa eur command sgt. Maj. George Horvath also answered questions from the audience including one about military housing. Quot As we build Down the Force in Europe our plan is not to close Down any american controlled housing areas a a Horvath said. Quot As those become vacant we will take our soldiers who Are currently living in Economy housing either in the grip program government rental housing program or on their own and pull them off the Economy and place them in those government  we feel we will be Able to House everybody that remains in Europe in government quarters a Horvath said. Quot we think its a pretty Good  news update flood fatalities Beijing apr hooding in 24 of China a 29 provinces has killed More than 2,000 people this year and caused $2.5 billion in damage an official report said saturday. The provinces hardest hit were Sichuan in the Southwest i angst and Shandong on the coast and Hunan Hubei shaan i and Shan i in Central China the China daily reported. By the end of july 21.4 million acres of Farmland had been flooded and crop output is expected to drop by 30 percent on half that area it said. More than 740,000 buildings have collapsed. The total economic loss has been put at $2.5 billion the paper said. The ministry of water resources said the Peak of China a annual summer flood season passed Friday. It described the nations major Rivers As Quot relatively stable a last year nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in  decision Prague Czechoslovakia apr the former communist parly Boss of Prague will not to prosecuted for his role in the brutal police breakup of the demonstration that led to Czechoslovakia a democratic revolution last year the state ctr news Agency has reported. Ctr citing a statement by the czech general prosecutor s office said a police investigation had proved that Miroslav Stepan ordered police to break up the nov. 17 demonstration Quot by any Means  but an amendment to the penal code introduced last month Means that Stepan is now exempt from prosecution Lor those outer the statement said. According to the amendment Quot Only a person preparing an especially serious criminal act whose nature is expressly stipulated by Law can be guilty of preparing a criminal  Stepans crime was not of this nature said the report without elaboration. Stepan who is the first member of the ousted communist leadership to have been put on trial has already been sentenced to four years in jail for other abuses of Power. Officials urge owners to a eliminate their dogs to make Beijing Beautiful Beijing up a in an attempt to beautify the capital before next months asian games the state run newspaper Beijing daily urged residents saturday to Quot beat and eliminate their dogs. Citing a decade old regulation that forbids Beijing residents from keeping dogs As pets the paper criticized recalcitrant dog owners for Quot disturbing social order and endangering Peoples  the suggestion is the latest in a Campaign beautify the City for the games the first major International sports event to he hosted by the communist Mainland. Other cleanup targets include Jaywalker unlicensed workers private vendors and spitters although no one has proposed eliminating them. Quot the More dogs there Are the More dog related problems arise a the report said adding that the number of civil dispute cases involving a dogs biting innocent people has increased. Quot some people see foreigners in films or on television swaggering through the streets with their dogs Ana then imitate them thinking themselves stylish a the Beijing daily said referring to the growing popularity of dogs As pets in Beijing. Quot some people think taking dogs everywhere is a status Symbol while others merely want to divert themselves to fill the emptiness in their  the pet phenomenon also has Given Rise to Quot dog markets a where dealers reportedly buy and sell live dogs for prices As High As $638, an amount Well Over twice the average workers yearly income. The dealers and their furry wares can be seen on Many Street Corners in West Beijing. The paper said other reasons Tor the increase in canine ownership arc a higher living Standard which enables people to buy extra food to feed their pets. The Beijing daily called for Quot a Reso Lute undertaking of the anti dog Campaign before the 16-Day games open sept. 22. Authorities previously announced strict new fines for working in Beijing without a permit As Well As for jaywalking and the ubiquitous practice of spitting in the Street. Nearly 1,400 family Street vendors were ordered to leave Busy thoroughfares in the drive to Quot beautify the Urban  Beijing banned dogs in 1980 and 1983, maintaining that police would round up and kill any dogs roaming unsupervised previous rules had virtually eliminated dogs from the capital except for foreigners who bring their pets. It was not Clear How the latest Campaign will affect restaurants serving dog meat a delicacy especially favored in Southern China and known euphemistically As Quot fragrant  9 Blacks die in gunfire by unknown assailants Johannesburg South Africa apr nine Blacks died in a Hail of gunfire at a Hostel South of Johannesburg officials said sunday. Police capt. Eugene Opperman told the Independent South african press association that unknown attackers fired through the windows of two rooms in a Black workers Hostel in Sebo Keng saturday night. A the gunfire killed four men and three women and two men died later in a Hospital. F fifteen people were injured. Opperman told radio 702 that the motive for the attack was unknown Quot we can Only presume that it is differences among different Black  he said. But he disputed a claim by a township resident that the violence was Between supporters of the african National Congress and the conservative Zulu based inkatha party headed by Manga Suthun Bui holc i. The shooting follows violence in townships around Johannesburg Between Anc supporters and in Kasha in recent weeks. At least 22 people died on july 22 after in Kasha staged a rally in Sebo Keng. When armed inkatha members left the rally they dashed with township residents. Speaking at a rally in Sebo Keng Days after the violence Anc Deputy president Nelson Mandela blamed the violence on in Kasha. Quot we Are Happy to note that you made a stand against the thugs and killers who came from outside in order to kill our people Quot lie told the crowd. In Kogiso East of Johannesburg at least 12 people died in two Days of violence Between inkatha and other residents earlier this month. More than 5,000 Blacks have died since 19s6 in lighting Between in Kasha and Anc supporters in the Eastern province of Natal. Pears that the conflict May be spreading to other parts of the country were sparked in recent weeks when fighting involving inkatha and opposing groups erupted in areas around  band did no to miss a beat Edinburgh Scotland apr members of the Bolshoi opera took a bus but Mist and wind did not deter the . Marine corps band from marching in the cavalcade opening the Edinburgh International festival on sunday. The Bolshoi performers who will perform Sergei Prokofiev a Quot betrothal in a monastery starting tuesday waved from their bus to crowds lining princes Street in downtown Edinburgh. The marines marching to their hymn took the weather in stride. Quot we re All combat marines. Music is our second profession a stressed warrant officer Brandon Richardson in charge of the 39 band members aged 19 to 43. Way behind them in the Parade came such varied performers As the kudu Kahuna theater company from Honolulu on their first visit to Europe and the Rumi Lajla Quot music of the Andes group from Bolivia