European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 23, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 1f editor s note Ann Landers is on vacation. The following column is one of her favourites. She will be Back sept. 2. Dear Ann Landers i have a terminal illness. Yes i am one of 400,000 people who will die from cancer this year. I have something to say to friends and relatives of All terminal patients i Hope you will allow me to use your column As a platform. Dear family and friends when you first found out about my illness you came by to see me. Your concern and caring gave me a great Deal of emotional support. Bui where Are you now True it s going to take a while for this hideous disease to finish me off but is that any reason to treat me As if i were already dead As time goes by i need you More a not less. I done to want your pity just your Friendship. Please come and Sec me now. Cancer is not contagious. I still look pretty Good. My mind is As Sharp As it Ever was. I need to see some Friendly Facco from the outside world. A visit from you now will give me a great Deal More pleasure than the Flowers you Send to my funeral a Freeport ill. Dear Freeport Here is your letter and i Hope the people who need to see it will i Hope too if they Are staying away because they Don t know what to say that they will realize you want to be talked to the same Way they would talk to any other social Friend. Thank you for laying it on the line. You performed a valuable service today. Dear Ann Landers i Hope you Don t think my problem is too trivial to print. Its of great importance to me a certain person namely our new minister should see it. Every sunday from the pulpit this insensitive oaf announces the birthdays of various members of the congregation. Not Only docs he give the Date he also tells everybody Sage. There Are Many women who Don t want their age broadcast around town. I took a lot younger than i am and its nobody a business what year i was born. Not a single person knew How old i was until this character took it upon himself to include it As part of his sunday message. I know our minister reads your column because he quotes from it frequently. Please give him an eyeful. Thank you. A Shelby n.c., subscriber dear Shelby Here s the eyeful with an added comment from me. I think its  that your minister says a Happy birthday to members of his Hock but i agree his a a thoughtfulness would be appreciated a great Deal More if he did not get into specific numbers. Dear Ann Landers my Cousin also is a very close Friend. When i announced my engagement the. First thing she said was a a in a going to sing at your  i know she Means Well but the girl has a Lousy voice. She has brought up the subject three times this week each time telling me How thrilled she is. I Haven to had the heart to Tell Ner what i really think. My Mother insists Friendship is More important than the Quality of the vocalist. She claims everyone will know the girl is not a professional and realize she is singing for sentimental reasons. 1 done to want her to sing. What should i do a Tongue tied in Kentucky dear Ken untie your Tongue and Tell a pc Uzi you have decided to engage a professional harpist organist or violinist. Ask her to be a bridesmaid. Creators Syndicate a hiring policies for civilian jobs discussed i fail to see How the family member preference program even adequately serves the military communities overseas. Most appropriated fund and non appropriated fund jobs Are open Only to people already in the system and to family members. We re perpetuating the Deadwood and often hiring less qualified people to fill the positions. If a qualified person is not available the position stays unfilled or a less qualified family member is hired 1 base this on personal experience on three different posts in West Germany. Less qualified substandard personnel create substandard office and organization performance which ultimately hurts everyone. Often jobs go unfilled for Long periods of time a not because there in t a marginally qualified family member but because no family member wants to work the hours a specific Case in Point there Are two photo labs which have been closed completely because no one wants to work hours which Are out of the 8 . To 5 . Time Frame tourists would be Happy to fill these jobs the turnover rate is exceptionally High As Well a unacceptably so i believe. This is caused primarily by the family member preference program a spouses rotate with service members. When a prospective employee arrives it takes up to a year to find a suitable Job. Positions then become vacant within a year a the family member is getting ready to return stateside. And what about the Short timers attitudes the government wastes Money continually training new people. If people stayed longer at jobs maybe even productive Cross training could be accomplished i propose that All jobs be first opened to those within the system and family members. If directly qualified applicants cannot be identified within a reasonable time Frame say two to three weeks then these positions should be opened to tourists. I believe our Scricc members would be better served by quickly filling openings and getting on with the productive work of a unit or organization. Maybe Gen. Crosbie a Saint does no to want to hear his pet program is not living up to his standards. Someone with a Little clout needs to Tell him. Check the statistics on the turnover rates and jobs that stay open for unrealistic time periods because they arc Only open to family members. A name and location withheld editor s note a Carolyn White personnel staffing specialist office of the Deputy chief of staff personnel civilian personnel division he Usak eur replies the writer questions the. Values of the family member preference program to military communities overseas and advocates the use of tourists to fill position vacancies. The family member preference program As the writer refers to it is designed to alleviate some of the Burden military members and their families encounter due to relocation and very limited prospects for employment outside of . Government agencies. The writer states a often jobs go unfilled for Long periods of time a not because there Isnit a marginally qualified family member but because no family member wants to work the  a recent review of How Long it takes to till positions shows that in 11sareur it took an average of 42.8 Days to fill a position vacancy. This average is based on 20,077 positions being filled in a nine month period. Vacancies involving recruitment from sources in the Continental United states conus take the greatest length of time. Moving of the writer discusses the turnover rate. This Issue is one of great concern to the Usa eur commander in chief. His concern prompted the establishment of a Usak Kuk policy on stability of civilian assignments. The policy requires employees to remain in the same position a minimum of 24 months unless the immediate supervisor signs a Tetter of availability. The purpose is to reduce turnover mentioned by the writer and permits the employee to make significant contributions to the Mission and to fully develop before taking another assignment. Finally the writer proposes that a fall jobs be first opened to those within the system and family members. If directly. Cannot be identified. Positions should be opened to  the writers proposal is not significantly different from current procedures. Selecting officials Are encouraged to consider candidates from various recruitment sources at the same time. When doing so the Only limitation is that As applicable within the particular source supervisors must comply with Veteran preference military spouse and family member preference rules. A writer sees a need for Strong Mark a recent headline in the stars and stripes read a a Greenback a new Low has gis feeling Blue Quot and made writing a letter to the editor irresistible. My family and i arc among Many that enjoy sharing in the German Way of life and we have Felt a Small Pinch As the Dollar weakens. I realize the hardship endured by the soldiers paying their Bills in Marks a the Bills Are unpredictable As Well As expensive at this Lime. What i am asking is that we look at the matter from a different Point of View for a moment. West Germany has a monumental task ahead. If it is reminder on car restraints put your kids in car seats a anything less is child neglect. Your child deserves a healthy shot at life. Why do you continue to risk their health by not using car seats and seat belts get the facts ignorance is not Blissful a chief warrant officer 2 s. Hale Heilbronn West Germany to survive the economic merger and maintain the stability for a successful reunification with the East a if they arc to set an example for Freedom for the rest of the East bloc countries a West Germany must have a Strong currency. As americans when the Dollar weakens we can for the most part Retreat to the . Facile lies for our needs. Our West German friends do not have that option. I Feci we should lighten our Bells just a Little bit More and Pat them on the Back. God has blessed America a its time to share the blessings. Because you our soldiers Are truly a keepers of the peace Quot let us applaud the strength of the Mark. A Robin Lam bad Kreuz  West Germany Nas Katsugi reunion set a reunion for Servi Canum Ibur and civilians who have to Nii Manmed it Nas Al Sugi. Japan. Will he hold  21 to Viaud Ngov  f or Maris  ten. Contact cmdr flu Durl of Gillen 1.37/5 a Miu Cevera  or juju.  92129, 619 484-7206. European edition col Gene e. Townsend Usan commander Eddo my Chiel it. Col. Suzanne l. Phillips Usan Deputy commander editor in chief Marie kom1nicki Mert Proctor Deane b. Mcdermott production manager managing editor circulation manager this newspaper is Art author died unofficial publication for members of tie military services overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes Are not necessarily Iha official views of or endorsed by the . Government the department of defense or Trio . European command. The appearance cd advertising in this publican in including inserts or supplements Dees not constitute Endor sement by the department of defense of the stars and stripes of the products or services . Everything  m this publication shall be made  Lor Purchase use or p Itric Mige without regard to race color in ii Ion. Be. National a Nam. 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