European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 4, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes tuesday september 4,1990billeting move adds Cash but leaves cos out by Ron Mckinney staff writer the Darmstadt military Community in West Germany is converting half its senior enlisted Bachelor housing into transient billets a unique move that helps ill its coffers but also puts angry senior cos in the Barracks. A a they re taking a building away from us and i think that a really bad. Someone is not doing what they re supposed to be doing a said sgt. 1st class James Edwards of he co 11th signal in. Edwards who has been waiting for Bachelor quarters since oct. 17, 1989, is still fifth on the list. The conversion is part of a major expansion of transient and guest housing that eventually will generate More than $1 million annually mostly from soldiers and their families who pay for their rooms with temporary lodging allowances. Darmstadt officials said the conversion is intended to provide temporary housing for incoming soldiers and their families thus easing the social and cultural burdens on new arrivals. The switch a eliminates half of the 44 Bachelor quarters for unaccompanied e7s and above thus lengthening the waiting period to a year or More for most personnel. At least a dozen senior non commissioned officers primarily those with families in the United states Nave moved into the Barracks while waiting for Bachelor quarters. A creates a guest House rental Structure that is significantly More expensive than the rates the Community had been paying for private accommodations. The conversion which is being accomplished through attrition was begun in june 1989 on a temporary basis. Eleven months later Darmstadt filed a request with . Army Europe Headquarters to make the switch permanent. That request is pending. The move was initiated despite a . Army Europe policy that says conversions Are allowed Only with buildings that Are a excess housing  a Susa eur policy is to convert or divert Only from excess housing assets. Communities must justify and show economic feasibility a said Millie Waters a Usa eur spokeswoman. Community officials would not explain How the former senior enlisted Bachelor housing at building 4090, located just outside Cambrai Fritson Cavern qualifies As a excess housing  when the conversion started there was a waiting list of at least 15 senior cos said a former Community housing official who was working in the office at that time. Current Darmstadt officials however refused to discuss the waiting list saying they had answered enough questions about building 4090. This conversion is one element of a major transient billets expansion plan with other facilities being added in Munster and Babenhausen. The Bachelor quarters Are government apartments just like family housing. Soldiers can reside there by relinquishing their Basic allowance for quarters. Transient billets Are used like a hotel to House soldiers and their families processing to or from the United states. When the billets Aren t full rooms can be taken by soldiers visiting on leave at reduced rates. The Community does no to get Revenue from soldiers who reside in government quarters but by converting a if you done to have enough transient billets you have to Send the people on the German Economy and they make the Money. This Way the Community makes the  a Karl Strebel them to transient billets the Community has tapped into a lode of income. By increasing Basic single room rents 133 percent and expanding its guest housing program the Community generated $275,031 in the first six months of 1990. The elimination of half of the 44 Bachelor quarters for the senior enlisted soldiers has forced senior cos to choose Between the Barracks and apartments on the Economy. Many had thought their Days of Barracks living were behind them but because of financial Strain they have returned to the routines of communal living. Sgt. 1 St class Stanley Mcclelland the operations sergeant for co a 94th engr in is not Happy with the Choice. He had recently bought a House in the states and arrived in West Germany without his family. A a in a Over Here on a limited budget and its rough Quot he said. Sgt. 1st class John Lynch a platoon sergeant for cob 547th engr in said he believes the Community a can always find another Way to increase its Revenue. I think the Bachelor housing should be made available for the  Community officials staunchly defended the Overall concept. They said the purpose of having transient quarters near . Facilities is to a Welcome newcomers into the Community As Well As to reduce any unnecessary  a newcomers often do not have language skills or transportation and feel displaced in this unfamiliar environment a said Joe Hitt a Community spokesman. However Karl Strebel former chief of Darmstadt a unaccompanied personnel housing said shortly before his retirement in january that the Community a motive was Revenue. A if you done to have enough transient billets you have to Send the people on the German eco Mony and they make the Money a Strebel said. A this Way the Community makes the  col. Darrel a. Mcferron the Darmstadt Deputy Community commander said the conversion is a a double boons to the Community. A having the obvious double Benefit made the decision easier a Mcferron said in a statement. A the decision was prompted by a widely held perception that these families needed More than others to stay on a .-controlled facility where there were no language or cultural barriers and close enough to medical and dental facilities the Post Exchange and other facilities so that transportation would not be a  Mcferron said the revenues will be used to upgrade permanent and guest quarters. The expansion will not be Complete for at least another year when renovations Are completed at Babenhausen and the former Bachelor quarters become fully occupied As transient billets. At Babenhausen a former administration building was converted into transient billets last year and now is being renovated. Sixteen or 17 rooms will be available next Spring. Last year the Community also converted an unoccupied building at Munster Cavern into transient billets with 19 units. The two transient billets near Cambrai Fritsch Cavern including the former Bachelor quarters will offer 42 single rooms and 24 suites after the conversion of see move on next Page