European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday october 1, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9 Drach sales Over Here net drab profits. A amps Kon goo go a greek left discusses a possible Purchase with tech. Sgt. Mark Alexander Center and Drach sales agent ipod Tsaparikos. American by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau Athens a the impending closure of one . Base in the Athens area coupled with the exodus of americans from another has caused the Bottom to fall out of the Market for used american goods. Until quite recently Athens based americans could reckon on racking up tidy profits on sales of their goods to locals who flocked to so called a Ydrach  Drach sales take their name from the greek unit of currency the drachma. All Sale items must be priced in drachma and All taxes paid in drachma. But As More and More americans leave the Athens area and sell their goods at end of tour Drach sales the Market has dramatically weakened. A prices Are going Down. There is just too much stuff coming onto the Market a said ipod Tsaparikos a Drach sales representative. The naval communication station at Nea Makri 20 Miles East of Athens closed in August. When it was operational the station had 350 personnel assigned there. Hell Nikon a Large . Air base on the outskirts of Athens is slated to close by april 1. Greek customs Laws permit american forces personnel to sell personal items to greeks but limit the number of sales to two per tour. The first Sale can be held shortly after arrival in Greece and the second just before departure. The sales Are part of an elaborate customs system. Customs folders Are maintained on . Bases for All assigned personnel. The folders record All customs controlled items bought on base or brought into Greece. At the end of a tour personnel must account for All items recorded in their customs folders. Air Force tech. Sgt. Mark Alexander a Security policeman assigned to hell Nikon a and his wife Lora held their out processing Drach Sale in August. Until they had heard tales of air Force families netting As much As $9,000 on Drach sales they weren to going to go to the bother of having one. The alexanders who Hail from Coffeyville kan., were preparing for a new assignment at Luke fab Ariz. They estimated it took them two weeks to get ready for their Sale. Time was spent identifying items on their customs list deciding what to sell and moving Sale items into a Section of their rented House. A the Drach sales agent comes out to the House goes Over the paperwork figures out taxes due Ana helps set the prices a he said. The Drach sales representative also advertises the Sale in greek newspapers and puts up signs directing buyers to the location. For their efforts sales reps who act As middlemen Between the seller and the greek government get a commission of 10 percent to 13 percent of the total sales. The agent advised the alexanders to hold a three Day Sale. A the agent said to put everything up for Sale because it will probably sell Mark Alexander said. On the first Day of the Sale business boomed. A fifty people were waiting outside the door at 9 . Yesterday for the Sale to begin. It was like the grand opening of a new department store. It went on Al Day and we Nad at least a couple of Hundred people come through Here a Lora Alexander said. A it was a pretty Good Cross Section of people kids who wanted heavy Metal records to older people buying linens a her husband said. As the alexanders waited for buyers to arrive on the second Day of the Sale they told visitors they had cleared about $1,500 on the first Clay a and we Haven to sold any of our expensive stuff  a we think the prices we Are charging Are outrageous but they Are reasonable to the greeks a Mark said. A there is a 119 percent tax on stereos and  the alexanders were trying to sell a Large screen Multi system to for about $1,600, tax included. If they got their Price they would make about $700 on the Deal. No crowds flocked to the House on the second Day. By the time the Sale was supposed to have been under Way for two hours Only five people had wandered through. They Nad bought nothing. One greek couple came looking for a living room set. A tips very expensive. The prices Are too High a the woman said while surveying the alexanders goods. A there Are three other Drach sales taking place today a she said. A a we la look and see what they Are Selling  gets 4 . Helicopters passage expected on Bill to Transfer Naf benefits Washington a amps Capitol Hill sources Are confident Congress will pass a Bill allowing non appropriated fund workers to retain their pay level and benefits when transferring to civil service. However approval wont come before the Transfer deadline. The Bill approved by the House Post office and civil service committee on wednesday was scheduled for House vote monday. Then it must receive Senate and presidential blessings. The Bill would affect hundreds of workers in Europe who have to switch systems by the Start of fiscal 1991 under a reorganization of morale welfare and recreation programs. The fiscal year starts oct. 1. Some minor problems with certain provisions of the Bill have been ironed out and no further opposition from any Quarter is expected a committee staff member said. A a it a just a question of pushing the Bill through the legislative  Congress ordered the Pentagon to reshuffle its morale welfare and recreation system so certain programs such As military clubs and Golf courses would no longer be supported with tax dollars. Other programs such As libraries and child care centers would continue to receive appropriated fund support. The staff member acknowledged that some workers could be Hurt Between oct. 1 and the Date the Bill is expected to become Law. However the staff member noted the Bill is retroactive to 1987, when the reorganization was ordered. Anyone who loses benefits in a switch from one system to the other will have them fully restored when the legislation becomes Law the staff member said. Specifically the a portability of benefits Bill would a permit workers to Transfer their annual sick and Home leave hours. A allow workers to retain their pay grades. A let vested employees a those who have paid into a retirement program for five years or More a choose Between non appropriated fund or appropriated fund retirement plans. A credit the workers years of service for retention standing in Case of  the transferring employees from serving one year in a probationary status. A change health plans despite any pre existing conditions. Manila Philippines up a the United states delivered four helicopter gunships to the philippine air Force saturday for use in its 21-year Battle against communist guerrillas. Philippine Brig. Gen. Lovcan Abadia said the choppers arrived at Clark a 50 Miles North of Manila and will be transferred to the 15th strike Wing in Cavite province across Manila Bay this week. Abadia said the four choppers were the first Batch of 28 Mcdonnell Douglas 530mg defender helicopters to be delivered under the foreign military sales credit in Exchange for the use of six . Bases in the Philippines. He said the helicopters were new and Cost $1.36 million each. It was the first time this Type of helicopter was delivered to the Philippines. Previous deliveries consisted of refurbished Huey and Sikorsky helicopters extensively used during the Vietnam War. The United states provides the philippine government $481 million each year for the use of Clark Subic Bay naval facilities and four smaller installations. The lease on the facilities expires sept. 16, ln9 philippine and . Negotiators recently adjourned the second round of talks on the future of the bases