European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 16, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday october 16, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9 commander in Darmstadt sued for alleged sex Bias military Roundup Energy awareness week to be observed next week Heidelberg Germany a the theme for this years Energy awareness week is a conserve with Comfort and common  Gen. Crosbie e. Saint . Army Europe commander and Gen. Robert Oaks . Air forces Europe commander designated oct. 21-27 As Energy awareness week. A recent events in the Middle East Are a reminder of our Reliance on a consistent Supply of Energy and the need to use our resources efficiently a Saint wrote in a memorandum announcing the special week. A your combined military services As the largest users of Energy in the world have a special obligation to reduce Energy  during the week military communities throughout Europe will hold a variety of special activities.1 St Reserve aviation unit outside . Is activated Heidelberg Germany a the 166th aviation regt was activated saturday making it the first Active . Army Reserve aviation unit outside of the United states. The unit in Hillesheim Germany about 30 Miles West of Nurnberg has the wartime Mission of command control and coordination of up to sue tactical helicopter battalions. The unit which currently serves As a planning Headquarters regularly trains with the 11th aviation brigade. Members attend drills one weekend each month and serve two weeks of Active duty each  enforcement group commends 4 army agents san Antonio Texas a the International narcotic enforcement officers association presented special achievement awards to four . Army criminal investigation come special agents assigned in Germany a narcotic Law enforcement agents have always operated under High risk conditions a said John j. Bellizzi executive director of the association. A recent events have created a situation where their lives Are at stake  honoured were chief warrant officers James p. Bean Arthur s. Chancellor and Harry l. Humbert All of Heidelberg and Esther m. Harwell of Aschaffenbur. The agents were recognized for their cooperation leadership and outstanding performance in drug  donates $128,598 to army emergency fund we Brucken Germany a the army emergency Relief fund has received its largest single business contribution according to the european commissary Region of the troop support Agency. The $128,598.50 donation came from the Procter amp Gamble distributing co., stemming from sales of the company a products in army commissaries. Product recall Washington apr the consumer product safety commission said it has taken the first step to ban infant a bean bag cushions because of 30 reported cases of babies found dead on them. The commission voted last week to publish a notice of proposed Rule making in which it will seek Public comments to help it develop an accurate definition of the product the cushions Are filled with plastic foam beads or other granular material that can conform to the body of an infant especially to the face when the infant is placed stomach downward. They have been promoted As resting or sleeping places for infants or devices to prop them upright but have led to death through suffocation in at least 30 cases. The commission announced earlier this year an agreement with All known manufacturers of the cushions to recall them and not produce any More. The recalls covering about a million cushions Are still in effect Consumers who have not already returned their infant cushions should Stop using them return them to the store or destroy them the commission said. By Ron Mckinney staff writer Darmstadt Germany a a woman has filed an equal employment Opportunity discrimination complaint against the Darmstadt Community commander claiming in part that she lost her Job because the general has a Bias against divorced women. Seija Benson was a marketing director for the Darmstadt directorate of personnel and Community activities for three years before she was told june 8 that her one year Extension a approved on March 1 a was reversed without explanation. Benson 27, is being divorced from her husband who transferred to the United states on Jan. 22. She is seeking three months of Back . A i feel like i have to stand up and say what i feel is right even though in a afraid of the ramifications it May pose a Benson said. Darmstadt spokesman Joe Hitt declined to respond to Bensons allegations stating that equal employment Opportunity proceedings Are confidential. In her complaint she maintains that the Darmstadt Community commander maj. Gen. Gerald h. Putman had two reasons for reversing her Extension a that Putman is biased against divorced women. A that he was retaliating against Benson for critical comments she made to the stars and stripes about a Community dress code. To Clayton while serving As the v corps equal employment Opportunity officer recently accepted the Case for the . Army civil appellate review Agency to investigate. But Clayton who recently returned to the states rejected Bensons original allegations. Instead the Agency a investigation will focus on a Putmans disapproval of Bensons Extension which had been previously approved by col. Darrel a. Mcferron the Deputy Community commander. Mcferron a letter on the Extension dated March 1, states that the Deputy Community commander is allowed to make such extensions. A the question of whether sex discrimination played a role in his decision. Benson is appealing the rejection of the two original allegations to the equal employment Opportunity commission office of review and appeals in Washington. Bensons attorney Robert j. Fiore of Frankfurt said new York up a twelve major automobile manufacturers have agreed to  refunds to new York car owners that could reach As much As $100 million under the states a Lemon Law a state attorney general Robert Abrams reported monday. The settlement comes after More than four years of litigation and will provide refunds for new yorkers who purchased or leased new cars after aug. 2, 1986, and who have had to  for warranty Type repairs to their vehicles Abrams said. The states Lemon Law requires manufacturers and their dealers to make repairs under their warranty at no charge to the consumer for a period of two years or 18,000 Miles whichever comes first. The automakers involved Are Chrysler Ford general motors Honda Hyundai Isuzu Mazda Mitsubishi Nissan Subaru Toyota and Volvo. Each company also agreed to  the state $10,000 in costs. A this historic settlement with the nations automakers is a final vindication of the new York Lemon Law and a major Victory for Consumers a Abrams said. A Auto manufacturers who wish to do business in new York can now devote less of their time and Energy to litigation and More of their resources toward production of dependable cars a he said. Under the terms of the settlement All of the automakers except for Ford must advertise the terms of the refund throughout the state for a six week period. Several conditions must be met for a car owner to be eligible for a refund a the car or Light truck must have been originally purchased or leased in new York on or after aug. 2. 1986. A the repair must have been made after the Man fac it May take several months before the Case is resolved. Benson said Putman never informed her about his reasons for overturning her Extension. But in her complaint Benson said she was told by a personnel office employee that Putmans explanation was a i cannot approve an Extension of someone divorcing their Mili Tail spouse because it would look As though i was condoning the break up of the military family. While working in Darmstadt Benson did such things As design the Darmstadt Energy Calendar customer service buttons and a Community brochure. Bensons supervisors praised her performance. In his March 1 memorandum Mcferron described Benson As a an outstanding employee whose Community contributions and spirit have been immeasurable and serve As a Sterling example for others to  Benson also received outstanding ratings from her supervisor it. Col. Carl Waal who called her a a a superstar in a letter of recommendation. Waal who has transferred to Carlisle Barracks pa., said in a Telephone interview that he tried to persuade Putman to change his mind about reversing Bensons Extension. Waal declined to comment on Why Putman reversed the approval. A there were Many other issues surrounding that Case. I just can to answer that question a he said. Benson said she believes one of those other issues May have been the stars and stripes article. The frontage article in May described a dress code that outlawed Short shorts tights tank tops halters and Shower shoes. The policy was revised a month later. A the general As Well As col. Mcferron both received a great Deal of discomfort As a result of the article a her complaint stated a and i feel that my dismissal is a direct result of this a she said the decision to release her was made within two weeks after the article appeared on May 1. She said she Wasny to told about Putmans decision until june 8. This delay led to financial problems for Benson. On june 1, she signed a four year lease on an apartment in Darmstadt. After losing her Only source of income she depleted her savings account and had to borrow Money to get through nearly four months of unemployment. Benson was hired last month in Niernberg where she now works As a marketing director in a substantially upgraded position. Turere a Basic warranty expired but before the 24 months or 18,000 Miles. The repair otherwise would have been covered under the manufacturers warranty with the exception of the time mileage limitation. A the repair must have been performed by a dealer authorized by the manufacturer. A the manufacturer must receive the documented claim form no later than 130 Days from the Date of the first advertisement. The address from which Consumers can obtain a claim form will be released within 30 Days Abrams said. He said his office will be the final arbiter of any disputes Between automakers and Consumers. In addition general motors and Chrysler will have to reimburse All new York Consumers who paid up to a $100 deductible for a powertrain repair within the earlier of the first 18,000 Miles or two years. Under the agreement general motors and Chrysler also will have to repay All deductibles paid by Consumers since sept. 1, 1983, the effective Date of the original Lemon Law in new York. Ford changed its warranty policy in new York in March 1987 after a state court decided in an action brought by Abrams that Ford violated the Lemon Law by charging a deductible for powertrain repairs with the first 18,000 Miles or two years. The decision and an order by an appellate court that directed Ford to refund All deductibles were affirmed by the states court of appeals last november. Ford has agreed to review All further claims filed for deductible refunds and to Post signs in All Ford dealerships and service centers regarding the availability of refunds for other warranty repairs Abrams said. He said the car makers entered into the refund agreement without admitting any wrongdoing. Contributing to this report staff writer Chuck Vinch in Washington some . Car owners to get refunds in Lemon Law Case