European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Improving learning opportunities for soldiers q a what if College classes and vocational schools were incorporated into training schedules and the .�.��,. A instructors were Active duty senior soldiers As soldiers learn Basic educational skills and vocational skills their. Abilities broaden. A better educated Soldier is a More capable Soldier. The environment described above would provide better educational benefits at a More economical Cost to the  Soldier could continuously pursue his _ education without interfering with his duties the army would t have to maintain special facilities or pay private organizations to provide instructors. A senior soldiers would greatly enhance their _ professional leadership abilities. They would be expected. To produce lesson plans assign and Grade work and schedule progression in accordance with established standards. A \ a Homework and assigned projects would occupy spare time the smoking and drinking that now occurs in Many soldiers spare time would be reduced. The excellent education of the soldiers leaving toe army would eliminate the heed for Many transition programs. A a a spec. James Braddy a. Berlin John Heintz education specialist army continuing education system division Headquarters Usa eur replies we agree that an educated Soldier is a better Soldier in fact the. Army s goal is to provide soldiers opportunities to pursue educational programs i their off duty time that makes them More capable and proficient both As. Soldiers and citizens. However a Soldier s first. Responsibility is to her his unit and . The objective of aces is to provide the Best Quality a education possible Given the restraints of our overseas a environment colleges do this by employing Many full. Time highly educated and experienced professors from their Carh uses in the United states to come to Usa eur and teach. These High academic standards allow our colleges to maintain accreditation and recognition throughout  system so that soldiers May continue their educational program after they Transfer to a College not affiliated with the . Army., some soldiers Are employed by colleges to teach technical subjects which Are closely related to their ,. Military specially and their contribution to the system is valuable however to rely solely on soldiers to teach academic College programs is not feasible from either a academic or a Mission viewpoint. The addition of teaching academic programs seems to be a unlikely Mission for the limited personnel resources available to  difficult military Mission. A College  with he training a schedule of units within the Community but must normally be conducted after Normal duty hours because the Mission comes first soldiers who want to develop themselves have to make that extra Effort and devote their own time to College programs. A to write us readers action Lippis the readers a a court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions. About life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other. Avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars. And stripes Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be a. Signed and pre Ference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to Pur readers. So be aging and the Eye by t. Franklin Williams associated press p Oor eyesight does not Quot just happen with age. Most older people maintain Good eyesight into their 80s and beyond. However some physical changes occur during Normal aging that can cause vision to decline gradually. Because Many Eye diseases have no Early noticeable symptoms you should have an examination every two or three years. A Complete exam includes an evaluation of vision and glasses an Eye. Muscle Check a glaucoma Check and a thorough examination of the Light sensing nerve tissue that lines the Back of the Eye  a. A if you have diabetes or a family history of Eye disease you should have Ait Borough Eye exam each year. If you experience Eye pain excessive discharge from your Eye dry eyes double vision a loss or dimming of vision or swelling of the Eye or eyelid. You should make an appointment. Immediately. A sight saving treatment is available for those Eye diseases that Are related to aging such As cataracts glaucoma and age related Macular degeneration. A cataracts Are Cloudy or opaque areas in the eyes Lens which is normally Clear. They affect vision by preventing Light from passing through the Lens. The most common form of Cataract i related to aging although this Type can. Occur at age 50 or earlier. It usually. Develops gradually without pain redness or tearing in the Eye. If a Cataract remains Small it May not affect vision. But if it. Becomes Large or a dense it can be surgically removed before it impairs vision Anc hampers Normal activity. Cataract surgery is a Safe. Procedure and almost always successful. Glaucoma ass essentially a plumbing a problem in the Eyerly occurs when the turd in the eyeball drains too slowly. Without Early detection and prompt treatment the fluid build up causes pressure inside the Eye to Rise. The result is internal Eye. Damage and a gradual loss of vision. Glaucoma has no Early symptoms. Treatment includes special Eye drops Oral medications laser treatments or in some cases surgery. _. Regular Eye exams Are important for. People whose risk of glaucoma is higher than average. This includes everyone Over 40, because glaucoma usually begins in Middle age or later a although scientists do not know Why aging makes a person pore susceptible to glaucoma it is Clear that risk increases. Those at higher risk also include Blacks people with diabetes or High blood pressure and people with a family history of glaucoma. Age related Macular degeneration or and is a condition in which the Macula _ Iose sits Abii Tylo function efficiently the _ Macula is the part of the Retina that is responsible for Sharp straight ahead and Reading vision. A a a. Warning signs include blurred vision a. Distortion or loss of Central vision you May see a dark spot in the Center of your Field of  distortion in vertical lines. Early detection is important because some cases May be treated successfully with laser surgery. Other disorders of the Retina Are diabetic Retino Pathy a possible complication of diabetes and retinal detachment. T. Franklin Williams a geriatrics physician is director of the National Institute on aging one of the 13 institutes that comprise the National institutes of health of the department of health and human services. A v. A Quot a. 7  feeling like in retirement Eliset. Chisolm Baltimore evening Sun sat next to Hallat a Large function and he was 2\mli i very quiet. I knew him slightly but this evening he seemed Remote. He used to be bubbly and ebullient i wondered if he d been ill. Quot How s retirement i asked. Quot it stinks i hate it Quot he answered a Ai la Call him Don. He d been a television reporter an Anchor of Quality and then a director. A his wife sat across the table from us. She looked Fine and Happy then we discussed the different things he d tried in retirement. Quot i be tried Golf and Tennis and then i tried going fishing with some old buddies. I tried a class in stained  tried piano lessons i d always wanted to learn. But i found out that i still Felt sort of useless. I can t describe it i am like a 2-year-old trying to decide which toy to play i Mph on a Rainy ?&Quot i  of course i do meals on wheels. Church work and Tutor illiterate adults. Quot i took night courses toward my master s Quot. Don also feels he is not involved enough in any one thing his health is Good but he is depressed. And to Many people listening he would sound a bit  dinner and after More wine he turned to me and told me the real truth. J i think it is an ego thing l am nobody suddenly i have no Persona. And people done task me my opinions anymore where i was once sort of a local celeb i am now just a retirement character sitting in a Cap and warm up. Togs i feel sort of left out. I d like to go Back to work Quot a i admired him for  honesty that was hard to Tell anyone but because i am a newspaper person he figured i would understand. And i am near his age he said he d never told his wife because she had never worked full time and might not understand Quot she d think i was  so i told my seat mate that i could understand the ego thing. It s the same with women who Don t want to retire from an exciting Job. You just go Back to being somebody s wife or Mother or grandmother and let s face it sometimes More housework. There is nothing unusual about hating retirement. There is just cause. For years you re on roller coaster and suddenly it stops and the seats empty out. You slow -. Down. A. A. A Ltd a a a i suggested Don seek counselling and find his Niche that he has Many More years to go. I told him that Over half of americans hate their jobs so All the More reason those of us Over 50 should plan for retirement. I told him of the Many organizations that Deal with retirement counselling and placement. I told him there Are 40-year-Olds out there who would. Give their souls for retirement and he should feel Lucky. There s a lot to do. But he knows that. His ego is definitely in his Way so when i left him he was going to apply for a Job a full time one. But he also knows it Isnit easy when you re Over 65. Page 16 a a a the stars and stripes tuesday february 12, 1991