European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 07, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Be our gues Chalk it All up to mail Volence a or columnist e ver since operation desert storm it seems almost everyone spends their time telling War stories. Mainly these. War stories involve getting mail. Even those of us who be been in Germany the whole time have got a few of those stories to share a and in be got a possible solution to where the missing mail is. First my tales of my father lives in North Carolina. Three Lei ters he wrote me postmarked Jan. 3, feb. 7 and feb. 19, were received feb. 26 at my Apo address. A i work for Central Texas College. Once a month we submit time sheets so we can be paid. On Jan. 28,1 mailed my time Sheet for the 10-mile journey to Wallace Barracks in Stuttgart. Via Apo this arrived March 8. If i Hadnot double checked and was Able to hand carry a duplicate i might still be waiting for that Money a the irs said i made a mistake on my 1988 taxes and owed them some Money. In november i wrote them a note saying i would Send them a this blowup shows the to Chi Minh City postmark that Kilt Char got on his letter Check after the new year and was requesting form 1040x. No acknowledgement no response no form. ,. On Jan. 29,1 wrote a Check for the amount i owed. When 1 Al tempted to get Stamps at the Robinson Barracks Post office the next a cent a sign had been posted informing All customers that the Apo had none of the new 29-cent Stamps and no denominations of Stamps that added up to 29 cents. Thus the Check to the irs went out about feb. 9. I also attached my re request for form 1040x. As before no response no form. A two weeks ago i received a certified letter from the irs saying i was found to be in default and owed them $9 for that transgression plus payment in full for the original amount. A my Mother lives in upstate new York. She mailed two letters a. Month apart Jan. 26 and feb. 26 to my German address. They arrived one Day apart March 18 and 19. But wait a there a More. A a _�.���. The letter from my Mother dated Jan. 2b or Rived after a Detour to Vietnam. The envelope had a postmark and a rubber stamp notation saying it had being missant to 1 to Chi Mali City formerly Saigon on Febi 28.transit time from Vietnam to Germany was a three Days less than from the United states to Germany. A a a. A. A a. A a a a a a a some people would put the blame for instances such As this on the postal services things like a for tins they raised postal Rales Quot i. Have odier questions . Namely a a a a a. Am i Uiti ering from Rodney Dangerfield Dis a Case no respect ?. A a a. A. A a a should i bother to Send my family any letters alter All we plan to have a family reunion in june and i might beat the letters Back to the. States. A a a. A and lastly Tor those of you who wonder where the missing mail has gone done to worry. The vietnamese postal service May be Stow but you la get your letters eventually. Pete Kol Lehr is an army learning Center open Rotor with.,Central Texas College in , gof Nany. A s unday Magazine sets aside this space each week for guest columnists it you have encountered anything amusing Quot confusing frustrating or fascinating about life in Europe in the military or in general wed like to hear about it. _ done to get frustrated if you done to see your col Uinn for a while. We have quite a backlog but we like to hear irom new people. If you in cute a recent photograph of yourself for use with the you a until that will help Speed things up As we wont have to write Back to you requesting one. So Send in your thoughts in 500 words or less to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo 09211, or Postrach 11 14 37, dbl m Darmstadt 11 Germany. A feedback should the . Maintain a permanent military presence in the Middle East Charles Fisher family member Karlstedt Germany yes but Only if they _ want us there. I can to see us forcing our opinions and military presence on them. Sgt Anthony Wesley b co 2nd Brt 66th Armor 2nd army div fwd Karlstedt Germany yes it would be a Good idea because if something did break out there it would be easier for us to move in again. Maybe a Briguc size element a a that be too big. Cathy Johes family member 2nd army div no. Because 1 feel our original goals were to free Kuwait and restore their a a government. Perhaps its time for them to. Start doing Quot something for a themselves. Staff sgt Jack Scott 360th my co customs. Bremerhaven Germany i do feel we need to keep a Force in Israel. Because As Long As. Saddam Hussein is running around there they israelis arc threatened. We. Owe the israelis a lot. Sgt 1st class Kim Johnson he Del 294th army arty group Flensburg Germany i think we should done to have any More Saddam Hussein. 1 figure we would wind up there again. Anyway. Maybe we should keep a division but there a should be some other countries there too. Not just us. Compiled by stars and stripes staff april 7, 1991 sunday Page 3
