European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 08, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Crystal Laureano staff writer Elandy Arnold says she owes fraud Hutchinson a lifetime for Arnold a Mother of to the going got Tough when her husband left  Middle East. Her 11-year-old son Anthony Begley had difficulty with his changed role in the family and the absence of a Man in the House. And Arnold said she could see herself and. The children losing their grip on a Normal a life. Quot but in. February 18-year-old Hutchinson stepped into their lives and things started to change. A v a Quot a a. Hutchinson is one of two seniors at the american High school in Mannheim a Quot Germany who volunteered to be a Quot big brother Quot to younger children whose a Miljes were affected by the Gulf crisis the adopt a kid program is part of project kids a. Kids involved in desert storm a a Mannheim area school project. A. A a a. A i did t know what to expect Quot a he Libinson said of his first meeting with Anthony. Quot i thought it would just be to say hello to his. Mom take him Here take him there and talk to him a Little  but their relationship soon developed into much More. A a. A Quot i tried to help Anthony Quot Hutchinson said. Quot the problems Anthony has they a seem minute , Are so serious to him. I think about How i handled the. Situations tie is in and what i d do now Quot such thinking helped solve what Anthony Felt was his biggest problem a a rift with neighbourhood kids who were threatening to beat him up. Quot i told him to try to talk it out first and if talking does t work and they touch you then you re Gonna have to . A. Quot he talked to them Quot Hutchinson said. Quot that really shocked me you. Know from somebody that Little and he straightened it  a Quot a / the big brother role can be a heavy one but Hutchinson said he welcomes it. Readers action line slim Cha Abromet Tommie Fields tit is a a big brother Quot to Wliilam Harper Iii 6. A now he s just like my Little brother a says Fields. Quot i always wanted to have a Little brother Quot said Hutchinson who has two older Brothers. Quot i know All the things they did wrong that i did t like and i know the things they did right  did like id like to share  he keeps me from lying Quot Anthony said. Quot he says it Only gets you into trouble and you need to respect your mom. I like having a big brother like him. He s made me grow up a  a a \ Anthony s Mother Calls Hutchinson her Quot super buddy and says he is at the top of the list of people who have Quot helped us climb Back up the rope Quot since her. Husband left for the Gulf. A a a Quot i owe him a lifetime. He is so grown up even though he is so  a a a but the relationship is far from one sided Cindy Arnold has been there for Hutchinson a Tough times As Well Quot when i was feeling really bad wanted somebody to talk to so i talked to her Quot he said. Her words of experience helped Hutchinson to work out some problems he a was having with his Girlfriend. Quot she said some really Good things a he a said. A. A a to Hutchinson visits Anthony As often As his work and school schedule allows Quot i never want them to lose Contact Quot Arnold. Said. Quot i told Anthony you can show a Quot picture of Fred to your kids and say this was my big brother when my daddy was at the War Quot / a a a Quot \ eighteen year old Tommie Fields Iii also has an unexpected new Friend in his life 6-year-old William Harper Iii. He draws on his personal experience to help William Deal with his father s lengthy absences a a a Quot when i was growing up my dad was a always in the Field and going away Quot Fields i said. Quot that s How come i can relate to that with William because i wish i would have had somebody. I did t have a male role Model to look up . A a a. _ an energetic youngster most needs a Quot somebody to listen to and talk to a when the parents Aren t Able a Fields said. Quot they be parents got the work the housework the Bills stuff like that. And i done to have to do any of  in addition to their time together William also Calls Fields aft Tome every night a a Quot its real cute a Fields said of the nightly Check in Call. Quot its like two to five minutes to say a i How you doing Tommie and this and that a. Fields does t mind the Calls and said he might even worry if a night went by without a Call. A a a a a a a a a a a a a  a Jacqueline Harper Williams Mother appreciates the difference a Quot big brother Quot can make to her son and the whole family. Although her husband was not sent to a saudi Arabia his involvement in the troop deployment kept him away from Home a lot. Quot i was Here with the kids alone and Tommie helped me a whole lot Quot Harper. Said. Now the boys Are dear friends. Quot he a my real big brother Quot William  know Why because in a adopted to him.�?�. A Quot he is All William talks about Quot Williams Mother said. Quot Tommie this Tommie that Tommie Tommie Tommie. Sometimes i get tired of hearing about Tommie Quot she said. Quot i just love him to death though. He s now like my own  in addition to relieving some of the daily pressures on the family the boys relationship has made a difference in Williams behaviour Harper said.  Quot William has become More responsible. He was a very spoiled kid but i see him getting much better Quot she said. Quot he seems More intelligent. His vocabulary has a , a a. A a a knowing that he has made a difference in lives of the Harper family Quot makes me feel real Good Quot Fields said. V _ Quot i did no to expect to have such a big Impact when i went into it i was t thinking or expecting anything except just to help out and do what l Ean did t think it was  get this  Fields gets a bit somber when he thinks of leaving William for College in the fall and vows to keep in touch through letters. Quot now he a just like my Little brother and i would treat him just like a Little brother a v watch out for him and make sure he does t get into trouble. It s really great Quot the department of defense pamphlet. Paragraph 40506, governing death gratuity payments no longer accomplishes the intention of the Law. Quot the death gratuity equals six months Basic pay plus incentive and special pays at the rate the deceased was entitled on the Date of death but no less than $800 nor More than $3,000/�?T this provision has not changed since it was first initiated. When i enlisted base pay was $288 per month multiplied by 6 equals $1,728. Ain e-1 today would be entitled to $744,20 multiplied by 6 equals $4,465.20, or $5,125,20 if  operation desert storm. However the payments would be limited  $3,000 Cap the financial hardships caused by this Cap is a National disgrace congressional action is required to Correct this situation. Give people in uniform peace of mind by providing for the family stricken with the loss of a loved one. Sgt. 1st class Gerald p. Flan Worms Germany capt Mary m. Humphreys Sprague director of compensation military manpower and personnel policy office of the assistant Secretary of defense Washington d.c., replies. The department of defense has Long recognized that the death gratuity payment limitation of. $3,000 has effectively altered the program to pay a fixed $3,000 Benefit to the next of Kin regardless of the members rate or longevity. /. Quot the defense department has proposed increasing the limit but these efforts have not been successful in View of current budget considerations any increase in the Cap is unlikely. / however some other programs have reduced the need for the immediate Cash the death gratuity is intended to provide. First the Serviceman a group life insurance Sigli has increased significantly Over the years arid the department is now seeking approval of another increase to $100,000 maximum. The department of veterans affairs has also worked diligently to reduce the time Between a service member s death and payment of Sigli proceeds. R. Furthermore authorization now exists to allow a deceased service member a dependents to remain in military housing for up to 90 Days after the service member s death or to receive additional payment of the. Service member a housing allowance. Quot a Quot nevertheless the current $3,000 limitation is less than we would like and the department will continue to seek Ai increase in the Cap if and when budget constraints Are reduced. A. A a a a i Hope this information is  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort 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 done to know where to turn for to answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes. Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those Seekin information of general interest to our readers