European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 7, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 a the stars and stripes sunday july 7,1991 european edition circulation 100,000 col Gene e. Townsend Usan 1 commander publisher Bernard a. Zovistoski a it a editor a it. Col. Gayle w. Fix Usa Bill Walker Deputy commander european editor Marie Kohl Nickl William Heater production manager circulation manager switchboard 06155-6010. Ets 348-5741 or 5823. Telex 419-332. News Tel fax 06155-601416 mailing address Apo 09211-4211 or Post Fach 11 14 37, d-6100 Darmstadt in  06155-601 plus Extension or ets 348-8 plus Extension. News ext. 237, 255, 282, 226, 326. A sports ext. 225,269, 263,332, 321,221. Features ext. 230,245,341. Letters to editor ext. 208. Education Jim Jones ext. 226. Business Randy Mcclain ext. 326. 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The appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorsement by the department of defense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised everything advertised in this publication shall a made available for Purchase use or patronage without regard to race color religion sex National origin age marital status physical Handicap political affiliation or any other non Merit Factor of the purchaser user or  to the editor consumer action in a mad As Hecla and not going to take it any More. Certainly Many of us have Felt that Way about warranty repairs on expensive products we have purchased. But after haranguing the  staff at cafes we end up waiting and waiting and waiting for the return. Of products we purchased in Good Faith and with Good Money to be repaired under the conditions of Sale touted by the manufacturer. I have been waiting More than 90 Days for the return of my Star Printer hardly used. After investigation i Learned that cafes is not at fault As they Call weekly. I have Learned that in this Case As with Many other cases the manufacturer is slow to Send necessary replacement parts. What can i do or you for that matter plenty. Starting with letters of complaint sent to United states european and worldwide Headquarters i can make them aware of my dissatisfaction with their product support. I can finish with an and in the classified computer Section in the stars arid stripes which would allow me to inform thousands of other military Consumers about that products failings. If every warranty repair horror Story Laid on . Military Consumers was put Forward like that hopefully the decreased sales of poorly supported products would Send the strongest possible message to the manufacturers to clean up their acts or get dropped from the military Market. A sgt. 1st class James e. Ellington Lan Stuhl Germany a Freedom not Comfort a recent article in the economist a a British publication states that a if guns were less common in America. The Domestic Row  end with a  less civilized countries like America Call a Domestic rows Quot by other names like a spouse abuse a a a incest and a rape and  sometimes the use of a firearm is the final recourse for a battered and sexually abused physically weaker spouse to protect herself and or her children from an abusive husband. The great thing about America is that it is free but in order to preserve that Freedom we need to accept the risk that the occasional a a nuts and criminal will abuse those freedoms. What the gun control advocates Are suggesting is that we give criminals and the mentally imbalanced along with the police11 and military a monopoly on weapons and the resultant ability to take lives. Lets give the responsible citizens of this country a fighting Chance. I vote for Freedom not Comfort. A 1st it. Drew c. Schumann Schweinfurt Germany 4i Brady Bill a Start this letter is in reference to the Brady Bill and whether or not it restricts our right to keep and Bear arms i know the drafters of the Constitution were farsighted but i done to think that in their Day of muskets and other single shot Short Range weapons that they would have foreseen the powerful and extremely lethal weapons that Are so readily available today. I do believe we have a right to keep weapons but i believe the question is what kinds of weapons should we have the right to Bear do we All need to be Able to own mini machine guns or .357 magnums there is Only one purpose for most weapons and that is to kill other human beings. I believe we can make Many changes if the Public will not accept the Brady Bill. Weapons can be made with Locking mechanisms that can make them virtually childproof a something that could eliminate accidents and something that would make guns less attractive to steal. The Brady Bill is not perfect but it is Start and we have to Start somewhere. The trouble is most people done to support gun control until someone they love has been killed by on. Something has got to be wrong when most soldiers were safer in the persian Gulf than they Are walking the streets of their own cities. Willis e. Mccloud Echtor Dingen German editor s note i letters from readers expressing their viewpoints or opinions Are published daily in this space. All letters must be signed. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. Preference is Given to Shorter letters so that More can be published in a timely manner. Letters should be addressed to letters to the editor the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. A a a letters requesting information or assistance Are answered in a feature called readers action line which appears on Page 16 every Day except thursday and sunday. Such letters should be addressed to readers action line the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. Not Safe upwind in reference to your article about health problems for kuwaiti citizens due to the Oil fires the article stated that american troops were Safe since they were living upwind of the fires. Well i am currently stationed in Kuwait and can Tell you on Good authority that we americans get smoke filled Days just As often As anyone else Here. Air and wind do not discriminate. I think its Best that we face the potential health risks Here and not try to look at our often hazy sky through Rose coloured glasses. A �?1st it. William e. Collignon Kuwait City Kuwait fight for ii amps a recent front Page article addressed the problems of americans live grand working abroad. One concern Rio addressed was the involuntary Transfer at age 65, of persons eligible for social Security benefits from champs civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services to medicare. Since medicare is not payable outside the United states one is forced to participate and pay into a plan that one cannot utilize. Rep. Bill Alexanderd Ark is vitally concerned with problems of americans living overseas. I suggest that those concerned with this discrimination against social Security beneficiaries living overseas write to rep. Alexander and express that concern. Sen. Daniel k. Inouye a Hawaii has been Active in recent years to remedy the situation with legislation to allow those living overseas past age 65 to continue to be champs eligible. To Date however no legislation has been passed. Write now. Someday you might be re tired military age 65, and Over Here. A Ai schwing Garmisch Germany rights being denied As the wife of a Soldier i am proud of the fact my husband is serving our great country and if necessary is ready to fight and die to defend the Constitution of the United states of America. What i am not proud of or can to understand is How our government can do things that in private business would be a violation of our civil rights such As sex discrimination. A recent letter suggested that if women became combat pilots that could mean using quotas to choose pilots instead of performance thus a deterioration of our nations air warfare capability. But this system seems to work to ensure fairness in promotion of minorities. Another form of discrimination i believe is the involuntary separation of overweight people from the military. My husband is in the same situation As the Young Marine in a Receil article. My husband May soon be involuntarily separated from the army because of his weight although there is not one shred of evidence that his weight has a negative affect on his Job. When i confronted his Captain i was told my husband is an excellent Soldier. I was told that if he weren to overweight he would probably be receiving lots of awards. We try to teach our children not to judge people by the Way they look. We Are americans everyone is created equal we say. It seems the same constitutional rights my husband defends Are being denied him. A Kathy Ballard Sembach a Germany lower standards the latest on separation pay is a slap in the face for All soldiers who have served honorable while on Active duty. The article a controversial half pay provision added to separation benefits a states six reasons for discharge that could qualify for half pay. In my opinion even if service is honorable we will be rewarding services members for substandard performance. The implication will be that the . Military has lowered its standards of conduct and expected performance. A sgt. 1st class John r. Overcash Bamberg Germany we like to Cook dance listen to music and meet new mends. A Deuse Henry 23 a Donnette Henry 21 40 main Street Ewarton ., St. Catherine Jamaica West indies 1 would have friends of Many cultures. A Jonari Campbell Arcadia housing scheme Gayle ., St. Mary Jamaica West indies i am 25 years old and interested in making friends from a reign countries. A Enrique Deanna . 00x27 Salwah Al Baha saudi Arabia i am 17 years old and would like to have a few pen pals. I like Spons Rock music travelling meeting people going to the Cinema eating out and of course writing letters. A Fiona Bell. A de Brae farm cottages Cupar Fife ky15 4pz, Scotland i am 41 years old and would like to correspond with men who like to collect uniforms badges films and music. A Roy spelts. 20 Monteith place Blantyre g729am Scotland