European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                This is equal Opportunity warfare continued from Page 15 were moving in to steal the oppositions Flag. Quot my heart was beating real fast. We were so close Quot she said. Bergstrom who is married to an air Force sergeant said that once she Learned about the paintball games her husband was t allowed to play without her. Doug Bergstrom said Ellen can play anytime she wants Quot As Long As she s on my  Quot she Sas Good a player As any out Here and better than a lot. She a better than i  Paula Nelson a member of the Blit Krieger Gold team also was drawn to the game by her husband. Quot it was the Only Way i was going to be Able to spend time with him. But i love it now Quot she said. While Ellen Bergstrom was cautiously leading her team toward the Flag Blit Krieger reds team was benefiting from the daring and aggressive play of . Hosking. When a havoc Warrior crept wide of the perimeter to attack the defensive position from the rear Hosking went after him. In a classic shootout from 15 feet she scored the kill and three More Points in the Blitzkrieg re a narrow Victory. Hosking who finished the Day with an Orange paint splotch covering the left Side of her face has been scoring kills on a paintball Field for three years. She became hooked on the sport which she described As a combination of tag and hide and seek when she registered her first kill in Biloxi miss. Quot i came up behind somebody and shot him right Square in the butt. That did it for me Quot Hosking said. Elton Bergstrom above re veto in the excitement of the game. The Blit Krieger Black team Toft celebrates its european  readers action line mileage credits unfair in Europe be an article from the Wall Street journal stated that the Standard irs reimbursement rate for an employees business use of an automobile will be 27.5 cents per mile in 1991. Up from 26 cents in 1990. Many employers use the irs rate in compensating employees for business use of their cars recently the average Price of a gallon of gasoline in the United states was around $117 on the contrary cafes Gas coupons remain relatively expensive at Over $1.40 a gallon. Federal employees in Germany have been receiving 24 cents per mile for the last several years in spite of the irs rate of 26 cents in 1990 and 27 5 cents in 1991 it is obvious to everyone that the costs of gasoline car insurance and maintenance Are 20-25 percent higher in Europe than in the United states when does the government plan to raise the mileage reimbursement Loi Federal employees in Germany will the reimbursable amount Ever be equitably based on overseas costs it seems very unfair that we pay cafes 20-25 percent More than wed pay in the states and then we depreciate our private vehicles for the government and receive 10 percent less than wed get in the states. I just can t understand How the state department can continue to let this Type of discrepancy continue. I know the mileage reimbursement for Pov privately owned vehicle travel affects the morale of anyone travelling on try temporary duty who uses their own car. I know several people who travel up to 2,000 Miles a month for the government. Can you help to get the mileage reimbursement raised from the current 24 cents a mile to a More equitable 30 cents a mile David w. Holdefer osterholz Germany _ in Navy capt. Mary m. Humphreys Sprague director of compensation military manpower and personnel policy office of the assistant Secretary of defense replies the mileage reimbursement rate increased from 24 cents per mile to 25 cents per mile effective july 1 although this increase is a step in the right direction. I recognize a larger increase is warranted unfortunately the Law limits reimbursement to 25 cents per mile. The government services administration and state department manage the mileage reimbursement program and the department of defense has requested they initiate a legislative change to increase the maximum limit. Currently our request is under review. The upcoming troop draw Down in Germany and austere budget climate Are major obstacles for an additional increase to write us readers action line is the readers 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 signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers l Page 16 a the stars and stripes saturday october 12. 1991