European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 a the stars and stripes monday october 28, 1991 letters to the editor col Gene e. Townsend Usan commander publisher Bernard a. Zovistoski editor Bill Walker european editor Deborah Absher Bryan Nolan news editor City editor Bob Wicker George Manea sports editor special sections editor to write us Apo a 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37 6100 Darmstadt 11, Germany news Tel fax 06155-601416 to Call us dial 06155-601 plus Extension or ets 348-8 plus Extension As follows news ext. 237, 255, 282, 226, 326. Sports ext. 225, 269, 263, 332, 321, 221. Features ext. 230, 245, 341. Letters to editor ext. 208. Education Jimi Jones ext. 226. Business ext. 326. News bureaus Bremerhaven Germany Ken Clauson building 103, Carl Schurz Cavern Apo 09068 Telephone ets 342 8659 or civilian 0471-88782. Kaiserslautern Germany Peggy Davidson. 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United kingdom Meridith Winder Amy Geiszler Jones building 464 Cess us Raf Mildenhall Apo 09127 Telephone Dow 238-2226 or civilian 0638-512226 Washington . Chuck Vinch Janet Howells Tierney Oast a the Pentagon room 2e756 . Box 46095, Washington. D c. 20050-6095 Telephone 703-697-6695 Telela 703-693-6366. Eee this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes do not necessarily reflect the official views of or endorsement by. The . Government the department of de Tensor the  european command. 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 be made available Tor 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  stars and stripes departmental directory col Gene e Townsend Usan commander publisher Christopher a. De Donga it. Col. Thomas e. Conrad Usa general manager Deputy commander Marie Kohl Nickl William healer production manager circulation director Dale Estee Chris Ryan advertising manager comptroller business offices circulation for Home delivery service and inquiries Call the office nearest you listed below Germany Berlin civilian 8331846, ets 332 3548. Bremerhaven civilian 0471 85168. Ets 342 of 19. Rhein main a civilian 069 692050 or 692565, ets 3306025 or 7103. Telex 412712, Cen Reg Tel fax 069694087. Kaiserslautern civilian 0631-57070 or 57079, ets 4897100, Tel fax 0631-50696. Munich ets 440-6209 Nurnberg civilian 0911-712558, ets 460 7001. Stuttgart civilian 0711-546743, ets 420-7175. Italy Naples civilian 003981 5685306. Ets 625 5306 Vicenza civilian 0444-515358. Ets 634 7545. Tolela 0444-300-641. Spain Madrid ets 665-5807, civilian and Tel tax 003416561465. Turkey Istanbul civilian and Tel fax 0090-1 -1724843 United kingdom Newbury civilian 0635-44768. Dan 266 3209 circulation Tel fax 06i55 601417 advertising display ext. 247, 309. Classified ext. 349. Advertising Tel fax 06155-601412not-so express mail i read with interest the letters to the editors that complain of the . Mail service we receive. Also in be read the answers and read the statistics of the numbers of pieces of mail the number of tons Etc. In be also experienced some problems with the mail but id like to relate something that happened the other Day. The Day in question was oct. 1. On that Day i received five items in the mail. The first was a letter from my son stationed in South Carolina postmarked sept. 9. The second was a letter from the same person at the same location postmarked sept. 14. The third and fourth items were two boxes mailed from Indiana postmarked sept. 24. The fifth item was a . Express mail packet mailed from Atlanta postmarked feb. 12, 1990. Yes you read that correctly feb. 12, 1990. I contacted the Agency that had sent me the express mail and a a yes they did mail it Over a year ago. Now in be had several experiences where two letters come the same Day postmarked on different dates. And i was a Little surprised that the boxes arrived in Only seven Days whereas the letters took two to three weeks. But the express mail packet s taking one year seven months and 19 Days was a Little More than i could accept. I marched up to the mail room and showed the express mail packet to the clerk. He was very helpful in explaining that if express mail is not delivered in five Days when coming from the state the person mailing the packet can get a refund. But when i asked How this could happen he Wasny to very helpful nor reassuring the answer i got was a i done to know but i believe  maybe someone else can explain. A Donald d. Sip Frankfurt Germany weighty enforcement the army is in the process of a draw Down to a smaller and More potent Force. One aspect in eliminating marginal soldiers is through the army physical fitness test and weight standards. I recommend that a third party outside of a soldiers unit administer these tests to ensure impartial judgment. I do not agree with keeping soldiers on even with excellent Job performance if they cannot meet the standards. It would appear units Are protecting overweight and under conditioned soldiers. I think we should take our a photos in class b uniforms a front and Side View. That will show to some extent How fat that person is. You can Only hide so much. Perhaps then those soldiers will not be considered for promotion. A Staft sgt. Julian g. Thompson Kii Fortel Germany Recycle Rhein main this is in response to a develop recycling  its very difficult for me to sympathize with the writers frustration because i am stationed at Rhein main a. Any recycling that gets done on this base is strictly personal. From her statements 1 can conclude that the army is years ahead of the air Force in this area. When i lived on the Economy it was no problem to separate the Metal Glass and paper from the real trash and drop it off at one of the numerous German recycling centers on the Way to work. Since in be moved on base i must Load up the car and drive about four Miles to reach the nearest recycling Center. That a not far but i have to wonder Why its necessary. In the Gateway gardens housing area we have trash collection every Day except sunday. By monday the dumpsters Are overflowing. I have no doubt we would have a great Deal less trash if a recycling Center were located in the area. Of course not everyone would participate but a at least those who care would eliminate tons of trash from the landfills. The thing that irritates me the most is the people who have the Power to Correct this mess have done nothing. About a year ago there was a Call to the commanders hotline printed in the base newspaper concerning the Lack of recycling facilities on base. The response was that they were working on it with the German officials and we should be in the recycling business soon. I think a year is about Long enough to get this done. A Alan s. Patterson rein main a Germany editor s note 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.bus article criticized i am writing in reference to the article about the top Tours bus Accident oct. 18. There Are several Points that make this Story poor journalism and Sloppy reporting and i would appreciate a correction in the newspaper. First of All the Story appeared two weeks after the Accident a hardly a news Quot anymore. In addition the flippant tone of the headline a bus group gets free tour of Paris after accidents is insulting to those involved in the Accident. No one wants to be involved in an Accident even if they get a free tour and the fact that top Tours refunded the passengers Money has nothing to do with the compensation that those involved will receive. We have advised those involved to consult lawyers to assist them in receiving proper compensation from the insurance company. In the meantime top Tours has picked up medical Bills so that the clients need not be out of pocket for those expenses. In addition the statement a the bus from top Tours is the fourth tour bus involved in a traffic Accident since july makes it sound As if top Tours buses had been involved in several accidents this year. That is simply not True. This was the first bus Accident top Tours has Ever had in our eight years of operation and we Are naturally upset by it. Finally the statement a she would not give information on the other mishaps implies withholding information. In actuality our spokesperson was asked about accidents by other companies and would not give out information that she did not have. I would suggest that the reporter go to the source for her information and not publish hearsay. The Story is also unclear about the number of buses sent out each month. The figure of 500 was an estimate of the total for Germany not from the two Ramstein and Vogel Weh offices. A Robert Colantonio top Tours Kaiserslautern Germany 4i her Points of Light my husband deployed to saudi Arabia with his unit on sept. 26. This in itself is not so unusual these Days but what made it devastatingly unique to us was that i was to deliver our first child within three weeks after his deployment. Imagine the horror and uncertainty i Felt at knowing that i would have to deliver this baby without him present. At no other time in my life have i Ever Felt so utterly helpless and alone. But As alone and helpless As i Felt this was not to be the Case. Among the Many people in our family support group who called and visited me daily in the Days before my actual delivery there Are four Unsung heroes who stand out and Shine brightly As what our president Calls a Points of  my Points of Light Are Gaby Johnson Lisa Fischetti Nina Mullins and Kristin Bourne. I went into labor oct. 11. My Points of Light took me under their wings and spent the night with me walking stairs walking the lengths of the housing area making Light of my pain in order to keep me positive and generally guiding me through a very difficult time. At no time was i Ever alone instead 1 had four women who in the 24 hours before i actually delivered my daughter stood by me throughout. Never did they waver in their dedication to me and to the pain that was before me. Mind you two of these women Are pregnant themselves yet despite their own qualms about childbirth they stood by me and helped me endure. Mallory Lynne Sherin was born on oct. 12 at 5 34 . She took her first breath and looked up at not one but two mothers and she is blessed Ever still with three More mothers. Mallory is the Luckiest child in the world a for her mothers Are Gaby Lisa Nina and most especially Kristin. To those of you out there who feel alone who feel helpless look to your family support group. In it you will find Friendship courage and strength. A Kimberly Sherin Kaiserslautern Germany a pen pals i am 25 years old and my hobbles Are Reading cooking and collecting coins and Stamps. A tit a Raagas 041 real Street Dumaguet City Philippines 6200 i would like to have pen pals. I am 19 years old. A Minerva p. Gabon san Carlos Mill. Co. San cart. City 6127 Negros Oriental Philippines my hobbies Are writing letters pen friends cooking Tennis football meeting people singing travelling fishing and collecting Post cards and stickers. I am 25 years old. A Anthoney Bantley Canoe Pond District or Cabessa Post office St. Mary Jamaica West indies