European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Interim Leader seeks to bolster a act in Europe by Jimi Jones staff writer Michael Lambur knows the a act has an image of weakness in Europe. His Job As interim president of the european conference is to help strengthen it. A a lot of Blacks feel that we damaged the rapport the reputation a Lamberg said. A we might have. That was one approach. It was a Good one. We got their Lamberg was referring to the work of his predecessor Arthur Diggs who pushed military leaders to recognize discrimination in the military in Europe. Diggs pushed hard to the Point of leading a sept. 28 civil rights March in Frankfurt Germany despite . European come regulations against organized demonstrations and the reluctance of the a act to support the March. Diggs a technical sergeant and a handful of other protestors staged the March anyway. The March followed an August investigation of racial discrimination in Europe a probe conducted by Arthur Fletcher chairman of the . Commission on civil rights. Diggs decision to hold the March set off a Chain of internal events that led to his resignation before he transferred to Norton fab calif., in october. If the Frankfurt March was seen As weak Lamberg believes he must build muscle in the european chapter. A we Are going to press on with strength and Faith in what we believe and the goals and objectives of the association a said Lamberg who is employed As a coordinator of the non combatant evacuation order program in the Mannheim Germany military Community. He is Only the second to serve As european conference president of the a act the oldest civil rights group in the United states. A since the establishment of the european conference in 1987,26 branches have been started across Europe All falling under the conferences umbrella. Operation desert storm forced various branches to close and Lamberg Hopes to reopen them. After a 21-year army career Lamberg retired from the service in 1989. He has worked for 1st personnel come and is now with the 96th base support in in Mannheim. Lamb cig said he has been involved with the a act in Europe since its beginning giving up what he described As a a ministry to a what better fruit in life than children i gave up my sunday school classes to get involved with a act. What a mistake a Lamberg joked. A i Haven to had a Good nights sleep Lamberg said the conference is in the midst of reconstruction following Diggs resignation. He plans to continue supporting the organization whether As president or in another capacity. The conference holds elections this month. A it does no to matter who takes the Lead a Lamburg said. A there arc probably 500 people who Are More intelligent More articulate than me but my heart is filled with desire commitment and willingness. If they come Forward Praise god. I will stand behind them As i Hope they will stand behind Lamberg. A North Carolina native who often cites passages from the Bible said a Martin Luther King or did t want to Lead. Moses did t want to Lead. Remember. Aaron did All the Corwin Macklin chairman of the conference s armed serv ices veterans affairs committee said that although Lamberg is a still learning Quot As interim president he has done an a outstanding Job something that nobody else jumped up real Quick and said a ill and surely he had his reservation too. But because he is so committed a and dedicated to the cause his reservations were overshadowed. A the is not totally Well versed in association business but he knows How to go about getting the answers. A president does no to necessarily have to know it All As Long As you have a Good support base. A Mike knows How to use the support base and he also knows How to make a decision a decision that sometimes in t likable by everybody but it on that has to be $1$ a Vohol Lou fono a act Michael Lamberg a we have a lot to lose right now with Lamburg a will do Well if he selected president or if he a not a Macklin said. A the will do Well wherever you put him because he is caring com fitted and dedicated to the cause of the under his leadership members can expect to assume More responsibility Lamberg said. The conference has asked the National body for help in several areas including its elections process and training in matters of redress. A a i will operate a bit differently than Arthur Diggs did a he said. A Arthur did All of the work. That was the problem. The responsibilities for this work we Call human Equality should be shared with everybody. My intention is to do that even if it Means having an a act Branch in every Lamburg said a act business is such that one easily could become a fed up but you be got to stay focused. You have to keep in mind that this is not a personal thing. Its All a ninety seven percent of our membership is made up of Federal employees family members and soldiers. Their reputations and what we represent As a body under the Constitution and bylaws we operate under arc More important than personal concerns and despite flaws in the army Equality system Lamberg still believes it is Quot the Best integrated organization in America. I would say that we have 60 percent less problems than most other. a a a c arc incorporated with the department of defense As a corporate National organization to help fix problems not to create problems Quot he said. Without damaging the associations reputation or challenging the defense department the a act s aim is to address a those issues that Are wrong and fix them so we can take that 60 percent to 85 percent a Lamberg said adding a a nothing a rather than concentrate on the kinds of discriminatory issues the organization Felt it had to address recently Lamberg believes the Community is a More natural place for a act involvement. A a that a where it starts Quot he said. A every Community has a it s when a commander Quot does t want to listen Quot that the Community needs his help. A if every commander in Germany operated like Gen. Garner maj. Gen. Jay m. Garner Frankfurt military Community commander who works with people in the Community especially the a act Branch so Many things would be better. Because then the Branch is a focal Point for the Community not just for the Leo equal employment Opportunity or to equal Opportunity the organization encourages complainants to first use the military complaint systems he said. A number one its cheaper and secondly if it fails it will reinforce what we have Heen saying All an assessment team that the department of the army sent to Europe is a step in the right direction Lamburg said. However he called Quot nonsense the insinuation that allegations of racial discrimination surfaced Only after the visit by Fletcher the civil rights commission chairman. Fletcher a allegations prompted Secretary of the army Michael . Stone to Send a six member civilian team to investigate Germany in october. Many of the allegations were a complaints we raised two years ago at Usa eur level a Lamburg said. A we gave examples of sexual harassment discrimination racism even to the surfacing of applications for Kikku flux klan membership a he said. The . Army Europe a inspector general did not substantiate a act findings that klan activity existed in army communities. A i understand they arc not going to find it a Lamburg said. As a former Soldier he said he knows that a the system works Only when they have something to work with. They can get results but must have evidence facts hard copy. A at that time we did t give them enough information but our findings arc sincere. Just As there Are a act contacts in Europe we believe that Kkt network is also in the the army a follow up assessment was a positive step Lamburg said but a the data sampling is not enough. Its not Over. We Are not stopping the a act has announced it will conduct its own investigation Early next year into allegations of discrimination Lamberg said. A fear of reprisal and retaliation Are the two strongest keys that keep people from reporting their disgruntled a he said. Quot we have a lot to lose right now with downsizing. Nobody wants to Sec downsizing if its going to Cost them a Job. Not just Black or minorities but everybody. It affects every one of 1. 1991 sunday a Page 5
