European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes saturday january 11. 1992couple s pet project a Tail of Success by Rosemary Sawyer Brussels Bureau Oesterberg a Netherlands a Michael and Teresa Kochera tried to adopt a pet at a local animal shelter a couple years ago Only to be turned away because they were americans. Shelter workers told them that far too Many Kittens and puppies sold to americans later returned As stray cats and dogs abandoned products of their owners new assignments. At the time the senior airman and his wife did no to believe it. A we thought they were thinking up an excuse not to be Nice to us a she said. When the couple Learned that the ugly reputation was deserved they decided to try to find a Way to save the . Community a reputation and some animals too. With some americans wanting pets and others wanting to get rid of them a we were thinking there a got to be a Way a said Michael Kochera a Security to a lineman at the fighter Squadron base about 30 Miles Southeast of Amsterdam. So they started a free owner pet matchmaking service patterned after a program they heard about while stationed at Whiteman fab to. Simply put people looking for i Don t believe people want to abandon their pets a Teresa Kochera furry companions Call the Kocheran with a description of the Type of pet they re seeking. People looking for Homes for fido or Tabby Call with the same information. When the two match the couple gives the pet owner the phone number of the pet seeker. No Money is Ever exchanged. The person seeking a Home for his or her pet then screens the prospective owner. A the pet owner reserves the right to refuse anyone they feel is not the right match for their pet a Michael Kochera said. The Kocheran who had to give away their two beloved rottweilers to accommodate Teresa Kocheran a business As a Home child care provider stress that they Are not running a shelter. Occasionally people Call and say a a we re posing in two Days can i take their pet a she said. She then explains that they will not take unwanted animals into their government townhouse. So far Homes have been found in All those emergency cases but they can to always guarantee a Home for Rover on Short notice. The premise of the pet Exchange is the couples belief that Down deep people want to do what is rights amps Rommy Sawyer Teresa Kochera and husband Michael match up pets and fixture owners with their pet Exchange service. With their pets. A i done to think people Wake up and say a hey we re going to drop Fluffy somewhere today a a she said. A i done to believe people want to abandon their  they do it out of desperation. Moving Day Rolls around and they feel they have no Choice but to leave the animal on the Street and Hope someone takes it in she said. Along with aiding people who must move the pet Exchange helps people who would never abandon their pets but need to find the animals new Homes for other reasons such As allergies or the addition of a new family member. One advantage the pet Exchange has Over using a newspaper classified and is that its As easy As dealing the Telephone the senior airman said. To place an and in the base newspaper the interceptor for example people have to leave their Home or office go to another building fill out a piece of paper then wait for it to appear Kochera said. A even though it does no to seem like a lot it is a lot to a lot of people. They done to want to do it a he said. A if they know that there san easy Way out they usually try to take it and if its not so easy the pets going to end up hitting the  since starting the Exchange in november Teresa Kochera estimates they be matched at least a dozen pets with owners. Two of those were dogs one Pel Engese and one muted Breed and the rest were cats or Kittens. As of tuesday they had a 1-year-old Black Labrador retriever looking for a Home along with spayed female cats of a fall colors and Ages a she said. While the Kocheran Haven to brokered any exotic pet transactions yet they have received very specific requests. One woman said shed take a Gray and White spotted Kitten or nothing at All. Since then however the woman has become the proud owner of a very old Pedigree persian cat. Another pet Exchange user said he wants a Cocker Spaniel Puppy. Luckily he said head a wait however Long it takes a Teresa Kochera added. Arc retracts Layoff notices for 8 after judge s ruling by Joseph Owen Stuttgart Bureau German labor court decisions have prompted the armed forces recreation Center to retract Layoff notices it sent last Spring to eight employees at its Gar Misch Parten Kirchen Headquarters. Arc still expects that budget considerations will Force it to release some or All of those same staff members later however. A this is based solely on a local judges opinion that there is a precedent that we did no to follow Quot interim general manager Richard Gorman said referring to the centers revocation of the layoffs. All eight employees had appealed their layoffs in a labor court in Garmisch Par ten Kirchen. The judge ruled in each Case that arc had tailed to involve the local works Council adequately in the Layoff procedure and therefore the layoffs were invalid. As a result arc had Little Choice but to withdraw its Layoff notices. A i suppose they arc have to do it that Way said Vladislav Moravek 56, an Engineer who won the first court Challenge on nov. 14. A i was not surprised at the ruling a Gorman the former manager of of Rcd a Chi Emsee operations became interim general manager Only six Days ago. He replaced James Mccrindle who left monday to work on a Long term project in Florida for the .-based Community and family support Center of Rcd a Parent organization. Gorman admitted he has not had a Chance to review the circumstances of the layoffs thoroughly but he plans to do so starting Jan. 20. A . Army Europe labor expert will be arriving in Garmisch Parten Kirchen to assist him he said. Moravek two other engineers and a contract specialist whose Layoff notices would have taken effect dec. 31, had pre eared court briefs claiming that arc and awarded hundreds of thousands of Marks in engineering contracts to private companies for work that the employees themselves could have performed More cheaply. But Gorman said arc is planning no new construction projects and a Lack of available work eventually will result in the workers dismissal planning data from the Community and family support Center suggests of Rcd a budget for the next fiscal year will be at least 40 percent less than the current one Gorman said. Also the Center has received authorization to spend Only about a third of its $11.7 million appropriated fund allocation for the 1992 fiscal year and that current budget might be reduced he said. A a it a very Clear we re going to have to let these engineers go at some Point a he said. He attributed the layoffs to the rapid withdrawal of . Troops from Europe. A what some of these folks want is for the past to remain the same. It can to Gorman said. A we won the cold War. We have to pay the  Kuwait medal authorized for some . Personnel Washington a amps the Pentagon has accepted an offer from the government of saudi Arabia to allow . Service members who took Bart in operations desert shield and a desert storm to Wear the Kuwait liberation medal. The award was established by King fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz of saudi Arabia to a Honor the outstanding performance of coalition forces in their historic liberation of Kuwait last year. To qualify . Personnel must have flown into the War zone Between Jan. 17, 1991, at the Start of the air War and feb. 28, 1991, when . Offensive operations were halted. The War zone As designated by president Bush encompasses Iraq Kuwait saudi Arabia Oman Bahrain Qatar and the United Arab emirates As Well As the persian Gulf the red sea the Gulf of Oman the Gulf of Aden and the Northern part of the arabian sea. Pentagon officials said More specific eligibility requirements will be developed by the individual services. But in general a service member must have a served for at least one Day with a unit participating in ground or Shore operations or aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations. A participated As a Crew member in at least one Aerial Mission directly supporting military operations within the designated combat zone. A served at least 30 consecutive Days during the specified time period if on temporary duty. The medal hangs from a Green ribbon with stripes of red Black and White the colors of the flags of saudi Arabia and  medal depicts a Palm tree with crossed sabers the Emblem of the kingdom of saudi Arabia superimposed on a Sunburst. Inside the Sun Emblem is a Globe with a map of the saudi arabian Peninsula in Relief. Irish writer who created film s Alfie Dies London a Bui Naughton the Irish writer who created a memorable Cockney woman Chaser named Alfie died thursday. He was 82. The Alfie role in the 1966 film of the same name made Michael Caine an International Star. _ Naughton a comedy Spring and fort wine broke Box office records at London a Mermaid theatre and was also filmed. His other film stories included the family Way