European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 03, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stereo cars life in the loud Lane by Laura Myers associated press seventeen year old Sean Jones cranked the volume on his car stereo and Shook the world around him. Leaves trembled. Screws loosened. The ground vibrated. Uncool bystanders covered their ears. Quot i can feel my pants shaking Quot Jones shouted and smiled As Stanford University researchers in White lab Coats studied his $2,000 Ford Mustang and its $3,000 sound system. The researchers measured the noise level generated by 10 Quot monster stereo cars Quot a As Well As the hearing abilities of the vehicles teen age owners a during the study in the parking lot of a High school. Or Blair Simmons a Stanford ear nose and Throat specialist said he collected the information because he knew of no similar attempt to measure the effect of loud car stereos on hearing. Other studies have shown that listening to loud music through stereo headphones or at Rock concerts can cause hearing loss. Most of the music Loving teens in this study did t show any immediate hearing loss but that was after Only five minutes of listening to blasting Bass lines. Quot the noise level inside most of these cars is about the same As a gunshot or maybe like crawling inside a huge speaker at a Rock concert a said or. Kent Ramsey a Stanford researcher Quot i be seen these cars before a the ones shaking next to you at the Stop  noise at a Rock concert reaches 100 to 105 decibels a 10-20 percent higher than the level at which . Auto plants Are required to provide their employees with ear Protection. The sound generated by the average pistol shot is about 135 decibels. Inside Jones car the sound hit 122 decibels thanks to four speakers including two woofers that filled the trunk. Quot i had to take the spare tire out of the trunk otherwise the trunk would t close Quot he said Quot i need some More speakers though. I m probably going a Little deaf but i Don t notice it that  Why drive a Quot monster stereo car Quot if he might lose his hearing readers action Lin making sense out of cola 0ha end bad i am a military member married to a military member. I have one dependent and am stationed in the United kingdom my husband has been living in the dorms since last june receiving full a dependent rate bad Basic allowance for quarters and cola Cost of living allowance. He gives me 100 pounds a month for his son s maintenance. I live on the Economy with our son receiving Only single rate bad and cola. I can Only receive single rate Oha overseas housing allowance because of this also. I have been to Legal and finance on numerous occasions trying to find out Why this is so. I have not been Able to afford to go Back to the states or pay a lawyer to file for a divorce or a Legal separation he would not sign a separation agreement. I have Only been in the United kingdom since nov. 6, 1990. To file any divorce proceedings you have to be a resident Tor one year. I filed for divorce on nov. 6,1991, with the help of Legal Aid. My solicitor informed me it would be anywhere from three to five months for finalization. Why As the military member with our dependent actually living with me do i not receive dependent pay entitlements which would be used for what they were intended for dependent care ? in this situation the custodial member should receive All dependent pay entitlements until there is some kind of Legal documentation stating otherwise if for no Quot to attract attention Quot he said who s attention Quot anybody s  especially the attention of teen age girls who gathered to watch the noisy spectacle. Quot it can be Cool but Only if the Guys Don t get too Hung up on it Quot said 15-year-old Sophomore to Schnitz. Quot i mean it s really a Guy thing. If they spend All their Money on stereos that s no Good. Or if they turn up the music too loud you other reason than the Protection of the dependents themselves. Airman 1st class Judy m. Talley Raf upper Heyford England at senior master sol . Griffis jr., military pay systems analyst Deputy chief of staff financial management and comptroller he Safe rep Hes we appreciate the Opportunity to respond to your questions concerning three very different entitlements Basic allowance for quarters Cost of living allowance and overseas housing allowance. The rules surrounding the payment of these entitlements Are quite Complex and actually May seem contradictory in their application. Following is a discussion on each of the issues you raised in your letter. Guidance concerning the payment of Basic allowance for quarters bad is contained within the department of defense pay manual do pm. When a military couple with no other dependents have children born of the marriage they elect who Wei draw bad at the with dependent rate. This election must be agreed to by both parties. If no agreement is possible entitlement to bad at the with dependent rate rests with the senior member. In the event of a separation the noncustodial Parent is entitled to the with dependent rate of bad provided support requirements Are met. The support requirements May be incorporated in a separation agreement written Oral or a court order. As Long As the support provided by your husband is at least equal to the difference Between the with and without dependent rates of bad he is entitled to retain the with dependent can t hear anybody and you get a  Johan Wang 17, said he did no to put eight speakers in his beat up Bow for attention but for sound Quality. He has two woofers for Bass two tweeters for High notes four Quot mods Quot or mid Range speakers and Little room for passengers. A the music just sounds better when you put it All together Quot said Wang whose ear Flap hat was a fashion statement not a safety device. Quot the sound rattles your car but its Worth  rate. You As the custodial Parent Are entitled to the without dependent rate. Guidance concerning the payment of Cost of living allowance cola and overseas housing allowance Oha is contained within the joint Federal travel regulations a for. Cola is payable on behalf of command sponsored dependents residing within the Vicinity. In your Case your husband has command sponsorship therefore he retains the entitlement to cola. As regards Oha you Are authorized Oha at the with dependent rate. The basis for this authorization is you have command sponsored dependents residing with you with support being provided by another person. We advised your accounting and finance office to make the appropriate adjustments to your finance records. These changes Are reflected in your january paycheck. We apologize for the delay you encountered receiving your entitlement to write us readers action line is the readers Quot 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 Une co the stars and stripes unit29480, Apo ae09211. As letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes monday february 3, 1992