European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 6, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Low fat Low Cal Chicken dinner with soy and Ginger no Salt or Oil added. Carbohydrates 146 milligrams cholesterol serve it on Rice for a Complete meal. And 819 milligrams sodium. By Sherrie Clinton the Baltimore evening Sun there Are numerous easy and tasty ways to prepare Chicken that highlight its natural goodness and nutritional benefits without the addition of Rich High calories and fatty sauces. The National broiler Council developed two recipes with Busy people in mind. Both of these dishes can be prepared and served in no time at All by even a Novice Cook. Chicken in Tomato Marsala sauce keeps sodium Oil and cholesterol at a minimum. Served on Linguine it needs Only a Green salad to Complete a meal that can be ready to enjoy in less than an hour. Ginger Chicken with carrots and fruit is another heart smart dish. It is an unusual combination of tender Chicken strips with carrots pineapple and cherries seasoned readers action line Chicken in Tomato Marsala sauce 2 Large Boneless skinless Broller Fryer Chicken breast pieces a Teaspoon oregano a Teaspoon garlic powder a Teaspoon onion powder a Teaspoon fresh ground Pepper vegetable cooking Spray 4 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced 1 can 8 ounces Tomato sauce a cup Marsala wine in Small bowl mix together oregano garlic powder onion powder and Pepper Sprinkle generously Over All sides of Chicken using All of mixture. Heat nonstick frying pan Over medium temperature about one minute then Spray with vegetable cooking Spray. Add Chicken and Cook about five minutes More. Push Chicken to Side and add Tomato sauce and wine stirring with mushrooms to mix Well arrange Chicken in sauce and simmer about 12 minutes or until Fork can be inserted in Chicken with ease. Serve with Linguine. Makes two Servings. Each serving has 342 calories 56,3 Grams protein 6.6 Grams fat including 1.8 Grams saturated fat 12.8 Grams Ginger Chicken with carrots and fruit 2 Boneless skinless Broller Fryer Chicken breast pieces Cut into vie Lnch strips 1 Teaspoon Ginger divided 3 Tablespoons Low sodium soy sauce 1 cups sliced carrots cooked tender i cup pineapple titbits drained i cup Frozen red tart cherries unsweetened 1 Tablespoon Lemon Ulce v4 Teaspoon Pepper in Small bowl place Chicken strips and Sprinkle with i Teaspoon Ginger. Stir in soy sauce and let sit about 10 minutes. In medium bowl mix together carrots pineapple cherries Lemon juice remaining Ginger and Pepper. Add Chicken strips with sauce mixing Well. Place in shallow 1 quart baking dish and Cook in 400 degree oven about 30 minutes. Serve on bed of Rice. Makes two Servings. Each serving has 401 calories 56.3 Grams protein 6.6 Grams total fat including 1.82 Grams saturated fat 27.8 Grams carbohydrates 146 milligrams cholesterol and 890 milligrams sodium. Chicken fingers continued from Page 15 2 Tablespoons flour. 2 Tablespoons butter 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 4 rips Plum tomatoes set nod seeded and diced Small 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or Basil 2 Tablespoons fresh Lime juice. 1. Using a Sharp knife Cut the breast halves in half crosswise then Lengthwise into strips i Inch wide. 2. Blend Salt Pepper oregano and the flour Well in a Flat dish. Add the Chicken pieces in one layer. Stir to season keeping each strip separate. 3. Heat the butter and Oil Over High heat in a Skillet Large enough to hold the Chicken pieces in one layer. Add the Chicken Cook and stir until lightly browned about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and Cook stirring for 3 minutes More. Add the coriander and time juice and continue cooking. Blend Well and serve immediately. Yield 4 Servings. Vietnam Era vet Hurt by personnel rules it a can someone provide an accurate statement on veterans readjustment act eligibility i enlisted in the regular army in 1973 and left in 1982 to take a civilian Job in Europe because i was hired overseas i was designated an Quot overseas limited  i received the National defense medal and although i did not deploy to Vietnam was considered a Quot Vietnam Era  not until recently did i learn that i originally qualified for the veterans readjustment act which would have converted me to a career civil service employee though no one at co cared to Tell me or my supervisors that when i took the Job. I have now been informed by the same co that due to a new ruling i no longer qualify for the via because i did not receive a Vietnam Campaign medal. I would normally accept this reasoning except that i also Learned that service members who enlisted after 1976, and having served when the United states was not at War Are now considered veterans and eligible for the via program while i am not it is a particularly bitter Pill in my Case for with the reduction of forces i am about to lose my of with absolutely no rehiring rights or Severance pay after almost 19 consecutive years of faithful government service. I had to compete for the Job against several stateside candidates whose applications were on file in Heidelberg a circumstance which seems to contradict the co response to an earlier readers1 action line letter concerning overseas limited appointments which slated these were a exceptions to the Normal requirements for Competition in filling  despite being overseas i was selected As the most qualified candidate. Had these stateside applicants been selected instead of me however they their cars and household goods would have been shipped to Germany at government expense and they would have become career conditional employees if not already so. Whereas i remaining in Germany saved the government thousands of dollars in unnecessary transportation costs but remain an overseas limited appointee with a very Uncertain Job future. A final irony for me is that having  and served in the Gulf As an Quot emergency essential wartime civilian Quot in a frontline combat division i saw More Quot action Quot and was at greater risk than the majority of service members in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. As a civilian i Don t expect nor deserve to be classified As a Veteran for this duty but to lose my via eligibility because i joined the army during the Vietnam War instead of afterwards during peacetime is an outrage which defies All reason and logic. Dan Peterson Frankfurt Germany _ James m. Biggs personnel stall no specialist civilian personnel division office of the Deputy chief of staff personnel he Usa eur replies Public Law 102-16, signed by the president on March 22, 1991, made several major changes in the veterans readjustment act via program. Specifically it raised the maximum entry Grade level eliminated the education limits removed the expiration Date of the via program and changed the period of eligibility. It also changed the via eligibility requirements for veterans who entered the armed forces on or before May 7,1975. And continued serving after that Date. This appears to be the change which has adversely affected the writer. In order for these veterans to be eligible for via appointments they must meet the general definition of Quot Veteran Quot and either 1 have a service connected disability or 2 served in Vietnam or another Campaign of the Vietnam Era for which a badge or medal is authorized. The liberalization of the via program to include Post Vietnam Era veterans first occurred in december 1989, not just recently As the writer indicated. The new Law however made some refinements in this area. In addition it is possible for a Post Vietnam Era Veteran to be eligible for the via program but not be considered a Quot Veteran Quot for purposes of preference in employment and reduction in Force. Neither the december 1989 nor the March 1991 Laws granted Veteran preference to Post Vietnam Era veterans. As indicated in earlier responses to readers action line the . Office of personnel management pm authorized Federal agencies to make overseas limited Osl appointments As an exception to the Normal requirements for Competition in filling jobs. It is used Only when there is no appropriate competitive Register of eligible for the locality where the vacancy exists. To elaborate Competition resulting in a career conditional appointment is significantly More rigorous than Competition for Osl appointments. Under the competitive examining system position vacancies Are publicized by Taw in pm Federal Job information Center s and state employment service office s. Depending upon Grade level minimum publicity can Range from the local commuting area to conus wide Continental United states wide. Pm offices also distribute vacancy announcements to other Federal agencies both Dod and non Dod alike colleges and universities technical and business schools High schools newspapers radio and television stations and numerous Public interest groups. In addition All applicants in conus Are required to take and pass a written test if the position requires one none of these procedures Are required for making Osl appointments in Europe because they Are intended to meet a specific overseas need and not to become part of the career service. Employees serving under Osl appointments can be converted to via appointments. However conversion is not automatic. Pm requires agencies to follow a rating and ranking procedure with the same features As the competitive examining system. Assuming that All of the via criteria Are met to convert or not to convert an employee is management a decision taking into consideration not Only the employees desires but also the organization s needs. We regret the difficulties the writer has experienced but we Hope the explanation provided above addresses the issues he has raised. To write us readers action Une is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the quest bus 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 unit 29480, Apoate 09211. All 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 Friday March 6, 1992