European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 17, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 3 scam leaves 100 people without a trip by Chuck Roberts and Ron Mckinney staff writers Giessen Germany a the criminal investigation come is probing an alleged tour bus scam that left up to 100 people waiting for a prepaid trip March 7. The investigation began after about 100 people paid for an overnight trip to Amsterdam Netherlands that was to include a two Star hotel and breakfast. Cost for the trip was $52 for adults and $42 for children. The trip was advertised in fliers posted at military installations in Giessen Kirch Gons and Butzbach. A a it a under investigation by the criminal investigation division a said Manfred Pohl the Giessen military Community spokesman. But Pohl could not disclose additional information. A a there a no conclusive statement yet a he said. One of those responding to the fliers was Lisa Morgan who said she trusted the flier because it was posted alongside other Community events at the shop Pette in Butzbach. Morgan said that she assumed that the flier had been approved by local command officials. Her husband staff sgt. Charles Morgan spoke with the local military police and officials at the installation coordination office which is responsible for posted fliers at the military Community. A basically its just been a runaround tying to get answers a he said. The morgans said they decided on the trip because the Cost was about $15 below similar bus Tours offered through the scheduled airline ticket office. Morgan said he believed it to be an army unit sponsored trip. Lisa Morgan called a Man named Mike whose name was listed on the flier. Mike told her that he worked for a German bus company. Lisa Morgan said Mike told her that he could offer the trip at $52 because he did no to pay for expend i a a _ _ a amps Ron Mckinney Lisa and Stair sgt. Charles Morgan mistakenly believed the trip to Amsterdam was sponsored by their army unit. Sive travel brochures that some firms use to advertise similar excursions. But Morgan said she became suspicious when Mike would not give her a receipt when he delivered a second ticket for her husband to her workplace at Giessen elementary school. Mike told Lisa Morgan that he forgot the receipt but that her ticket served that purpose. She said that Mike insisted on payments in Cash and volunteered to deliver the tickets to her workplace or her Home. The morgans were waiting with about 30 other people for the bus to arrive at the front Gate of Ayers Cavern in Kirch Gons on the scheduled saturday morning departure Date. When the bus was late one member of the group called the initial pickup Point in Giessen where the bus was scheduled to have arrived 30 minutes earlier. When told that the bus had not arrived there Lisa  said she and the others became suspicious. For Cpl. Darell Darr and his wife Jennifer the Amsterdam trip was their first experience in booking a trip in Europe. They were among the group of about 30 people waiting for the bus outside the main Gate at Ayers Cavern. Jennifer Darr said she became suspicious after the bus had failed to appear an hour after its scheduled departure time. She said that her husband became extremely angry when they Learned what had happened but Jennifer Darr is now Able to laugh about the incident. A it was either laugh or cry Quot she said. She said they weren to suspicious of Mike because they did no to know what the usual procedure was for bus trips. And she said that Mike seemed trustworthy because he was so Friendly and helpful. Her husband who had just returned from giving his statement to military investigators in Giessen on Friday called about the trip to Amsterdam after seeing a flier on his company bulletin Board at Ayers Cavern. After talking with Mike Darr agreed to buy two tickets which Mike delivered at Darrys unit the 3rd in 5th Cav regt. Darr said that Mike made his Deal sound like any other trip. When reporters from the stars Ami stripes attempted to Call the Telephone number listed on the flier they were told the number had been disconnected. Josh Becker a local travel agent at the Giessen Sato office said a i would have been sceptical from the word get go a concerning the trip because a tour companies arc not in the business of going  he said he was unaware of the $52 Amsterdam tour offer. Becker said a trip to Amsterdam similar to the one offered by Mike would probably Cost Between $120 and $150. The Only trip comparable for $52 would be an overnight bus ride to Amsterdam spending the Day there and driving Back that night. Lisa Morgan who spent seven years in Law enforcement said she should have known better. A i feel like i let my guard Down a she  woman Dies in single car Accident Karlstedt Germany a amps a a woman who worked in the Post Library at Carl Schurz Cavern died in a single car Accident at 6 37 . Monday on Highway b6 several Miles South of Bremerhaven according to a unit spokesman. The woman was identified As Carolyn a. Brown 35. Initial police reports indicate there was Black ice on area roads. Brown apparently lost control of her car which Slid into a tree the spokesman said. She is survived by her husband sgt. Bruce a. Brown he co 2nd army div in Karlstedt and three children daughters Johnnie and Angelia and a son Bruce. A memorial service will be held at 10 . Wednesday at the Post Chapel on Lucius d. Clay Cavern in Karlstedt. The Accident is under investigation by . Military authorities and German police. Think about Mission our kids Dodds Germany educators told3rd inf div Soldier killed by train in Aschaffenbur Aschaffenbur Germany a a 3rd inf div Soldier was hit and killed by a train Early saturday morning in downtown Aschaffenbur according to a 3rd inf div news release. Pfc. Nils Borrayo 19, of co a 1st in 7th inf regt was pronounced dead by German medical authorities who arrived on the scene. His body was found about 1 30 . Borrayo an infantryman is survived by his father Manuel Borrayo and his Mother Teresa Borrayo of Manassas a. A memorial service is scheduled for 10 . Today at the Spessars Chapel ready Barracks in Aschaffenbur. By Jimi Jones education writer bad Kissinger Germany a top school officials asked school administrators and principals in Germany to temporarily set aside their concerns about a shrinking school system and resulting Job losses As the annual Dodds Germany administrators conference begin its opening session monday. A a it a a very trying time for most of you thinking about draw Downs reductions in Force and school closures a said Joe Blackstead director of the department of defense dependents schools Germany Region. A but these next few Days lets think about Mission our kids a he said. A i know most of you Blackstead Are doing very Well but we be planned a week for you that will help you do an even better  Blackstead told the gathering of about 250 that they must continue to build school improvement programs and train teachers to hone their skills while emphasizing programs such As Middle level education. A we can to let those things go by the Wayside As we worry about the future a he said. A i will admit there is plenty to be concerned about a said Blackstead who expects that hundreds of teachers and administrators will lose their jobs this year. A we will address those things As time goes on but this week lets concentrate on the professional development that we will be making  however staff reductions and school closures a associated with the military draw Down in Europe a Are on the conference Agenda today the second of four Days of meetings. School principals Are expected to receive manpower vouchers for the 1992-93 school year during today a session which will show How Many jobs at each school will be filled. About 200 teaching jobs were lost this year including those held by about 85 locally hired teachers who were Laid off in january. More layoffs Are expected by the end of the school year. School system director John Stremple also addressed the group monday. His talk focused on stateside trends in education and How the overseas school system is measuring up to the criteria he set. He described the school system As a healthy a citing areas such As increased student participation in advanced placement courses. He also noted that an increasing percentage of Dodds students Are taking the Scholastic aptitude test an exam for College bound students. Two stateside education consultants also addressed the gathering monday. Ann Madison from the Norfolk va., Public schools spoke on strategic planning for schools in the 21st Century. George e. Melton from the National association of secondary school principals spoke on Middle level education. Mondays evening session was to include a recognition ceremony for teachers of the year As Well As a session addressing equal employment opportunities