European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 27, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday March 27, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 9victims of travel scam offered free trip by Norm Zeigler travel outdoor writer the army son base travel Agency in Germany and a tour bus company Are teaming up try put Back together some shattered dreams. Scheduled airlines travel offices a overseas and enjoy Tours a Kaiserslautern Germany company will provide a free trip about 100 people who were cheated out of Money they paid for a non existent bus tour Amsterdam Netherlands. In a statement wednesday Robert l. Wyatt assistant managing director of Sato said a these people should not be denied the Opportunity visit one of Europe a finest cities and so Sato in conjunction with enjoy Tours is pleased offer an Amsterdam express tour. Free of in the scam about 100 people in the Giessen area paid $52 apiece a Man named Mike and waited in vain March 7 for a bus show up and take them Amsterdam. Hotel accommodations for one night were allegedly included in the package. The Man who collected the Money has since disappeared. The incident is under investigation by the army criminal investigation come. Michael Fluhr assistant manager of enjoy Tours said his company was contacted by Sato soon after news got out about the scam. A we said right away we want do this a Fluhr said. A since we like see people Happy and not get screwed. We said a of we re going do something for these 100 a he said enjoy will schedule two buses for the tour which will take place april 10 through 12. Fluhr said the buses will pick up passengers in Friedberg and Giessen late april 10, drive overnight and arrive in Amsterdam on the morning of april 11. Participants will get a tour of Amster dam and have the Chance take optional Side trips including a canal boat ride. There will be a fee for the optional excursions. The buses will depart from Amsterdam in the evening and arrive Back in Giessen and Friedberg Between 2 . And 3 . April 12. The enjoy tour is the company a Amsterdam express tour which Sells for $69. Hotel accommodations Are not included because the clients do not spend a night in Amsterdam. Fluhr said the very Low Price of the Giessen scam should have been a tip off people because it would be impossible offer a tour with hotel accommodations for $52. A you would have sleep in tents a he said. Wyatt said those who were cheated in the scam a should bring a copy of their original ticket into their nearest Sato office and we will do the enjoy Tours owner Rolf Kriegr said his company has been doing business with the . Military for 11 years and a we make Good profits. And we want say thank you the Fluhr acknowledged that in addition altruistic motives his company Hopes its gesture will be Good for business. A we want do this for them and maybe next time they will Book their tour at the Sato office and not lose their Money one of these non existent companies a he said. Wyatt stressed that one of the reasons the scam was successful is because people booked with an off Post operator whom no one could find after the scam was discovered. Wyatt advised americans Deal Only with on base travel agencies such As Sato and the air forces information ticket and tour offices. Wyatt said Sato and itt ensure that companies Are properly documented and provide a wide variety of travel choices. A lastly a Wyatt said a we provide the traveler with an advocate in Case of dispute with the says he saw no ice on Jet s wings new York apr the co Pilot of the us air Jet that crashed in a snowstorm at la Guardia Airport killing 27 people told investigators that he looked at the wings possibly 10 times shortly before Takeoff and saw no ice. Thirty year old John Rachuba was interviewed at his Hospital bedside for More than 3vi hours wednesday. The Pilot Wallace Majure was among those killed in the crash sunday night. A was he taxied out he looked Back at the wings several times a at least three times and it could have been As Many As 10 a Check for ice a said John Lauber the National transportation safety boards chief investigator of the crash. The plane a twin engine Fokker f28 bound for Cleveland with 51 people aboard careened into Flushing Bay on Takeoff. The Jet had been de iced at 8 26 . And again at 8 59 ., but it had wait until 9 30 . To take off raising questions about whether enough ice and Snow had built up on the wings affect Takeoff. Lauber said that the pilots were Able Able see the wings from the cockpit with the help of special a tights used in bad weather. Rachuba also recalled checking Black stripes that Are painted on the wings let pilots see ice More easily Lauber said. The investigator said the co Pilot recalled saying a it looks Good me the Black Stripe is Lauber said the Charlotte n.c., Man offered no explanation of what caused the crash. He said the last thing Rachuba recalled saying the Pilot was a stay with it free concert in Germany urges teen agers Stop the violence by Chuck Roberts staff writer Frankfurt Germany a an organization has scheduled a free concert saturday in an attempt get teen agers Stop fighting and Start listening. A group called Stop the violence is sponsoring the event. The concert featuring a variety of groups is scheduled begin at 6 30 . In pre Ungetheim a Frankfurt suburb. Stop the violence which originated last August offers concerts As one Way of combating violence Between american teen agers and rival gangs consisting of germans turks and other third nation teens said Glen Pitts assistant for political military affairs for the Frankfurt area support group. A we provide a forum for emerging artists and give them a forum communicate with Young people a Pitts said. The organization is composed of americans germans and turks who share their knowledge of music with teens. For example a member of Stop the violence meets with a band the aftershaves at Edwards Cavern help the three turkish and two German musicians improve their sound. Other members of Stop the violence include a representative from the struggling Young artists recording company managers for local music groups and a sound Engineer who was hired work full time for Stop the violence. Stop the violence is the brainchild of Ellen Gladden the youth services manager in Frankfurt who read about a similar program in the United states that is sponsored by the National Urban league. Pitts said the idea followed on the heels of a study of youth violence done by the City of Frankfurt. Gladden and Pitts presented the idea the local military and then met with Frankfurt City officials and members of the turkish vol Shaus a private organization that supports turkish immigrants. Funding for Stop the violence is divided Between the . Military and the City of Frankfurt Pitts said. Efforts by German and military police have diffused some of the tension Between teens in the City Pitts said but hostility and misunderstanding remain. Stop the violence Aims at helping teen agers solve their differences by meeting at concerts sporting events and other events. Last month about 150 local youths attended the first concert sponsored by Stop the violence in Frankfurt. Americans in the audience grouped together when the concert began but gradually broke into smaller groups and began exchanging a few words. A they weren integrated but the fear of Contact diminished a Pitts said. On saturday the concert will be headlined by american German and turkish groups such As deputies of love , Funky posse lil Dee Missy t., of Charlie the aftershaves b.o.y., Keith and m.s.d., and Modera eur Maddy Mac. The bands will perform original songs about violence in today a society the causes of the violence and the solutions. The artists also will talk listeners about their experiences with gang violence. Pitts said that he is expecting about 400 people attend saturdays concert which will be held in the Albert Schweizer Schule on berkers Heimer Weg 26. More information can be obtained by calling Pitts at military 320-8015 or civilian 069-151-8015, or Allen Allison at military 328-7284 or civilian 069-1549-7284.senators hear women s combat role defended by Ray Rowden Washington Bureau Washington a a year after the persian Gulf War the chairman of the Senate appropriations committees defense panel remains troubled by scenes of military mothers leaving infant children and marching into the desert conflict. He noted that television is now Able bring world events such As wars into our living rooms. He spoke of watching a crying military Mother pass her child someone and then leave for a Battlefield far away. A i would Hope we done see that again a he said. A it just does no sit Well with most air Force it. Gen. Robert m. Alexander the Pentagon a military manpower and personnel policy chief did not quibble when sen. Daniel k. Inouye a Hawaii a decorated world War ii Veteran called the scene Alexander had already testified that the Pentagon is committed maintaining current percentages of women and minorities in the shrinking Force. But Inouye got another perspective when he raised the Issue later in the hearing. A if the television camera had panned slightly the left or the right a suggested Jean Appleby Jackson chairwoman of the defense advisory committee on women in the services a they would have seen Young fathers just As Jackson focused attention on a the silent Pride the nation had in the mothers Sisters aunts and nieces who participated in desert she noted that More than 40,000 military women served in the Gulf Campaign and they did not escape injury and death. A there was no National outcry a she said. She said that her committee would continue push the services allow women serve aboard combat aircraft now that lawmakers have removed Legal hurdles barring them from such duty. A we have never advocated putting a woman in every foxhole a she said. The group does seek eliminate gender specific language in the military. Jackson was asked if she could foresee a woman As a service chief or chairman of the joint chiefs. She noted that the path those positions traditionally led through the Fields of the military a warfare specialists. Until those Fields were opened women their presence at the top was a unlikely a she retire Washington a amps it. Gen. Michael f. Spigelmire who commanded Vii corps from August 1991 until its March 18 inactivation will retire after 31 years in uniform. Secretary of defense Dick Cheney announced thursday that the president has nominated Spigelmire be placed on the retired list at his present Grade. Before joining Vii corps Spigelmire commanded the army special operations come at fort Bragg
