European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Hummer does t give the Emo theet a or most economical a Rete Buff Tjom just about anywhere and la More comfortable than Tea military Cousin the  Stalwart Rolls out for civilian by Ann m. Job the associated press imagine driving Down a Slick Muddy Hill at such a Steep decline that Only your shoulder Belt keeps you from plunging into the Windshield. Then imagine sliding two Driver Side wheels into a deep Hillside ditch and travelling along As dirt and grass scrape against the door not your everyday ride to the office the Hummer a the civilian version of the military s humvee a in t your everyday car or truck. Quot it will do things that no other vehicle can approach. Other vehicles wind up looking like they re made from chewing gum wrappers Quot said Craig c. Macnab spokesman for am general corp. Am general builds the humvee for the armed services. Now it s offering civilian hummers to americans who clamoured for the squat four wheel drive trucks after the persian Gulf War. More than 20,000 humvee a an acronym for Quot highly Mobile multipurpose wheeled vehicles Quot a carted around soldiers supplies arms communication equipment even comedian Bob Hope during the desert War. President Bush ate thanksgiving dinner Over a humvee Hood and Many a military Field map was studied while spread atop a humvee. The hummers go into production in june. A limited initial edition of 1,000, in four models will be available by year s end with base prices of $40,500 to $47,600. The company is taking Quot reservations Quot now through a toll free number 1-800-3-humvee, for those with Access to 800 numbers As it selects dealers. A reproduction civilian Model offered to the associated press for a one hour test tackled a Muddy construction site in a hair raising ride up and Down Hills Over a 4-foot-deep Crevice and through Rocky Mounds. The Hummer is packed with features beyond the imagination a and need a of the run of the Highway Driver. Take the automatic tire deflator inflator for example. It prepares the truck for maximum traction on difficult terrain by pumping up or lowering tire pressure with just the Driver s touch of two dashboard switches. The heart of the Hummer is engineering that carefully Steps Down the Power from the diesel fuel injected engine a a 6.2-liter v8 a and the heavy duty three Speed automatic transmission to the two Speed Transfer Case and Down to the front and rear differentials to the big wheels. The Tost drive bounded boulders that could tear out the underpinnings of other four wheel drive vehicles. But the Hummer s mechanical Core is placed too High to be damaged in most driving Maneu vers. People done to really sit next to each other in a Hummer since a big 2-foot-wide carpeted Hump holding the major mechanical takes up the Center of the passenger compartment from dashboard to rear the 3-ton Hummer showed its stability going straight Down Hills with grades of nearly 60 percent and across another Hillside with a 40 percent Grade. It never tipped and worked its Way along powerfully because of its tremendous torque at Low engine rpm 250-Pound feet at 2,000 rpm that compares with 220-Pound feet at 3,250 rpm in the similarly priced highly touted Range Rover sport Utility. But the ride was noisy and fuel Economy is poor an average of 13.5 Miles a gallon the company estimates. The Hummer also does t have pick up. It takes 18 to 20 seconds to lumber from 0 to 60 Mph and its top Speed is Only 65. The civilian version s padded bucket seats Are More comfortable than the military seats the steering wheel remains Small but is wrapped in leather the dashboard is padded and includes an am pm stereo and the spartan control room look of the dashboard gauges will be upgraded the company said. % lights front and rear must be modified for Street use Side doors Are being strengthened and insulation will make the Hummer quieter. Buyers will receive training a not because the Hummer is difficult to drive but to show Drivers How to get the most out of its unique capabilities. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has the Only officially Street Legal Hummer now am general says it does t know what kind of buyers to expect. Macnab speculated it could become an automotive fad for wealthy urbanite but the natural Market May be found among Farmers ranchers and Hunters As Well As mining Utility and logging companies. Quot it s for anyone who needs a very Tough vehicle Quot Macnab  action line quarters allowance intended As incentive a my question is Why can t All department of defense and department of the army civilians working in Germany receive a quarters allowance i have been told by co the civilian personnel office that until the regulation Dod 1400.25-m, pm 592, nov. 9, 1981 is changed there is no Way people like myself can receive a quarters allowance. Although the regulation does state that an exception to policy can be made under unusual circumstances i still am not qualified to receive an allowance. I do know of cases where employees working for Naf non approx naked fund facilities have received an exception to policy. It s not because of unusual circumstances but because they Are under Naf regulations i know of Many others besides myself who do not receive a quarters allowance and Aii of us just like those who receive an allowance must pay rent each month. I do not feel that the policy of being hired overseas and having used your transportation entitlement is justified. I and Many others feel we Are being discriminated against. With the Way the Dollar is today most of us have to work a pay period or maybe two just to pay our rent and utilities. There is absolutely no comparison to living in Washington. D.c., where you make and spend dollars and living in Stuttgart where you make dollars but must convert your dollars to Marks in order to live on the Economy. Stuttgart is known to be one of the most expensive cities in Germany Don Wiseman Val Hongen Germany a Robert Jennings Iii personnel management Spe Fallet Usa eur Headquarters Deputy chief of staff personnel civilian personnel division replies la living quarters allowance serves As a recruitment incentive for . Civilian employees living in the United states to accept Federal employment in a foreign area. That is Why state department and Dod regulations require that an employee must be recruited from the United states in order to be eligible for la. There Are some provisions for granting la to locally hired employees who separate from the military service or who were previously recruited from the United states. The regulations also provide for granting la to spouses of military or civilian sponsors when there is a Legal separation or divorce Between the spouse and the sponsor provided the sponsor was receiving la. In Usa eur this provision is limited to apr appropriated fund. Additionally locally hired Naf non appropriated fund or apr employees who Are required to relocate by management generated and directed reassignment May be Given la at the new location. The majority of key Naf positions in Usa eur Are filled with locally hired employees who do not meet eligibility criteria for la. However a has delegated authority to Usa eur to waive the eligibility requirements to attract or retain outstanding Naf employees. This authority has re delegated to ask area support group commanders to Grant la to Naf employees Nf-4/ns-10 and above who Are rated outstanding provided funds Are available. Experience has shown that a relatively Small number of Naf employees receive la under this authority. For apr employees waiver authority has been retained at the a level and is Only exercised when truly unusual circumstances exist which have prevented an otherwise eligible employee from receiving la. 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 line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. All tetters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 b the stars and stripes wednesday april 8, 1992