European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I Uuk time for crumbling Wiesbaden to build Back up Leslie Harrison Community of excellence not Wiesbaden Germany. Not anymore. I am deeply upset about the negative direction our military Community is taking. Noticeable changes have resulted from the a Community Hub plan a and the Impact from the reduction of forces in Germany. The support Structure is quickly eroding because of a cutback in fiscal resources closure of facilities and the reduction of personnel required to staff the agencies a activities needed to provide services to Community residents. The dramatic changes have had mid will continue to have negative Impact on the morale of residents. The Quality of life in the Wiesbaden Community had the reputation of being one of the Best in Usa eur and was recognized As a Community of excellence. Over the past eight months Wiesbaden has regressed into a Community of non support. It is time for the citizens and military leaders at ail Levels to Wake up. Our Community cannot jest on its laurels. This Community is lacking in Many things. That should concern its citizens and commanders. Our commissary is plagued with limited meat selections under stocked shelves and too few employees. Who is on the commissary Council and what Are they doing to Correct problems where Are the minutes to these Council meetings that Are to keep me informed Why Are the Rhein main and Mainz commissaries stocked with better selections is there a problem with Stock reaching this commissary our pm is now the most poorly managed one i have seen lately. It seems to have enough Money to order Liz Cla Bomes Pendelton Bennetton etc., but How Many of us average citizens can afford those Type of clothes Why Arentt we Given Wal Mart prices and selections cafes will have the same tired answers it has had for eight years it supplies us with what we want. Do we have a pm Council does the input get considered Why Aren t App gowned computer rules posted or announced Over the intercom system get real cafes. I have better things to do with my time than wait for the computer to have its cup of Coffee to re energize itself and get Back on line. How about some straight answers and better solutions you took our class i store and moved it to he shop Pette supposedly to provide belter hours. What you did t Tell us was that you took our selection away. How about a new Day cleaning contractor the one that the pick up Point has used for the last year is getting worse. How about giving us a better selection at better prices with better services i will add that a majority of your floor personnel especially Cashiers Are Friendly and helpful. Our schools this year Are very supportive of their students. They seem to offer so much More activities than most stateside schools. There is also a More secure feeling because of less violence and fewer drug problems. These schools offer a Good curriculum sports after school activities end special clubs. What i see is a Lack of Parent participation in these programs. I see our instructors end administrators being proxy parents friends confidants and yes also teachers. Hey folks this is e parents Job a big thank you though to All the parents who do get involved in the schools and their children a lives. Then there s our medical system. Was anyone out there thinking when the decision was made to close Wiesbaden Hospital and restructure Frankfurt s 97th general into a combat support Hospital 1 Don t think so please Tell me where the people in Mainz Wiesbaden Geissen and other sub communities Are to go for adequate and proper treatment. We All know they Are not seeing family members in most of our clinics now because of Lack of staff. I am not comfortable going to German doctors not because of the language Barrier but because their Way of treating patients is a lot different from what we Are use to. It seems that champs produces a Booklet with a listing of local doctors Only they do not recommend any of these doctors they Are on the list Only because they speak English. That should make us feel better huh i would like to know the doctors competency and procedures and have them recommended to me because of their medical proficiency a not their language ability. Try Reading the Back of the champs Booklet. 1 love this a need help with your medical Bills Callaer for financial  i m feeling better already. At the depressing Exchange rate How is the average Soldier and family supplied to pay it is sad to see Wiesbaden Hospital dose. It has some of the finest doctors and staff that i have been around in a Long time. They Are always polite helpful Friendly and competent. Please remember they do not make the rules they follow them. It has been an extremely Well run along with historical Hospital a if Only they had the manpower to staff it. Help us How about sending families and soldiers stateside first and medical support last Deh now that is a sore subject. Please after duty hours do not have flood Power outage shortage appliance breakdown or broken window. For in this Community the directorate of engineering and housing has yet to figure out what constitutes an emergency. Always remember that Seldom do the people there respond to the emerge nor hotline that no one works after 3 35 p.m., and never never disturb their lunch hour. Our housing office leaves a lot to be desired. No one there seems to know when and where a vacant apartment or duplex will become available and believe me they Are not ring to Bend Over backward to help you either. You must research everything yourself. I know housing s answer like Dehs is also Lack of funds and personnel. Who has funds and personnel nowadays i know we Are drawing Down but this Community is still alive i live in a Lovely housing area where the Speed limit is posted at 50 Kilometres instead of 30 Kilometres and people hot Rod Down these streets. One of these Days a child is going to be seriously injured or killed. Let us Hope changes Are made before something that drastic occurs. Yes there Are positive things in this Community. The Uso and women a dub Are two of the finest and Well organized activities around. They make it their goal to help the Community. Both Are geared to the single Soldier the family member and the entire family. They have catered to us and put funds into the Community. They deserve a standing ovation for their volunteers and employees who seem to go Over and above the Call of duty. We wish we had More clubs and facilities like them. I know there Are communities that Are worse off than we Are yet this is my Community and i would like it to be one of the Best. Maybe if someone investigated the whereabouts of our Community of excellence prize Money or if we All wrote to our congresspeople we would know the answer to the mystery of the Century where is the Money let s write our representatives gather together and fight Back for better care services and a better Community. Then maybe Wiesbaden can Wear the Community of excellence title and Wear it proudly. Leslie Harrison works in Wiesbaden Germany. Send in your column plus a photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37, d-6100 Darmstadt 11, Germany. L opening laugh Quot mind if i sos How thing want that round Quot mothers heading Home sideughts.7, 9 a Magazine s new vibes. Andy Rooney elects to improve campaigning Odds amp ends.10 Erma Bombeck recalls when dating worked. In  plenty of politicians feel Jay Leno s slaps. This weeks films.12-13 Chuck Emch on Quot consenting  cafes circuit listings. Television radio .14.17 local Cable and satellite schedules. Home entertainment .18 Quot Beauty and the beast Quot colourful on video. Voices. 21 Joe Bob Briggs on deathly Vietnam flicks. Words &wit.24 time is on Tony Kom Heiser a Side. Books.25 David o. Selznick and the big show. On parade.27 Sarah Jessica Parker shakes Mem up. Last laugh.28 Dave Bany seeks world record for worst song. Sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes editor Bucky Fox Art direction Peter Jaeger production Mon Trice Presley editorial assistance Marian Hamilton Louis Pierce oni in is from the cover. 4-6 Page 2 a sunday november 8,1992