European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Smithsonian exhibit Marks 10th anniversary of the Wall by Ray Rowden Washington Bureau the crowd began arriving after lunch. Moving through the front door the solemn visitors glanced at the locator Board or stopped briefly at the information desk before heading straight to the third floor. They were average looking people Many with grading or thinning hair and thickening mid Fles. But they had a common Bond a a youth dominated by the longest War in american history. Vietnam. The morning crowd at the opening Day of the exhibit of items that have been left at the Vietnam veterans memorial had been dominated by tourists. Just another Stop on the tour of the National museum of american history. But after lunch the family groups Laden with camera bags gave Way to less casual visitors a Many carrying briefcases a who mostly came alone. They did t want to see Archie bunkers  did t want to see the Ruby  weren t interested in the gowns of the first ladies. They looked As if they d left the office Early and were taking a Detour on the Way Home to the suburbs and Pat meetings soccer practices a. A and the evening news they wanted to see Quot personal legacy the Healing of a nation Quot which opened oct. 28 and runs through june 7.the exhibit includes More than 500 items displayed in a specially built 52-foot Case. The items Are grouped by the years in which they were left at Quot the Wall Quot As the memorial has been known since it was dedicated 10 years ago All of these items and a warehouse of 25,000 others have been collected by members of the Park service. The first a purple heart was thrown into the wet Cement of the memorial s foundation by a Vietnam Veteran. Quot leaving gifts for the dead the missing and All who served has become part of the ritual of grief and recovery Quot says the text with the display. Of tha 28,000 Mamantov Toff at tha a Latham Mamor Lal 500 Are on do play at tha Salt Hanlan Axil but the steady Stream of visitors on opening Day needed about 30�?T minutes to View the collection. Most people could walk right up to the exhibit in the morning. But by the afternoon a 30 to 45-minute waiting line formed. The collection is surprising in its variety. The significance of some items is obvious. Others Are a  exhibit offers a touching human counterpoint to the statistics outlining the War. July 1957 to May 1975. More than 58,000 killed. More than 300,000 wounded. More than 75,000 permanently disabled. More than 2,200 still listed As missing. Some of the items on display Are Universal to american service personnel. Hundreds of dog tags Are displayed some Are on simple chains some with tubes to silence their Clatter some with p-38 can openers some with class rings or St. Christopher medals. Some items Are unique like the wooden musical instrument carved by montagnard tribesmen. Some represent the tools of the Warrior a the combat knife in its battered Sheath the flight helmet the sweat Grimes Quot flak jacket Quot the 40mm Shell wrapped with 7.62 shells and dubbed Quot fangs of the cobra Quot the sawed off hand carved Stock of an m-14 Rifle a Graffiti covered Quot steel pot Quot or the casing of a 5-Inch naval artillery Shell. There is a Brilliant White nurses uniform with a Stethoscope in one Paulet a watch in the other and a blood red and Gold Quot Tropic lightning Quot 25th inf div Patch in the Center. A some items Are less serious. Black lace panties whiskey Beer winning poker hands stuffed animals an ankh necklace. There Are Bush hats military berets a 1st Cav div Stetson military Issue glasses Quot to Chi Minh sandals Quot made from car tires the air mail envelopes with Quot free Quot written in place of a stamp. There Are photos old and new. High school graduation photos vacation snapshots wedding photos news photos. Two copies of the same photo of a Marine corps platoon left at different times in memory of different lives. There Are medals and ribbons a some left singly some grouped for Wear on a uniform. One group is seven rows deep including such tributes to Battlefield heroism As the distinguished service Cross and Silver Star. There is a congressional medal of Honor with a letter renouncing the award and its monthly lifetime stipend. There is a Silver Star left by a persian Gulf Veteran left in memory of a father killed in Vietnam. The note left with it says Quot to dad love your  readers action linear amp to charges not subject to state tax it we have been trying to resolve a problem with at amp to we have an at amp to card and regularly use at amp Tusa direct service to Call Home. Last year at amp to changed its Billing format and we noticed that to were being charged new York state tax. We thought it was wrong that we were charged new York state tax but suspected it was because of our Quot Apo by Quot address since our address has changed to Apo a at amp to no longer charges us the tax. We think at amp to has incorrectly charged us new York tax for two years and would like that Money refunded. There Are no doubt Many other at amp to military customers Here in Germany in the same situation. We contacted the at amp to customer service number to explain our problem but the representative seemed unsure of her facts Barbara Portigue a Wertheim Germany a a Paul l. Beach account representative at amp to card services replies let me begin by apologizing for the delay. We have researched your account for the past two years and can find Only two Bills that have state taxes applied. This tax was charged incorrectly and $5.79 will be removed from the Bill. The . State tax had not been charged before the aforementioned change in the Billing format and the error has been  can be put in military housing it with severe budget cuts each fiscal year and the continuing draw Down of troops and base closures to save Money will Dod civilians who receive living quarters allowance la be allowed to reside in government housing if this will save the government further expenses authorized Dod civilians could be Given a Choice move to nearest government housing or live off Post without la. Has this proposal been made and a Cost study done Patti m. Mousseau Stuttgart Germany to Thomas Garnett jr., director workforce relations civilian personnel policy equal Opportunity office of the assistant Secretary of defense Washington replies the proposal has Long been in effect within the department of defense. Dod manual 1400.25-m, chapter 592, overseas allowances and differentials specifies that when suitable and fully adequate government quarters Are available and Are offered to an employee but the employee elects not to accept them t e employee will not be eligible to receive a living quarters allowance. To write us readers Avon 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 be a question and Don t know where to turn for the a quote renters action line co the stars and stripes  29480, Apo a 09211 All letters must be signed. Please include address and ,zb2r p a ence i Quot Biven to those seeking information of general interest to our readers