European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 tuesday november 24, 1992letters to the editor thes european edition col Gene e. Townsend Usan commander publisher Bernard a. Zool Stockt editor news and editorial Bill Walker european editor Deborah Aba her news editor Bob Wicker sports editor Paul Cozby acting City editor George Marta special sections editor to write us unit 29480 Apo a 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37 6100 Darmstadt 11, Germany news Tel fax 06155-601416 to Call us dial 06155-601 plus Extension or ets 348-8 plus Extension As follows news ext. 237, �55,282,226, 326. Sports ext. 225, 269,263,332, 321, 221. Features ext. 230, 245,341. Letters to editor ext. 208. Education Jimi Jones ext. 226. Business news ext. 326. News bureaus Kaiserslautern Germany Kevin Dougherty John Bohmer Steve scholar. Building 2099, Pulaski Barracks Apo a 09227-3717 Telephone ets 469-6585 or civilian 0631-52104 Tel fax 0631-50696. 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Physical Handicap political affliction or any other no Merit Factor of the purchaser user or patrons acc a abuse. While travelling space available out of Rhein main and Germany 1 saw and heard things i found disturbing. To put it succinctly there is the appearance of abuse of the system. The men and women working at the passenger service counter were pleasant and professional even though under considerable stress at limes. However they were Only allowed restricted information usually unreliable. The pattern was a flight would be posted indicating so Many scats were available. When Call time came the number of seats drastically decreased. The people at the counter could offer no reasons for this and added that they were not allowed to Contact anyone other than their immediate command Post for information. Of course rumours ran rampant. The most common one was that for most of these suddenly reduced flights there was a Large party leaving the do distinguished visitor lounge to Board the flight. If there was any truth to the Rumor i d like to believe these officers were travelling on duty not space available. However if that a the Case i do not see Why their requirements were not known and taken into account at the time of posting the flight. If they were travelling space available i understand rank has no priority Only Date of sign up. Id regard any officer who Ahu cd this As undeserving of his or her rank. Of course there were some other abuses which cannot be controlled by the people in the terminal. One Young Soldier told me an army lieutenant colonel after missing one flight called his unit and had his orders changed to emergency leave. As the Soldier was sitting next to the phone he was in an excellent place to hear what went on. My main fear is that a system that restricts information is a system easily subverted. If there is nothing to hide Why not allow the passenger service personnel to have full information on flights second the availability of space available flights is a positive Factor for the morale of our people. Openness would stifle rumours that degrade morale. A Ronald g. Bailey Dilson Stokem Belgium done trap All parents this is in response to a thoughtless parents Quot oct. 24all i can say is the writer must not have children. Not All of us parents Are thoughtless. We too enjoy an evening without our children. Sometimes we also enjoy taking them even the youngest child can get tired of fast food. A. Wolfe Giessen Germany Small College sports pm an avid sports fan and always read that Section of the stars and stripes first. I know you have limited space to cover everything and everyone s interests. It seems that during the College football season your paper is concerned with just the top 25 i a schools. On monday there is lots of coverage for those schools that Are undefeated. There is another school that remains undefeated this year. The University of Northern Iowa a i a school had an 80 record As of nov. 2 and has been us divisions no 1 school. However we do not see any articles on this school or the smaller College divisions which have undefeated schools sitting in the no. 1 position of their respective polls. Why done to you set aside some space for these schools other than in the sports scoreboard not All of your readers arc graduates or fans of Large colleges and probably would like to see articles about the smaller schools once in a while. A Wayne s. Melsha rams Cin a German editor s note letters from readers expressing their viewpoints or opinions Are published daily in this space All letters must be signed. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. Preference is Given to Shorter letters so that More can be published in a timely manner. Letters should be signed and include address and Telephone number. Address letters to letters to the editor the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. Of b letters requesting information or assistance Are answered in a feature called readers action line which normally appears every Day except thursday and sunday. Letters should be signed and include address and Telephone number. Address such letters to readers action line the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211.decide before enlisting in a responding to the writer of Quot done to judge by sex a oct. 22. There Are men and women who arc very equal and others who differ in Many ways. A poll was taken in the Marine corps concerning women in combat. On oct. 20, the results were broadcast on arts. The majority of women voted against it. I believe it should be up to each person but the decision should be made prior to enlistment. Anybody joining the military who is against going into combat is Only looking for a free ride at govern ment expense and should reconsider immediately. That includes men As Well As women. In my career Field there arc not very Many women but the ones who Are in it arc very Good at their jobs. Its letters like a a done to judge Quot that incite problems Between men and women. I just want the writer to know that As much As she drilled men in her letter there is a vast majority of men who have no problems working Side by Side with women. Equality for women and giving to the National organization for women is great but the writer  lose track of who and what she is. One person can to do it alone we All need each other in Many different ways. A staf sgt. Leon Richardson Torrejon a Spain an atheist and Loyal i am responding to "u.s. Must get Back to god Quot the letter states a we Are known As a god fearing country and desperately need to strive to live up to that  the writer has overlooked those of us who choose not to believe in god. I have no hate or bitterness for anyone who chooses to believe. Its their right As it is mine to be an atheist. So i ask am i in american Are the americans who believe in Buddha in american when i was sworn into the army we were told we could omit the part of the oath that made reference to god. Religion has nothing to do with patriotism. A round fired from my Rifle will strike the same enemy As a Christian soldiers. I would do Battle for the United states of anything else required to preserve Freedom. I would do it right alongside the christians buddhists Quot martians and anyone else who wants this country Quot indivisible a its prolonged insensitivity to any minority that will cause revolt and division in our country. We done to have to agree with each others beliefs but lets try to respect them and be very thankful we have the right to choose our own course. Instead of being Quot one nation under god indivisible a lets say a one nation against the Odds  a spec. Christopher Sheldon Firth Germany pack of troubles Why can tour government hire people who Are responsible in packing and shipping dependents and supporters of our Active duty members sacrifice for what we Purchase Here in Germany. We would like for our hard earned items to ultimately reach their destination our own Home which most of us done to have because of the military Way of life another sacrifice. We had our household goods picked up yesterday. Some things happened during the packing process i did t particularly like. But last night my neighbors told me our packers were literally throwing our boxes Down the stairwell. Maybe its too late for my shipment but what can be done to help other people a Velma Jones Kaiserslautern German stomach for combat i read with interest about some women in the military who wanted to join infantry units for combat experience. Some said it would help their promotion chances. The lady soldiers in the second world War did a Fine Job behind the lines in Headquarters. They got promotions without the added risks. As a platoon sergeant in a Rifle company in be seen numbers of soldiers killed. Before asking to join a combat unit they should ask themselves the following questions a can i kill another human being a can i sit in a foxhole All night in the freezing rain or a snowstorm a can i stand the screams of wounded and dying friends a what will 1 do if some of my fellow soldiers panic under fire and run away leaving me alone a what would i do if a fellow Soldier being burned alive in a gasoline filled Tanker truck cried out begging me to kill him worst of All the smell of death is All around you. Dead bodies give off an odor that you can t compare to any other. Two years ago i went Back to Omaha Beach Normandy and paid my respects to the ones who did no to make it Back. When the War ends it s still not Over for you. Forty eight years later and after going to three wars i still have nightmares. I clearly see the mangled bodies being stuffed into i mattress covers and lowered gently into freshly dug Graves. I see the French peasants laying Flowers on them and crying like they were their own sons. Evaluate All these things and if you still think you want to go into combat go for it. A senior master sgt. William j. Sheehan Wiesbaden Germany