European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday december 15, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 3 commander wants base to be a Good neighbor by Ron Jensen Niernberg Bureau Erlanger Germany a a German woman sends Flowers frequently to col. J. Richard Wallace commander of the 3rd inf div s 2nd brigade at i Erris Barracks. The tradition began last Spring soon after Wallace helped her find her Way when she attended the base s open House. He sees it As evidence of a blossoming of Good relations Between the army and the City that surrounds its Urban installation. A it s the policy of Usa eur that All units be Good neighbors a said Wallace. A not just that Good  but he was distressed to find that the army in Erlanger was like a drop of Oil in a Pool of water. There was very Little mixing. A we have germans that live across the Street a have been born and raised in this neighbourhood a and had never set foot on the base a he said. Wallace who assumed command in october 1991, has encouraged his soldiers to meet their neighbors. Erlanger residents have been invited to several activities on base. Officers were sent to prepaid German language classes. Local fire departments were invited to use part of the 320-acre Cavern for training. Mailboxes around the base have been stuffed with invitations to today a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and fridays Christmas Ball. A there was a Wall a a literal Wall and a figurative Wall a Between us and the germans a Wallace said. Ferris Barracks with 5,000 soldiers and family members sits on important real estate in Erlanger. The soldiers and their tanks have to rumble through City streets to reach the Railroad when deploying to the Field for training. The Tenne Lohe training area is Bor map commanders to air views on new Neucom Frankfurt Germany a amps a an television will broadcast a half hour program tonight called Neucom the new look which examines the direction the . European come is taking. As part of the program an news director Ann Mulligan talked with Gen. John m. Shalikashvil Neucom commander Gen. David m. Maddox commander of the . Army Europe Gen. Robert c. Oaks commander of the . Air forces in Europe and . Mike Boorda commander of the . Navy Europe. The commanders describe How their forces have restructured to Cope with draw Downs and new missions. The program will be broadcast on an today at 8 35 . And thursday on seb at 8 05 .Ashy slated to take charge of air command in Italy Naples Italy a . Air Force it. Gen. Joseph w. Ashy will assume command of Allied air forces Southern Europe from air Force it. Gen. James t. Callaghan on wednesday. Italian air Force pilots will Salute the departing and incoming commanders with a flyover during the 11 . Change of command ceremony at the Headquarters of Allied forces Southern Europe in Naples. Upon assuming command Ashy who currently is commander of the air training come at Randolph fab Texas also will become Deputy commander of the . Air forces in Europe Southern area. Callaghan will retire after turning Over the command to Ashy. In ease of bad weather the ceremony will be held in the commands theater. Dered by the City. And there was the letter sent by Erlanger s lord mayor to president Bush when the draw Down began asking that the Erlanger soldiers be removed first. That letter which quickly became a conversation topic throughout the army pointed out that the City of More than 100,000 needed the land to expand Industry and the local University. A nothing personal Dietmar Hahlweg told the president it was strictly business. Quot Wallace knew of the letter before he arrived in Erlanger. He and Hahlweg have become friends. And Wallace said he understands Hahlweg s position. A i just happen to be sitting on prime real estate a a he said. Hahlweg said he has not changed his mind about the . Presence. A it is not a Good thing to have a military base in such a populated area a he said adding that he would feel the same Way about a German army base. But Hahlweg mayor for 20 years said that As Long As the americans Are in his City Erlanger will be a Good Host. A was Long As we live together we should make the Best of the situation a said Hahlweg who was a Ful Bright scholar in the United states in 1962 and has visited the United states Many times. For 25 years the policy of the City Council has been that americans leave he said. As mayor however he often asked residents to appreciate the safety and peace that americans bring. But when the Berlin Wall fell and Germany United the times changed and Hahlweg did too. A then i thought it was justified to come Back to our policy that we had for 25 years a lie said. He agreed that Wallace has made Good relations a priority. A a in a Happy about the development a he said. A we have made new efforts of improving Good relations Between the american Community and the German Community. Colonel Wallace is especially open to Good Community  Hahlweg Wallace and their wives took a three hour bicycle tour of the City soon after the new commander Flo photo Erin Ngun lord mayor Dietmar Hahlweg a was Long As we live together we should make the Best of the  arrived. Hahlweg has done that in the past he said but not for a Long time. Wallace said he has opened his office door to any German with a complaint. When . Soldiers fired a 25 my gun at the Tenne Lohe Range and disturbed neighbors he had a lot of visitors. Quot i listened to them a that a the Bottom line Quot he said. A a that a something that had never happened before. The germans were very frustrated. They never Felt they could talk to  the use of the weapon was limited in response to the complaints. A if they write a letter  get an answer a Wallace said. A More than Likely they get to talk to the  Wallace has evidence that the Effort is getting results. A the most direct result is when i have to train in Tenne Lohe when i have to make noise when 1 have to take my tanks to the Railhead i get fewer complaints from the local Community a he said. A a the Wall is coming  Campaign for Charity gathers $5.17 million in Cash pledges by Joseph Owen Heidelberg Bureau Heidelberg Germany a the turbulence of troop withdrawals apparently had Little Impact on the combined Federal Campaign that ended oct. 30, according to officials who ran the governments annual Charity drive in the . European come. With Complete figures from one army Community still lacking the Campaign has gathered $5.17 million so far in Cash donations or pledges to be collected during 1993, said army it. Col. John b. Smith the commands Campaign coordinator. The in theater campaigns most lucrative year was 1990, when contributors pledged a record $7.48 million. Last years pledges still being collected totalled $6 million. The pledge total this year is lower but the drop was slight compared with the decline in the number of potential donors. A i think the numbers speak for themselves a Campaign co director Linda l. Lee said monday. A we seem to have done exceptionally Well in spite of the  one change that May have helped the Campaign was the army a decision to resume centralized training in Heidelberg for All its unit level Campaign representatives Lee said. The Campaign suffered slightly last year because some military communities scheduled for draw Downs did not participate Smith said. That did no to happen this year he said. Also a recent financial scandal involving the former chairman of the United Way which distributes Many of the Campaign s proceeds failed to discourage donors. Quot to characterize its a really Good year. Its fewer people giving More a Smith said adding that the aver a i think the numbers speak for themselves. We seem to have done exceptionally Well in spite of the  a Linda l. Lee co director combined Federal Campaign age amount pledged per donor was about $24. I he $73,323 pledge total from personnel assigned to european come Headquarters in Stuttgart included so Many High contributions from various units that officials postponed an awards ceremony until january so they would have More time to organize it Smith said. Other Campaign award ceremonies Are scheduled throughout the command this week. The army for which the nearly Complete pledge total now stands at $2.27 million will present its awards at 11 30 . Today at the old Dominion club at Patrick Henry Village in Heidelberg. Air Force award ceremonies will be held at 2 30 . Wednesday at the officers club Sembach a Germany and at noon at the officers club rat Milden Hall England. Air Force pledges including those from the 1141st special activities is at the  bind Headquarters totalled $2.03 million. Navy pledges added up to $684,095. Navy personnel will receive Campaign awards at 3 30 . Shut Day at the . Navy Europe Headquarters building in 1 i Ilon