European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 01, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday August 1993 the stars and stripes Page 3the rumours were already there so we knew it was coming it col Marcia Morgan Tor me the concern is the school. I have two girls.1 Maria a Guerra we live for our Little letters Here to it s pretty hard Joni Pratt shoes Large for isolated army Post by Rosemary Sawyer Brussels Bureau. Co Vorden Netherlands news that Oesterberg a will close next year has prompted concern among residents in a Remote army Community that depends on the air base for support. When the last airman leaves the fighter base in september 1994, co Vorden s 200 soldiers civilian employees and family members will have lost their military Bank commissary base Exchange medical clinic Post office Middle school and High school. Although a 2v5-hour"drive no separates the co Vorden Community from its air Force lifeline in the Netherlands the journey to the next closest . Installation at Schinnen makes the trip to Oesterberg seem like a walk across the Street. The one Way drive to army facilities in Schinnen takes 3vi to four hours. Soes Berberg s closure also will affect about 300 people in Volkel with the 7362nd munitions support so but to lesser extent because they Are located Halfway Between Schinnen and Oesterberg. In co Vorden the rumours were already there so we knew it was coming said it. Col. Marcia Morgan commander of combat equipment in Northwest. Unfortunately the foreshadowing of the closure cannot undo it consequences some of which deeply worry Community members. For me the concern is the school said Maria Figueroa battalion publications officer. I have two  the army family member said she would pack her bags and head fyr the states before sending her daughter to department of defense dependants schools facility at High Wycombe air station England an option parents originally feared was their Only alternative. London Central High school is the Only Dodds facility in Europe that has boarding students. The Netherlands Belgium Schinnen is Community and overseas school officials Are considering adding grades seven and eight to the elementary school and sending High school students to International schools i Groningen or Ommon Netherlands. Both schools Are about 45 minute from co Vorden. The International schools i fee pretty Good about Morgan said. It s going to be a culture Shock for some four kids. But i have a background in education and i think the International schools have a whole lot to offer in the Way of an education Nancy Montville was less optimistic. It will be tolerable said the Mother of two Middle and High school age daughters. Our kids Are used to extracurricular activities. I think the academics in an International school Are going to be great. But i m concerned about the proms class ring Sand letter jackets and sports. I Don t believe they offer the sports like Bur children Are used  for civilian Joni Platt. Future Mai service is a key concern. A mail clerk now makes daily trips to Oesterberg to deliver and pick up mail for the Community. Such frequent runs to Schinnen will not be possible. We live for our Little letters Here soit s pretty hard said Platt a family member who works As a personnel administration clerk. Furthermore she said Many people expect to rely Moreon Catalon sales once the Exchange at  closes. Having to wait that additional times really going to make things even harder Platt said. Morgan said she and her staff retrying to arrange to have letter mail sent daily by train. A \ although sgt. Arturo Ramos returns to the United states in september and will not feel the effects of the Oesterberg draw Down he said he expects his fellow soldiers to sorely miss the base s medical facilities. We re used to that kind of system Ramos said. It s quite a drive to Oesterberg but it s less hassle being that we re not dealing with champs civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services. You go to sick Call and they take care of it. You have no Bills and they have your medical records  said she was exploring whether dutch military doctors can provide soldiers with sick Call service so that co Vorden residents will not have to drive All Day to Arf air Force clinic in Geilenkirche Germany Nearse Hinnen. Active duty service members Are not eligible for champs benefits. Also under Way Are efforts to Haven automatic Teller machine installed at co Vorden and to enlarge it convenience store. Battalion personnel operate a  that Sells food and toiletries from the army and air Force Exchange service. A Supply sergeant makes daily runs to pick up goods. Community officials Hope to arrange for cafes to deliver the goods when the base closes. If that is not possible and the number of runs each week is Cut Morgan said Shell try to Stock More products including wine and Beer. We re not going4o sit Back and wait for it to come to us said Morgan who has led the unit for just Over a  re going to go out and look for the Best Way to do  awards program recognizes Community service w. Virginia thanks vets Washington is the Greico military service awards pro Gram sponsored by the Greico philanthropic foundation is looking for individuals who have shown outstanding service to the military or civilian communities. Greico is a worldwide financial serv ice that offers Auto insurance to . Mil itary members and others. The program honors one enlisted member from each of the five military services. Each unit base or Post May nominate military enlisted personnel who have provided outstanding service in one of the following areas drug and alcohol abuse prevention fire safety and fire prevention or traffic safety and Accident prevention. Nominations must be sent to each serv ice Branch by sept. 30. Each Winner will receive a $2,500 Cash award a plaque commemorating the serve remember s accomplishments and an All expense paid trip to washing fun for the awards ceremony scheduled for Spring 1994. For More information about the awards program Contact the base safety or personnel officer. Washington is West Vir Ginia officials arc looking for More than 22,000 service members and veterans whore eligible for Cash bonuses for having served in recent conflicts involving .forces. Service members veterans or their survivors who Are Legal residents of West Virginia can get $300 to $1,000, Sai Mitchell shun director of the Bonus program for inc state s division of Veter ans affairs. Military personnel can receive $500  in Lebanon Between aug. 25, 1982, and feb. 26, 1984 Grenada be tween oct. 23, 1983, and nov. 21, 1983 or Panama Between dec. 12, 1989, andean. 31,1990. Service members must have served inthe combat theater and have received a Campaign or expeditionary my Jal to be eligible. R military personnel also Are eligible for bonuses if they were on Active duty Dur ing the persian Gulf War Between aug.-1,1990, and March 3,1991, Shupp said. Anyone who was on Active duty for at least 90 Days during that period can get $300. Service members who served in combat zone and received the Southwest Asia Campaign medal can get $500. Surviving relatives of personnel killed in combat in any of those four operations Are eligible for $1,000. Most of the people who Are eligible for these bonuses arc still on Active duty Shupp said. We be set aside fund of $8.3 million for the bonuses and we d like to find these  the veterans Bonus program is some thing of a tradition in West Virginia. Our voters have done it after world War i world War ii Korea and Viet Nam Shupp said. A fairly High percent age of our population goes into the Mili tary and the people Here feel pretty strongly about showing them that their service is  the bonuses will be paid through next june 30. Service members who Colic pc they Are eligible can apply for the Money by writing veterans Donus program West Virginia division of veterans of. Fairs 1339-a Plaza East Charleston . 25301-1400.  unit gets duty in Turkey Raf Lakenheath England is members of the 492nd fighter so at Raf Lakenheath will deploy to in Ciurlik Turkey Between monday and wednesday in support of operation pro vide Comfort ii. The three month deployment will in clude nine f-15e strike eagles and about 180 people from the 492nd fighter so the 48th component repair so the 48tn Supply so the 48th equipment Maint so and the 48th operations support so. The 492nd fighter so spent the Las year training on f-15s and became fully operational july 1. Lakenheath previously flew Al 11s. Now that that training is done i proud to be part of the Squadron s first operational deployment said it.  Slaton commander of the 492nd fighter so who Wili deploy with his Squadron. Units deployed in support of operation provide Comfort Fly daily missions Over Northern Iraq to enforce a  zone to provide peace and Security for kurd in Northern Iraq