European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 20, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 16 letters to the editor 1 thursday Januafy-20, 1994 european edition col Steven s. Hoffman Usan commander publisher Bernard a. Zovistoski editor news and editorial Deborah Absher. News editor Bill Walker european editor Bob Wicker " sports editor George Manet City editor to write us unit 29480 Apo a 09211 orpostfach11 1437 64278 Darmstadt. Germany news Tel fax 06155 601416to Call us dial 06155-601 plus Extension or Dan 348-8 plus Extension As follows news ext. 237,255,282,226,326. 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 Heidelberg Germany Joseph Owen. Room 117, to Merlr. 104, 69126 held Olborg chm 419, Box 1310, Apo a 09102 Telephone Dan 370-7010 or civilian 06221-23421 Tel fax 06221-23421. 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The appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorse ment by the department of defense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. Who s responsible the radio and begins with a Young Man calling a Mother to give his condolence in the death of his Friend her son. He spoke in glowing tones indicated How everyone liked her son and that he will miss his Good Friend. After which the Mother coldly says if you were really his Friend you would not have let him drive at a time when even Liberal politicians Are calling for More personal responsibility we Are bombarded by ads that say those who remain sober Are now responsible for someone else s behaviour. How Long before the first lawsuit against a person because he she did not take effective action to Stop an individual from destructive behaviour will it be the drunk the victim or the govern rent who brings the lawsuit Linda k. Welch Ramst Einab Germany �. Don t close clinics the closing of Many military clinics and hospitals is not in the Best interest of those americans still stationed in Europe. In times of emergency anxiety is less ened if one is treated by an american doctor. When one is very concerned about his her Well being and is dependent upon health care providers who Are unable to speak English or who have a poor command of English the Situa Tion can be traumatic. Culture Shock at such times certainly can be overwhelm this is equally True when one needs the help of a specialist a urologist a neurologist a cardiologist Etc. The patient s anxiety is lessened by being cared for by an american specialist. Even when one does not have a severe medical problem using a German doctor presents special problems. Medical procedures Are quite different from those to which most americans Are accustomed. The scheduled closing of the 97th Gen eral Hospital now known As the 51st combat support Hospital in Frankfurt will be like losing an old Friend. For Al most 50 years it has provided service to almost countless . Personnel. There Are certain departments at the 97th that possibly far exceed the medical care Given in stateside counterparts. Urology for example is headed by a very knowledgeable capable sympathetic urologist who is highly organized and supported by a Well trained staff. Other examples would include orthopaedics and gynaecology.,". Why should t this Type of care be made available to government employees stationed outside the United states this High degree of skilled professional health care is not readily found on the German Economy. It is difficult to comprehend Why the Frankfurt 97th general Hospital has to be closed this april especially when Frankfurt military units will be in opera Tion through mid-1995. This facility Vides services to a wide area such As Darmstadt Hochst Gellhausen Fulda Babenhausen and Hanau to name but a few. These feeder military communities depend upon Frankfurt for special care internal Medicine nuclear Medicine neurology gynaecology Etc. The continuation of closing military medical centers in areas where a sizable number of americans is still stationed will eventually cause a formidable prob Lem for the. Department of defense. Ralph d. Simpson Hanau Germany. Right and left to conclude the debate on evolution Ary Dogma or so it was called each individual must make a decision to the left Darwin s proclamation of evolution to the right god s proclamation of creation. The Choice is quite Clear go that Way which is right and leave All that is left. Nelson Barry Gaeta Italy a Rush to judgment Many letters have been published in response to the Navy Captain doily duty most of which Nave been succinct and addressed the Point at hand. I was shocked in Reading this commander s words. A Baum older writer however is no different than the Captain in her re Marks. How presumptuous of her to deter mine that All officers Are condescending or bad managers decisions makers based on the behaviour of one or two. As a health care provider i be personally seen stupid behaviour and poor decision Mak ing from individuals rank or status notwithstanding but i know that it s faulty logic to make judgments about an entire population based on the actions of one or two of its members. Just because some dependents possibly Are not qualified to make certain Deci Sions does t mean All Are not qualified. A logical statement would also say that just because some officers feel that Way does t mean All officers feel that Way. It would be no different than if i made the decision that All military wives use the same poor logic As the letter writer or that All military dependents Are Whin ers because of what comprises the letters Section of the stars and stripes. Faulty logic is the basis of stereotypes. It would serve a much higher purpose to hear All military members and dependents arguing the merits of what the Navy Captain said not making illogical stereotypical comments about officers or enlisted people. While i was an army enlisted Man i saw How a select few individuals like to capitalize on the us is. Them concept in regards to officers. The officer enlisted concept is not an us is. Them we re All on the same team. Per haps there Are some players who need to have an attitude adjustment but that does t make the entire team bad capt. Steve donning Pitburg a Germany test scores fall in 1992, department of defense de Pendents schools students took a total of 1,004 advanced placement examinations in 13 subject areas. A score of three or higher is considered passing. To prepare for this exam most students enrolled in a yearlong a course the academic de mands of which Are to be equal to the de mands of a College course. As the exams Are comprehensive and worldwide in scope they offer an Excel Lent yardstick by which to measure How Well Dodds Germany students stack up against the Best in the nation. Dodds Germany uses 1990 As the Baseline year in order to evaluate How Well students Are being served by the a program. In 1990 the average Dodds Germany Stu Dent scored 1 percentage Point above the National Norm. In 1992 the Dodds Ger Many average was 8 percentage Points below the Norm. Of particular concern is the fact that 61 percent of All exams were taken in what Are termed the big three in . History English language and composition and English literature and composition. Dodds Germany exhibited a competency level of 12 percentage Points below the National Norm. When comparing 1992 Dodds Ger Many exams with those taken in 1990, the full extent of How Dodds Germany performance has degenerated can be grasped. For example scores have Plum meted by 13 percentage Points in calculus 18 in chemistry 22 in English Lan Guage and composition and 26 in Spanish. The College Board school a distribution report clearly shows that Dodds Germany has been 8 percent age Points below the National average for two consecutive years 1991 nation 64, Dodds Germany 56 1992 nation 66, Dodds Germany 58 yet rather than canvass a teachers to see How the Gram can be improved Dodds Ger Many is devoting its energies to enforcing its new policy of educational equity considering the rationale of educational equity a student s record As it re lates to attendance course grades Moti vation behaviour or cubs academic potential Are not to be considered when letting students into a courses under this View this would encourage and constitute a form of tracking. As Dodds Germany is discouraging tracking All students Are eligible to enter a courses. Yet there is no guarantee that students who find they Are unwilling or unable to meet the Rigours of an a course can Transfer out to a regular class Section. Consequently a frustrated Stu Dent May be locked into an a course and thus programmed to fail unless the teacher can be pressured into passing undeserving students or Dumm Ying Down the course under the Guise of educational information As to the percentage of Dodds Germany students who took the 1993 exams and How Well they compare via a vis stateside students is eagerly awaited. Whether the policy of educational equity will result in the a Gram becoming once More competitive remaining substandard or sinking to a new Lew remains to be seen. Michael g. Allen Mannheim Germany editor s note we encourage our readers especially those who have never submitted a letter to write to us. Letters expressing readers viewpoints Are published daily on this Page. All letters must be signed and include address and Telephone number. Preference is Given to Shorter letters so that More can be published in a timely manner. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. 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