European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 05, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday february 1994 i f if it g the stars and stripes Page 3 Dodds still demands Nyji Tijones education writer Blankenberge Belgium the most important Challenge facing military overseas schools is sustaining a Quality academic program amid the tur Moil of the . Military draw Down from Europe the school system s director says. \ that maintaining the Quality of overseas schools is the reason we exist John Stremple director of the department of defense dependents schools said thursday. We re doing pretty Good making Progress but never  Stremple s comments came on the second Day of a three Day conference of More than 100 school administrators from the system s Atlantic Region. One expected hurdle for Dodds is the system s required reduction of about 1,100 staff members worldwide this year. There will be rims reductions in Force but in most s4s John Bohmer Bishop Joseph j. Madura vicar general of the archdiocese of military service Speaks at a prayer luncheon Friday at Sembach a Germany. Instances there will be jobs Stremple said wednesday. But you May not get the Job you want or go where you want to  people working in schools or Central offices targeted for clo sure will lose those jobs Stremple said. Our Hope and belief is that while they lose those jobs others will open in the world wide system. We have Stremple a pretty Good turnover with Many teachers leaving when troops do he said. Our thought is that we will be Able to accommodate those people who Don t re tire or leave the  Dodds expects to reduce its staff by resignations says regular or disability retirements worldwide transfers voluntary Early retirements and incentive pay retire ments. Stremple credited the Clinton administration with helping support Dodds. The president was instrumental in establishing the National education goals that we have. He worked very closely with the last administration actually was the Leader and put More Money into pub Lic education. I Don t see that diminishing he said. The final Atlantic Region conference indicated the emotional issues associated with a once huge school system growing smaller Stremple  there s apprehension he said. There is a sense of family Here that s built up Over the years. Whenever you eliminate a Region or whatever there is the morale Issue but the kind of activities that Are taking place extensive staff development programs will continue to be  Reca i is f a m i by s persecution by Steve scholar Kaiserslautern Bureau Sembach a Germany Bishop Joseph j. Madera said his father was almost killed nearly 60 years ago in part because of his Christian beliefs. Madera vicar general of the archdiocese of military service in Bonn spoke Friday about persecution to a group gathered at the Sembach a All ranks club to observe the National prayer luncheon. Madera a civilian Bishop is responsible for administering to the religious needs of the . Military Catho Lic Community in Europe Asia and the Mediterranean. During the luncheon he told of How his family was threatened by a general on their farm in Mexico. The general came to their House and screamed at his Mother Madera said. His father objected and the Gen eral left but he returned the next Day to resume the harassment. The general got angry and i thought he was going to kill my father that night Madera said. The next night five minutes before the general and a team of soldiers arrived at the House to kill his father the family escaped the Bishop said always a religious Man Madera s father knew How the military looked upon those who practice religion and that also made him leave his Homeland Mader Asaid. ". \ after a Short stay in the United states the Madera family moved Back to Mexico where the persecution resumed. When he and his family returned Madera found churches being used As horse stalls and libraries priests hanging on electricity poles to die and others stripped of their mexican citizenship All because of their religious beliefs. Priests who managed to escape death went into hid ing. At one Point Madera said his father told him to be ready to die for  Madera spoke about persecution at the Sembach luncheon in an attempt to show How fruitless persecution is. We need to be aware that we arc All just one family. If i m going to spend eternity with everyone let Melove everyone in an interview thursday with the stars and stripes Madera elaborated on his religious feelings and said ministering to a Catholic Community that stretches across thousands of Miles presents a Challenge. You need some sense of adaptation. You have to approach the religious needs of people differently. You have to be Able to read the Community and get a sense of their individual needs he said. Madera who is fluent in English and Spanish said it s important to give a sense of religious Unity to the communities he visits. There Are approximately 41,000 catholics through out the . Military communities in Europe Asia and the Mediterranean. Military people often have Dif Ferent problems when it comes to their religious needs he said. Those problems the Bishop said include temporary duty permanent change of station moves and separa Tion from their families. Military Church leaders have to be More adaptable and flexible he said. One of the ways that can be done he said is for Church leaders to provide for a continual flow of religious information while a military person is deployed. Madera said More people Are turning to religion As a partner in life. However there Are still those who see religion As a waste of time. These people he said Are Only deluding themselves. It s hard to know if the opinion about religion being irrelevant is widespread Madera said. Religion is As relevant today As it was 100 years ago. But i never threaten people. They have to make that decision themselves. We have to respect the per son As an individual regardless of their religious views but the number of people turning to religion is  Lead in Rhein main water slightly exceeds limit by Mark Kinkade staff writer air Force health officials Are Monitor ing the drinking water at Rhein main a Germany after High Levels of Lead were detected in two housing units on base. The water is drinkable said base spokeswoman capt Toni Kemper. However people should continue to Fol Low the Basic common sense precautions such As running water for a few minutes before drinking or cooking with cold water instead of  two water samples taken in Early de Cember at the Gateway gardens housing area showed 0.016 Milligram and 0.020 Milligram of Lead per liter of water Kemper said. That is just above the environmental Protection Agency s safety Tol Terence of 0.015 Milligram per liter of water Kemper said. The air Force s Armstrong Laboratory at Brooks fab Texas evaluated the samples and Rhein main received the results in mid january Kemper said. Most water samples take Between two to six weeks for analysis. Samples taken since the initial test have been within the Epa tolerance Kemper said. Although More water tests Are needed to isolate the problem health officials at the base said they think a Lead connecting pipe serving the housing units May be the source of the contamination. We Are performing extensive Sam pling to determine the exact location of the Lead in the plumbing system said capt. Cynthia Redelsperger a base by environmental Engineer in a statement Friday. Once the Lead source is identified Well implement a program consisting of corrosion control treatment pipe fixture replacement Urce water treatment and Public  the Lead Levels were discovered when the Epa directed Rhein main to test the base s water table. The Epa recently re Vised its Lead tolerance lowering the acceptable level from 0.020 Milligram of Lead per liter to 0.015, Kemper said. As a result the base s water was tested to ensure that it was within the new Standard. After the results came Back in mid january residents were told not to use the plumbing overnight allowing the water to stand stagnant in the pipes the next morning the water was sampled. Lead is a common Metal found in paint air soil dust food and water the statement said. Although Small Levels of Lead Are not considered dangerous by themselves the resulting buildup Over a period of time can Lead to damage in the brain red blood cells and kidneys. The water samples at Rhein main fell Well within German standards. According to Kemper Germany has set a water Lead Standard of 0.040 Milligram per liter of water