European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 9, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes thursday june 9, 1994future holds Many option but report finds no Best alternative to papers by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a a recent Pentagon report lays out nine options for the future of the stars and stripes newspapers but concludes there is Quot no single Clear Best alternative to the papers current Structure. A it remains the opinion of the department of defense that Only a timely Quality daily newspaper can meet the morale welfare and Quality of life needs of servicemen and women and their families a the report stated. However the 36-Page report outlined various other ways that service members overseas could be provided with written news and entertainment. They vary from bolstering the two stripes editions based in Germany and Japan by making better use of evolving telecommunications and satellite technology to eliminating the newspapers and relying on English language commercial newspapers. The document mandated by Congress As part of the fiscal 1994 defense authorization act was prepared by the american forces information service the policy making organization for the two editions of the newspaper. No action is required on the report. Congress typically orders such documents As background data for future decision making. The options listed in the april report a copy of which was obtained by the stars and stripes this week include a modernizing the newspapers technology such As using satellites to transmit the news to Remote printing Sites. In Europe such Sites might include the United kingdom and Italy while in the Pacific they might include Korea and Guam. Afis already is laying plans to test the concept in Korea. This option also Calls for creating a separate Shorter version of the paper a probably eight pages a that would be beamed to ships at sea and other isolated locations a centralizing current editorial operations into one overseas newsroom that would continue to produce two separate editions. One would be created with input from Remote bureaus and beamed Back to its original theater for local printing. A centralizing editorial operations in the United states and continuing to produce two editions both built on input from Remote bureaus and beamed to Europe and Trie Pacific for printing. A centralizing editorial operations in the states but producing Only a single edition with no input from local overseas bureaus that would be beamed to Europe and the Pacific for printing. A centralizing editorial operations in the United states for a publication of stateside news and information that would include a local theater supplement arc ated by Public affairs personnel. A maintaining editorial operations in each theater but hiring commercial publishers to print and distribute the newspapers in Exchange for a Cut of revenues from sales and advertising. A maintaining Only enough editorial personnel to produce a local military news supplement for insertion into some other publication that is available to service members us Civ As Usa today a folding the newspapers completely and relying solely upon other English language papers such As Usa today and the International Herald Tribune. A providing scaled Down newsletter Type products through telecommunications and satellite transmission either in place of or in addition to the stripes newspapers. A a the afis study concluded that a fall the alternatives provide the Prospect of certain advantages but often with serious detrimental effects. There is no single Clear Best alternative Quot for example the study said printing at Remote Sites using satellite transmission will get the newspapers out faster but will drive up operating costs. Centralizing operations would Cut costs but could detract from the papers editorial Content particularly in terms of local military related news in Europe and the Pacific it  study comes at a time when the separately run editions based in Darmstadt Germany and Tokyo have both lost circulation during the military draw Down. The european edition has been hit particularly hard with daily circulation dropping from about 135,000 to about 57,000, the Pacific edition has a daily circulation of 29,000. The financial picture has been further clouded with the congressional order to Transfer control of stars and stripes bookstores traditionally the financial Backbone of the organization to the military exchanges oct. 1. Congress May give the newspapers a temporary reprieve. The House armed services committee has approved $12.1 million in appropriated funds for the two editions in fiscal 1995 to make up for the loss of Bookstore Revenue. The full Congress needs to vote on the measure As part of the 1995 defense authorization Bill. The Long term funding situation however is still very much up in the air and will be watched closely by lawmakers said a congressional staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity. A the funding is a big concern a the staffer said. A a we re going to have to see How the financial picture starts to shake out after the Bookstore Transfer Quot to Shore up the newspapers financial base officials Are. Pushing for less restrictions on advertising. Until recently stringent rules allowed sponsors to buy ads Only if the products or services advertised were sold in morale welfare and recreation facilities or had some other connection to the military. Whatever happens it is Clear that the House mar panel is keenly interested in minimizing the costs of supplying service members overseas with news and information. The report on the House version of the fiscal 1995 defense authorization Bill directs afis to draft a a standby plan for consolidating operations of the two stars and stripes editions in the United states in Case future events warrant such action. The Senate would have to agree to the language in the House Bill and it would have to be signed into Law by president Clinton before any of the provisions would become binding the Senate armed services committee is due to draft its version of the fiscal 1995 defense authorization Bill this week. Seminars set on champs in Europe Middle East Heidelberg Germany a amps a representatives from champs Are offering seminars throughout Europe and the Middle East this month. The half Day information sessions Are to encourage people to learn about the benefits before they need them according to a statement from the 7th medical come eligibility benefits Cost sharing filing claims and where to go for help will be discussed. The civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services is a government program for service members families and military retirees for private outpatient care. Seminar locations and phone numbers for More information Are a Vujih Hiiop Germany next tuesday Dan 43-158-13 or civilian i82-41i 2s43 country code 11. A Baum Huldur Germany june 21 Dan 4s5-t>205 or civilian lk>7li3 6-62u5. A Manama Bahrain next tuesday Dan 4394451 or civilian 724451 country code 173. A Nicosia Cyprus today 247-61qo country code 357. A stut Uarl Germany next monday Dan 430-8<i3s or civilian u7i the sessions Are open to health care professionals As Well As beneficiaries. More seminars Are being scheduled for Italy England and Portugal. For information Contact Martin Hollingworth in Heidelberg at Dan 3712575 or civilian 06221 -300061. Cafes Bookstore Dea excludes University of Maryland textbooks by Joseph Owen he fac i Berg Bureau the pending Transfer of stars and stripes bookstores to the military Exchange service does not provide for the continued distribution and Sale of University of Maryland textbooks. The army and air Force Exchange service which is taking Over most Bookstore sales in accordance with a congressional directive said the Transfer arrangement now being developed does not Deal with the textbook Issue. In any event the University has shown Little interest in Selling its books through Exchange service outlets said Carrie Hig Tey Krowka a spokeswoman at the Exchange systems european Headquarters in Birndorf Germany. A we done to know whether we re going to be Selling University of Maryland textbooks in our a Bookmarks or not at this Point a Higley Krowka said referring to the name chosen for the Exchange service bookstores. Walter Knochs a University official based in Heidelberg Germany who is in charge of textbooks said the news contradicts what a representative from the Exchange services main Headquarters in Dallas had told him during a february meeting at stars and stripes Headquarters in Griesheim Germany. A i Wasny to aware that this was not part of the Transfer agreement a Knoche said wednesday. Quot this catches me totally by  since the february meeting the University has waited in vain for information that it could pass on to current and prospective students about textbook Avail ability he said. A a we be got a lot of questions from a lot of people but we really done to know much More than that a said Gregory p. Emerson manager of the University a textbook office. Congress set an oct. 1 deadline for the Bookstore Transfer which it ordered on the Assumption that the Exchange service will sell books and magazines at lower prices. Stars and stripes traditionally has used Bookstore profits to subsidize the publication of the newspaper. The . European come in Stuttgart Germany which represents stars and stripes in the Bookstore Transfer process is on record As endorsing continued availability of textbooks in the bookstores after the Transfer. In a proposed Transfer agreement submitted to the Pentagon Neucom officials said the Exchange service should a continue the procurement and distribution support provided to the University of Maryland pursuant to the current agreement with stars and stripes. Any curtailment will be coordinated with the unified  a Neucom official said wednesday that the command is continuing to Monitor the situation. A final decision on the terms of the Transfer agreement will be made by the office of the Secretary of defense. The University a current school term began monday. Book distribution is under Way and no problems Are anticipated Emerson said. Registration for the next term starts aug 8, and the term itself starts aug. 22. Emerson said he expects that the Transfer of the bookstores May have begun by then creating an obstacle for textbook sales. Also he said some weekend seminars that require books will Start later in the semester than oct. 1. The University funnels 30,000 to 35,000 textbooks per term through the stars and stripes system Emerson said. The director of stars and stripes Bookstore operations Christopher h. Ryan Saia his warehouse now contains about $1.3 million Worth of the University a books a typical amount. The textbook business has declined in recent years because of the military draw Down in Europe but the University has offset that partially by adding graduate courses to its overseas curriculum.  problem is not an Issue at the Tokyo based Pacific stars and stripes where the Transfer of bookstores to the Exchange service has already begun according to that organization s Bookstore operations manager Erika Wittmann. The University obtains and distributes books by itself there she said. The current agreement Between the University and european stars and stripes cads for either party to give 120 Days notice before ending it Emerson said. A i would Hope that cafes would Honor that but there a nothing that says they have to a he added. Textbooks Are not the Only Issue it controversy in the Bookstore Transfer. An cafes official said last month that the selection of adult magazines would he curtailed after the takeover. Also m areas of the Pacific theater the exch an service has rejected a significant portion of the stars and stripes hardcore  inventory officials there said