European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and Stripe wednesday june 15,1994airman s wife suspected of killing herself Ramstein a Germany a suicide is suspected in the shooting death of a 24-Ycar-old air Force spouse a Ramstein a spokesman said tuesday. While the investigation into the death of Tracy Czerwinski continues american and German authorities do not suspect foul play said capt. James Law a Ramstein spokesman. Czerwinski was found fatally shot monday afternoon in her off base apartment in the town of Mackenbach near Ramstein a. Her body was discovered by her husband senior airman David Czerwinski who is assigned to the 86th comm group. She had been shot in the Chest. A they suspect it was suicide a Law said. A of course the final determination is jurisdiction in the Case has been turned Over from German police to the air Force office of special investigations Law said. An autopsy is pending he added. Bill passed to Cut backlog of vets benefits appeals Washington apr the House passed and sent to the president monday a Bill aimed at easing the huge backlog of veterans awaiting decisions on benefits claims. The Bill passed by voice vote permits appeals to be assigned to single members of the department of veterans affairs Board of veterans appeals. Under current Law three Board members must hear appeals. The Bill also lifts the current 65-member limit for the Board and states that appeals May be heard either in Washington or at a regional offices. It allows the Board to use video teleconferencing to conduct hearings outside Washington. The Senate passed the Bill in april. The backlog of pending claims has grown from 377,000 in 1990 to about 550,000 today and veterans going through the appeals process can sometimes wait years for a decision. Rep. . A Sonny Quot Montgomery d-miss., chairman of the House veterans affairs committee said the legislation is a urgently needed because without Reform the backlog will become worse. He said that by Al lowing single appeals Board members to Rule on cases the a can increase the number of decisions by 25 percent. A a the a is also moving to carry out recommendations of a panel that it train More decision making staff members computerize records and rating systems and improve cooperation with the Pentagon. Its goal is to bring the backlog Down to the 300,000 level. The House also approved legislation that would set up a Center for women within the a. The Bill sponsored by rep. Maxine Waters d-calif., Calls for the a to appoint a director who would report directly to the a Secretary and make recommendations on How to improve services to women. Women make up 12 percent of Active duty forces today but Many a hospitals Lack the facilities and the specialists needed to treat women a health problems. A women constitute the fastest growing segment of the a population a Waters said. A we cannot continue to treat these veterans As second class the Bill must still be considered by the Senate. Classes set to keep kids on their theses teen Ager earns Eagle rank before leaving Naples Italy a amps a Shad Stoddard of Naples High school has attained the rank of Eagle scout just before leaving Europe for the United states. The 18-year-old senior collected toys and Money for needy american military families during the Christmas season of 1992. He worked through army and air Force elements based in Naples. Stoddard Hopes to receive the award from his former scoutmaster Allen Overbey at Waldorf md., by the end of june. Overbey was in charge of Naples boy scout troop 007 when Stoddard earned the award. Stoddard will return to the United states on june 23. Darmstadt Germany a amps a tiptoe through the tulips and dance through the summer. Dance clinics for Ballet jazz and tap could enliven the summer months for children Ages 3 and above in Darmstadt and Babenhausen. In july and August both communities youth services will offer classes taught by instructors with More than 12 years experience. The class clinic schedules Are a dance introduction Camp 9-11 15 ., july 2628, Babenhausen youth services. Pupils Ages 6 and up learn Basic dance Steps. The Cost is $30, a Babenhausen a dance introduction clinics offer jazz tap and Ballet to preschoolers age 3 to 5 and beginners 6 and up from aug. 9-11. attend from 9 30-10 15 And beginners from 10 30 11 15 The fee is $15. The Babenhausen youth services is in building 4587 at Babenhausen Cavern. Call 348-3745 or 06151-693745 for information. A Darmstadt youth services presents two summer dance introduction clinics one running july 5-7 and the second from aug. 16-18. Both offer three technique Levels preschool for Ages 3-5, beginner for Ages 6 and up and intermediate for Ages 8 and up. The Cost for the clinics is $15 each. Class size is limited so parents Are encouraged to enrol their children now. The Darmstadt youth services is in building 4441, Lincoln Village. Call Dan 348-6242 or civilian 06151-69-6242 for More Page 1 Miami Beach fla., who has been in the air Force for eight years. A a it a not every e-4 who gets a Chance to talk with the Secretary of the air a i am committed to eliminating the taint of sexual harassment As Well As the fear of reprisal by those who bring Forth charges of harassment Widnall said in a statement after the meeting. A there is absolutely no room for such behaviour in the air the meeting was the latest scene in an embarrassing episode for the air Force. Less than a week ago Martinez filed her complaint with the defense department inspector general about reprisals she has allegedly suffered for reporting sexual harassment. The noncommissioned officer met tuesday morning with in officials to discuss that complaint. Martinez a problems with retaliation began in 1992, after she complained that two men in her unit had pressured her for sexual favors. When she reported them base officials took no action and tried to get her to drop her complaints she said. Martinez a latest problems stemmed from her testimony March 9 before the House armed services committee about sexual harassment and reprisals that resulted from filing harassment complaints. Martinez was one of four women each from a different service who testified. On june 2, she Learned that she was under investigation for filing a $200 receipt for a taxi ride from London a Gatwick Airport to Mildenhall after her flight was delayed and she missed the last bus to the base on the return trip from Washington. Martinez said base officials delayed a final decision on her travel claim and tried to use the threat of criminal prosecution for filing a false claim As leverage to get her to reveal details of Ner discussions with her civilian lawyers. Barnes said she found it ironic that the Mildenhall base inspector general col. Dennis Adams one of the defendants named in Martinez a lawsuit a did nothing for 18 months on the sexual harassment complaint but he took Only a couple of weeks to put that travel voucher under a magnifying on thursday Martinez also was notified that she was being transferred to Mcguire fab n.j., even though her lawsuit asks that she be allowed to remain at Mildenhall while the Case is pending. Gen. Robert c. Oaks commander of . Air forces in Europe reviewed her Case monday and determined that the taxi ride was warranted and that Martinez should be reimbursed for it. He also rescinded her reassignment orders. Martinez said Widnall seemed very open and willing to listen to her plight. A she asked what she could do to repair my career a Martinez said explaining that she has fallen behind her Peers on the promotion track during her ordeal. Widnall agreed to have Martinez s personnel records reviewed but she offered no apologies on behalf of the air Force. And while she promised that no further retaliation would occur she did not acknowledge that Martinez had suffered any previous reprisals. As for her future in the air Force Martinez told Widnall that she wants to train for a new career As an equal Opportunity adviser. She would like to continue her military career but worries that her problems at Mildenhall will follow her. A a in a like to stay in but id like to stay in and Progress a she says she s tired of getting Brushoff by Chuck Vinci Washington Bureau Washington air Force sgt. Zenaida Martinez says that two years of battling sexual harassment has taught her a few things about the system that is supposed to protect female Servic members in her situation. She does no to like much of what she sees. That a Why the Security policewoman from Raf Mildenhall England is committed not Only to resolving her own problems but to helping other women avoid the same Fate. In her meeting monday with air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall Martinez uttered several pro posts to close Many of the a Little loopholes Quot that she said can be used to thwart sexual harassment victims who make formal complaints. She delivered the same package to the House armed services committee chairman rep. Ron Dellums d-calif., who has taken a personal interest in her Case. Among her suggestions a establish a corps of professional investigators to look into complaints of sexual harassment and reprisals rather than giving that task to Junior officers w to Martinez said Are usually not trained for the Job and often Are biased against the victims. A provide free Legal counsel to victims. A Only the offender is entitled to free Legal advice in the air Force a she said. A the person initiating the report is represented by no one.�?�. A set up a Standard open process for handling complaints that would bar the creation or maintenance of a a closet files and mandate Clear timelines for action so that cases do not languish. Martinez also stressed to Widnall that people in supervisory or command positions who take no action o sexual harassment complaints or charges of reprisal a just As culpable As those who perpetrate the harassment and reprisals. A a we be got to do something about this a in a not involved attitude a Martinez said. She said she has repeatedly sought out her base com Mandr at Raf Mildenhall col. David Pope Over the past two years to discuss her situation. A i Felt like he must not have been getting briefed o what was happening or else he would be done some thing. But not once have we Ever talked about this Siti action a she said. A a something a wrong when i travel t Washington four times to talk with my congressman file in complaints file a lawsuit and not once does m commander come to me and say a sergeant Martine what is going on a a
