European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 21, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday August 21, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 child care worker claims Bias in firing woman denies violating touching policy by Joseph Owen staff writer Stuttgart Germany a a child care worker who was fired then reinstated and then fired again is once. More trying to get her Job Back. The 6th area support group in Stuttgart fired Kathalina Laborn from her Job development touch policy. Her dismissal letter notes that a family advocacy Case management team which generally consists of eight to 10 Community officials had substantiated the charge. Laborn 34, a native of Southfield mich., said the action stemmed from a parents assertion that she had pulled a child a leg june 16. She denies the charge claiming that the incident is the latest in a string of reprisal actions against her by the Center director Robert Davis. Laborn hired originally in August 1992, said she has filed a grievance to get her Job Back. She also filed a complaint under the equal employment Opportunity program alleging that her bring was an act of reprisal. And citing Davis actions toward la born several other Center employees have signed a petition that Laborn circulated calling for the directors removal. Karen l. Jerome the support group s child development director said one was aware of the petition but refused to com mint whether Davis conduct is under review. Several 6th ask child care policies including the touching policy have been revised this year to make their intent clearer Jerome said. It a child care employee who asked not to be identified said Davis and Laborn have been at Odds for a Long time. A i always got the impression that there was tension Between the two of them a the worker said. Labome a initial firing occurred dec. 9. She was accused of pushing a child and causing the child a head to strike a bulletin Board an accusation she also denied. An adult witness backed Laborne a claim in a written statement. The army a criminal investigation come concluded in a Jan. 14 written report that a there was insufficient probable cause to believe Laborn committed the offence of mistreatment the child smother wrote a letter supporting Laborn. The area support group told Laborn in a dec. 21 letter that her first firing was based on child development services regulations not on the separate criminal investigation so it would not reinstate her. Laborn who is Black filed an Leo complaint that alleged racial and gender discrimination had been the motivation for firing her. As part of a feb. 4 negotiated settlement she agreed to drop her complaint and the army agreed to reinstate her and reimburse her for lost pay and benefits. Afterwards Davis who also is Black wrote a series of counselling statements reprimanding Laborn for remarks to parents about changes at the Center about a amps John Bohmer Kathalina Laborn who was bred from her Job at a Stuttgart Germany child care Center spends time with children near Robinson Barracks. From left arc Franton Davis 9 Ian Wilhelm 19 months and Dominique Davis 4. Talking with her husband outside the Center eight minutes after she was supposed to have started work and for other alleged transgressions. Laborn meanwhile wrote to Leo officials complaining that Davis was reneging on the settlement by classifying part of her absence before the reinstatement As a leave without she asked that the complaint be reactivated. Interviewed in april Laborn said Davis then was threatening to remove her from her classroom citing accusations that children. She was abusive Davis wrote a toward the counselling statement about Laborne a use of a a very loud harsh voice with the children. In reaction to the latest incident Laborne a colleague Jack March wrote a statement in which he said he saw nothing unusual june 16, the Day in question. A to the Best of memory mrs. Kathalina Laborn was holding the child in her arms. She was cuddling her the same Way she does each Day. I did no to see anything inappropriate a March wrote strategic Hill helps Divide former Balkan allies by Kevin Dougherty staff writer Kriva Palanka Macedonia its called Hill 1703. From its Apex a person can look in any direction for Miles and Miles. The View from Hill 1,703 a so designated because that is its Altitude in meters encompasses three countries and countless Little nooks and crannies in valleys far below. In world War ii serbian macedonian and Kosovo soldiers fought together on Hill 1703 against bulgarian troops Loyal to nazi Germany. The trenches that soldiers dug More than half a Century ago remain. There seven a White Stone Monument that former yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito commissioned to Honor those who died fighting there in the summer of 1944. A that was the beginning of the liberation of Macedonia from Bulgaria and nazi occupation a said Brig. Gen. Tryggve Tellefsen the norwegian commander of the . Mission in Macedonia. Today the former allies Are at Odds Over the Mountain with both serbs and macedonians laying claim to it and its strategic Hilltop View. The Hill which is in the sector patrolled by american troops is one of a few disputed areas along the Border that separates what is left of serbian led Yugoslavia from Macedonia one of its former republics. A the serbs want it a said . Army col. Richard l. Freeman Tellefsen a chief of staff. A once you be got it you can see a Long Way into about 1,200 . Troops Are in Macedonia including about 500 american soldiers from Schweinfurt Germany. The United nations is in Macedonia to Monitor movement along the Border. Any movement is watched by squads of troops at Forward observation posts. Although . Troops patrol the area where Hill 1703 is situated they Are precluded from going there for reasons that Are not Clear. A request to visit the Hill was turned Down by . Forces in Macedonia. A a you la have to ask colonel Baggotts for an explanation Freeman said referring to it. Col. John Baggott the commander of . Forces in Macedonia. The . Protection Force a has no restrictions in that area pertaining to its troops. Baggott referred the matter up the Chain of command. The question As to Why Hill 1703 is off limits to . Forces bounced Between Washington and Stuttgart Germany the Headquarters for the . European come. T0 personnel _ _ _ _ a Chuck Franklin a Pentagon spokesman. The United nations however already has disclosed to Serbia the location of All of its observation posts according to . Officials. That a done to show Belgrade that the United nations is strictly on a peacekeeping Mission. A a it a a politically sensitive matter and As a result we Are not sending americans to Man 1703,�?� said Navy cmdr. Ron Morse a Neucom spokesman. A a in a not at Liberty to discuss what specific issues or which other nations Are the peacekeeping Mission perhaps faced its most difficult test last month when Tellefsen stepped in to mediate a standoff Between a handful of serbian and macedonian troops dug in atop Hill 1703. The Hill is now occupied by . Forces from Norway. A Buffer zone of 500 meters 550 Yards has been established at the top. Based on a fall the historical evidence we be seen from the Macedonia ministry of defense it appears to us that the Peak is on the macedonian Side a said Elizabeth Baldwin Penn a . Spokeswoman in Skopje. She added that the Hill is at least 200 meters / a amps file norwegian Brig. Gen. Tryggve Tellefsen commands the . Mission along the macedonian serbian Border. 220 Yards inside Macedonia. On june 10, . Troops observed serbian soldiers occupying the High ground Tellefsen said. When the macedonians Learned about it they sent troops to the Peak Between the two countries about 250 troops were in the surrounding area. Twenty to 40 soldiers from both armies settled in about 165 Yards from each other and peered straight ahead. No shots were fired. A we could not live with that situation a Tellefsen said. A it could have developed in a critical Tellefsen spent the rest of june shuttling Between Belgrade and Skopje the capitals of Serbia and Macedonia in an Effort to prevent any bloodshed. Meanwhile the United nations monitored the situation from a nearby Hilltop. Tension eased on the fourth of july when a temporary . Observation Post was established on the Peak. After two meetings in Belgrade a Summit was held on Hill 1703 on july 10, during which both sides agreed to backoff the Hill and allow the . Peacekeeping forces to occupy the spot. A was Long As we have not solved the Border Issue a Tellefsen said a we May experience situations like this later . Forces plan to remain on the Hill at least until the Border Issue is resolved. Tellefsen Hopes that will happen before the end of the year. He wants to Send . Soldiers to the observation Post but Isnit sure when or even if that will happen. Baggott Freeman and other soldiers in Macedonia credit Tellefsen with maintaining peace along the Border at a time when a mistake or misunderstanding could have triggered a Battle. The Battles that serbs macedonians and Kosovo forces fought in 1944 Are commemorated each summer atop Hill 1703. Despite recent tensions and father time a handful of the veterans got together recently to forget and remember a glorious but costly past. They Sang drank and toasted one another and their fallen comrades. A since the 10th of july a a Tellefsen said a the air has become better Between Macedonia and
