European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 4, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Be our guest was right to avoid Vietnam War Robert Humphries s ome people especially members of the armed forces have said that president Gin ton should not really be our commander in chief because of his Lack of military service and particularly for his dodging of the Viet Man War. He was even ridiculed by some for playing a role in the Normandy invasion commemoration. For those who question his College years and his actions vis i vis the military i would like to contrast my own experiences from that time. In 1966,1 entered a University and joined the air Force Roth program in Hopes of following my fathers footsteps he retired As a Bird colonel in 1970. After four years of College arid schooling by the air Tyce i became an intelligence officer assigned to air Force intelligence Headquarters at the Pentagon. It did no to take Long to see the futility and deceit of the Vietnam War. Each morning our office prepared Ai briefing for the chief of staff of the air Force concerning mostly the Vietnam War. In the fall of 1971, we were receiving a lot of intelligence that North Wietman was planning another major tet offensive. I watched along with colonels majors and captains As any information mentioning a buildup was edited out of the briefing by the chief of intelligence. Evidently it was More important to a Tell the Boss what he wants to heart than the truth. The truth in this Case was Send in your column plus photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo a 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37. D-64278 Darmstadt Germany. If mailing disk save text in Asci and include printout. Columns Are edited for clarity and length. Opening laugh Arcadio sin Jot Costa Rica that our bombing of the to Chi Ming Trail was really having minimal effect in preventing a buildup for a huge offensive. In february 1972, the offensive came surprising the chief of staff of the air Force and the president since they had never heard about the buildup. During the years of the War in Vietnam a minority of Young men was drafted and sent to do their one year with Hopes of returning. That the necessity for the War was not universally held made Many have second thoughts about serving in the military. Myself i started with a Devotion to my country and a desire to serve and a feeling that our leaders always knew Best. After looking Back at it All i have no qualms about those who said the War was not Worth the risking of american lives. To enrol in a College for a deferment or to later join Roth to try and delay enlistment were kinds of things that Many thinking Young men of my generation chose to do. To Call them cowards is wrong i have a very. Strong feel if that if a threat to our country like nazi Germany had been the Issue these same Young men would have answered the Call. A footnote. In 1964,1 was an Lith grader and becoming interested in the War in Southeast Asia. I was almost looking Forward to the Chance to serve my country in a War. Growing up on John Wayne world War ii movies i had a pretty warped sense of what War was really  but strangely my father who had flown b-29s in world War ii and had 24 years of service at that time was telling my Mother that a War in Asia would be a mistake. Later i would learn of my fathers knowledge about guerilla warfare and the impossibilities the British had experienced in Malaysia. _ if air Force officers questioned the War could t a Bill Clinton Robert Humphries works in  out alcohol abuse Miriam Vega Randall to. Quot waving noticed for some time now the re-11 suits of the anti smoking Campaign i do a Quot Quot not know whether to applaud or cry. 1 1 every Day there Are new Laws and new places where smoking is not permitted. Are cigarettes the real enemy does smoking make one a moral or immoral person is there anyone left out there who agrees that drinking and alcohol abuse Are far worse problems i ask these questions being a nonsmoker and a no Drinker myself. Ever since the anti smoking Campaign gained momentum More and More prohibitions Are coming out each Day. The problem i have with All this is that in the military around Here anyway drinking is seemingly the biggest sport. Alcohol abuse creates a Host of issues never even brought up. I mention cigarettes because since june 1, Many places have become smoke free. What kind of double Standard do we have Here cigarettes do not make a person suddenly abusive and dangerous like a totally inebriated person becomes. Cigarettes do not cause accidents on the Road Drunken driving does. Alcohol takes husbands parents and Good workers away from their responsibilities it kills thousands each year on the Road and at Home not to mention it denies our forces a Down Day because of Dpi 7 at a recent base function we had a Lovely Day. Food soda and water were provided. But the alcohol available would take twice the amount of me women and children present to consume. Why was it provided at All people can and do buy their own alcohol anyway. There Are Many ways we can All make life better. Blatantly promoting alcohol consumption is not one of them. V having eliminated smoking from air Force offices successfully should indicate that it is possible to attain a More responsible Standard of alcohol consumption or at least try to. Miriam Vega Rarda Fuves in Huntingdon England. Contents4-5from the cover cheering women. Pro football on to. 6-7 turning on the season. Sidelights.8-9 tvs hot a absolutely  Andy Rooney checks out this crime. Odds amp ends ftmmm.m.,. 10. Erma Bombeck on House git ests. In tune 11 autumn  weeks films. 12-13 military circuit listings. A. Chuck Emch s big tip on a it could happen to you. A television listings. 14-17 local Cable and satellite schedules. A it could happen to you 22-23 the fun in watching Nicolas Cage words amp wit.24 Texas sized  itttiaaia.,.#., 25 meaty stuff on cats. On Parade. 27 Jamie Lee Curtis made it after All. Laugh ��.�?�.�?�.i.,. 2$ Dave barrys school Daze a Home entertainment. 18 videos in the swing of baseball. Voices. 20-21 the plaid truth about fashion. Quot Quot Joe Bob Briggs still says a Hon. A a sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes. Editor Bucky Fox cover Story design Susan Harris production Bernard Jensen editorial assistance Louis a fierce Page 2 sunday september 4, 1994