European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 21, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 12letters to the editor Friday october 21,1994 european edition col Steven s. Hoffman Usan commender publisher. Bernard a. Zovistoski. Editor. News and editorial Deborah Tosher nows editor a Bui Welker european editor Bob Wicker sports editor George Manet cry editor to write us unit 29480 Apo a 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37 64278 Darmstadt Germany news Tel fax 06155-601416 to Call us dial 06155-601 plus Extension or Dan 348-8 plus Extension As follows news ext. 237,255,282, 226, 326 sports ext. 225, 269, 263, 332, 321,221. Features ext. 230. 245, 341, letters to editor ext. 206,400. Education Jami Jones ext. 226. Business news ext. 326. News bureaus Heidelberg Germany Tfir Baleen room 117, . 104, 69126 Heidelberg Telephone Dan 370-70l0or civilian 06221-23421 Tel fax 06221-10554. Kaiserslautern. Germany Kevin Dougherty John Bodmer and Doyle Tillman. 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Sr-71 for the Birds revival of the sr-7i Blackbird absolutely does not make sense. It will be a waste of at least $100 million the initial amount allocated to a bring backs the Blackbird. In All probability it will end up costing much More. Money that is desperately needed in other areas will be spent for the special Kc-135 air refuelling support the sr-71 needs for virtually every Mission and for the colossal operations and maintenance budget this unnecessary aircraft requires. The u-2 is doing the reconnaissance Job every Day for significantly less Money than it costs to operate an sr-71. Its not an experimental drone in development and unlike the Blackbird it can loiter in an area for hours at a time. Best of All its a proven system that a bought and paid for. It gives the . Taxpayer the a most bang for the Bucko which in this Day of the shrinking defense Dollar is absolutely Paramount v lets spend the $100 million on something we really need like improved medical services or increased Airlift sea lift capability or daily operations and maintenance or eight new u-2s, Walt Flint Beale fab Calif. To our readers let us know what you think we encourage our readers a Espe daily those who have never submitted a letter a to write to us. Letters expressing readers viewpoints Are published Dally on this Page. All letters must be signed and include address and Telephone number. Send to letters to the editor the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. Or fax country code 49 06155601-395, Dan 348-8395. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. No one asked me reference an article sept. 11, an interesting thing about a polls is that i have never been asked to participate in any general poll. Only in polls conducted by special interest organizations when they basically already knew my response would be favourable to their cause. Of even More concern i know of no one who has been polled nor do they know of anyone who has been asked to participate in such a poll. Usually the question asked is worded to elicit the answer the pollsters want therefore the results Are probably quite slanted. Also usually these pollsters Are Bein paid by someone to conduct that pol would a in dependant polls Ever be swayed by that fact 1 would be More i dined to think they will do their very Best to deliver unto their master the results that that master wants to hear. Also i am highly doubtful that anyone under any conditions can get 98 percent of a randomly selected group of americans to agree on anything. Finally it appears that the one thing that might make a major change was avoided entirely. Let us have a Law that makes adults responsible for their own actions and limit and regulate lawsuits especially those suits filed by people serving sentences in prisons. C. G. Collins. Bad or Cugnach Germany take a Bow Philpott my compliments on the a military up Date column by Tom Philpott. It is Well written and informative a a Good addition to your paper. 1 Hope you keep providing that column As Long As it remains available. Paul s. Rinschen Heidelberg Germany i military update a 24-Star memorandum packs punch in Pentagon parlance its called a �?o24 Start memorandum having been signed by All six of the four Star officers who comprise the joint chiefs of staff. While a 24-Star memo is not exactly rare its uncommon enough and the signatures weighty enough often to tip the Scales during a critical defense debate. One such memo sent oct. 17 to defense Secretary William Perry might save a free care in military hospitals a at least for several More Overall Issue is what portion of health care costs should be borne by dependents and retirees under Tricase the military a new health maintenance organization. A More specific Issue is whether military clinics and hospitals should begin collecting Point of service fees. Stephen c. Joseph assistant Sec re tary of defense for health affairs told us in August that charging a fee for visits to military treatment facilities a was clearly off the table in negotiations Over a Cost sharing formula for Tricase the hmm offering is to be phase in throughout the . Over the next several years starting next Spring in the states of Washington and Oregon but Joseph has his Bosses and one of them Deputy defense Secretary John Deutch put fees a Aback on the table in late september during a High level budget meeting. Deutch sources said was disappointed that a group studying Tricase options had discarded plans that would charge nuisance fees in military facilities. Service leaders favored a Khmo option its key features Are no enrolment fee for Active duty families retirees under age 65 would pay $230 a year to enrol As an individual or $460 As a family co payments when sent to participate ing civilian physicians would be $6 for pillar four caring this amp wherein All. Comes together. Carjn6 amp a hat holes fall lies and Community amp a to-6ether. Tom Philpott Junior enlisted families $12 for other enrollees civilian inpatient charges would be set for All at $10.80 a Day. But the flaw of hmm option a in Deutch a View is that it would save Only $30 million a year Over the current system when fully implemented. Deutch sources said wanted the group to reconsider other alternatives like one called a option 2�?� which would set lower enrolment fees for retirees but would require dependents and retirees to pay $6 with each visit to a military Hospital or clinic. It also would set Retiree charges for civilian inpatient care at $145 a Day plus 20 percent of related professional fees. Deutch a did no to want to close the Book on that option or some permutation of it a said a defense health official. A this Overall goal is to reduce defense the secretaries of each service reconsidered the options and came Back still favouring option a. So did the joint chiefs but the chiefs promised to respond in writing. Their letter reached Perry a office a few Days later and was described by a defense official As a very the joint chiefs said hmm option a is the Best of 30 studied because it a is virtually transparent to Active duty families who should perceive it a was an improvement in health at the same time Tricase eligible retirees those not yet on medicare would face a relatively Low enrolment fees and fixed Low in patient this said the joint chiefs should Eli i. Nate the need for supplemental health insurance policies. Then without naming Deutch the pcs turned to his concern of making a deeper Cut into health care costs. A some consider hmm option a a too generous and favor alternatives that charge beneficiaries More to insulate Dod from possible Cost risks. A we do not favor such an approach a the service chiefs said noting that savings related to any hmm Are Uncertain Mey continued a we prefer implementing the Best option for our people How and reviewing the appropriateness of the fee Structure after three years. Such a review would be based upon data rather than for All the stars on the Letterhead civilians still run the Pentagon. Perry will make the final decision perhaps by the end of the month. Retiree Colas the 1995 Cost of living adjustment for military and Federal civilian retirees will be 2.8 will take effect Jan. 1 for disabled retirees social Security recipients survivor Benefit plan beneficiaries and those drawing dependency and indemnity compensation. But most military retirees wont see their cola until april 1, a delay that will save the government $130 2.8 percent does no to sound like much consider this thanks to cola Protection a service member who retired in 1974 with an annuity of $1000 will receive by next april close to $3,250 a month. A readers comments and suggestions Are welcomed. Write to military update co editor the stars and stripes unit 29400, Apo a 09211 t know Haven Mcahee it you in a few Vears but just want Pyou and pal to know that you were in my thoughts. Who she s is this blow really Nome off. Its Okay Pousho Wop you care. \
