European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 letters to the editor Friday november 18,1994 european edition col. Steven s. Hoffman Usan commander publisher Bernard a. Zovistoski editor news and editorial Deborah Absher Nowa editor. Bill Walker european editor Bowker sports editor George Manea City editor to write us unit 29480 apoae09211 Orost Tachell 1437 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. 208,400. Education Jimi Jones ext. 226. Business news ext. 326. News bureaus Heidelberg Germany Effi Bathen. Room 117. Rome str. 104.69115 Heidelberg Telephone Dan 370 7010 or civilian 06221-23421 Tel fax 06221-10554. Kaiserslautern Germany Kevin Dougherty end Doyle tinman. Building 2699, Pulaski Barracks Apo a 09227-3717 Telephone on 489-6585 or civilian 0631 52104 Tel fax on 4894397 or Conan 0631.5366357. Nurnberg Germany Ron Jensen. Building 21, wll learn o. Darby Cavern Apo a 09222 Telephone on 460-7256 or civilian 0911-712563 Tel fax 0911-717130 Wurzburg Germany Pat Barnam building 220, room 109, Faulenburg Cavern Apo a 09036 Tele phone Dan 351-4289 or civilian 0931-286956 Tel fax 0931-8896770. Mediterranean sue Palumbo and Marian Hamilton Naples Italy pc 810. Box 56, Fpo a 09619 Tele phone Dan 625-4880 or civilian 0817624049/4547 Tele tax 0039-81-7624049. Northern Italy j. King Cruger pc 54. Box 473 Apo a ,09601 Telephone Dan 632-8176 or civilian 0039-4346-8176 Tel fax 0039-434-668222. United kingdom Nancy Tor Marc Mcvann and Dave Dudlo. Building 464 Cess us Raf Mildenhall. Apo a 09459 Telephone Dan 238-2226 or civilian 0638-542226 Tel fax 0638-718013, new York City Timothy Calll room 638, 201 Varick st., new York 10014 Telephone 212-620-3333 Tel fax 212-620-3268.washington . Chuck Vinch and Cindy Wollon Oast a the Pentagon room 2e756 . Box 46095. Washington . 20050-6095 Telephone 703 697-6695 Tel fax 703-693-6366. Business departments maj Richard k. Major Usa Deputy commander Oalee Stet newspaper operations director James Wyo pm circulation manager Jeffrey h. Kingdom. Comptroller circulation toll free customer service for Home or office delivery inquiries or delivery problems Call 24 hours Germany Belgium Italy United kingdom Netherlands Spain Tel fax 0130-840048 07811-8775 16783456 0-800-898854 06-022-7629 900-99-4955 06155-601436 Germany Augsburg civilian 0821-544529, Tel fax 0821-544565berlin civilian 030-8331 b46dsn 332-3548. Kaiserslautern civilian 0631-57070 or 57079, Dan 489-7100, Tel fax 0631-60696. 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Including insert or supplements does not constitute endors ment by the department of defense or the slam and stripes of the products or services advertised. Already coed a nov. 2 associated press Story state that in september of this year the first coed unit was formed at fort Leonard Wood to. This article is not True. I know because i was in a coed uni myself starting in february of 1992. My Basic training As Well As my advanced individual training Ait was in fort Mcclellan Ala. We had 17 women who graduated and 100 men who graduate from the same company the 82nd chem ical co. I i would appreciate it if you would let the readers of the stars and Stripe newspaper know the truth. Margaret Rodriguez Babenhausen Germany a Sleazy tabloid although for years i have viewed the to our readers let us know what you think we encourage our readers especially those who have never submitted a letter to write to us. Letters expressing readers View Points or opinions 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 06155 601-395, Dan 348-8395. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. Stars and stripes Pursuit of objectively reporting the news with suspicion i need never go further than the oct. 30 military update when Richard Templeton a re tired naval Reserve officer in port Lud Low wash., injured his foot last coring he called Madigan army medical Center at fort Lewis to see a podiatrist. He could t get in. They said we Don t treat people Over 65, " recalled Templeton. I was upset. I put time in the Navy including service in world War ii and was promised something in  Loann Laurents wife of a retired air Force colonel tried to arrange a routine gynaecological exam at Dewitt army Community Hospital on fort Belvoir  scheduler chirped that she had Sev eral openings before thinking to ask Lau rents now 71, her age. Suddenly nothing was available. That was the first time anyone there had Ever asked my age Saia Laurents. I figured since my husband spent 30 years in service i should be seen. I Twain t  thousands of retirees and dependents 65 and older have been turned away from military hospitals and clinics in recent years and forced to rely on civil Ian care providers using medicare insurance with its higher out of pocket costs. But what began As a occasional nuisance at selected locations could become a per manent and Universal lockout of medi care eligible retirees dependents an survivors. Hardest hit would be an estimated 230,000 beneficiaries age 65 and older who receive regular care from military hospitals. Their space available privileges could disappear by late 1997 As Tri care the military s new health maintenance organization is phased in through out the United states. Retirees who see what s happening Are frustrated and they re frightened said Dorsey Chescavage a health care specialist for the National military family association. Yet Many Are still unaware of the changes ahead. Pentagon officials blame the situation on tighter medical budgets that won t allow them to offer Tricase to older beneficiaries unless medicare reimburses the military for the Cost of such care an estimated $1.2 billion a year. That Transfer would have occurred under president Clinton s health Reform with that plan now dead Pentagon receipt of medicare funding appears in  -. -.-. Yet the Tricase phase in is on schedule and those not enrolled could soon see a Sharp decline in space Avail Able care. Oliver Frakes a retired Navy corpsman who cared for wounded a fines during the 1950 Landing at Inchon Korea says he Al ready feels locked out. Although Tyndall air Force base is 10 min utes away from his Home in Panama City fla.,Frakes says Nei ther he nor his wife Norma can get a medical appointment. And Frakes eligibility for champs the military s Standard health insurance ended in july when he turned 65. Since then he says his medical costs have jumped. Frakes pays $46 a month for medicare plan b coverage and $72 a month for supplemental health insurance. Neither plan covers prescription drug for which Frakes paid $1000 Over the last four months. I thought As Long As we lived near military base we d have free medical care for the rest of our lives he said. Now that s not True Retiree associations Are urging their members to pressure the 104th Congress Tom Philpott edition for validation. The cartoon with of. Simpson As the subject matter ranks the stars and stripes As nothing More than a Sleazy Tab Loid devoid of the Quality journalism you so erroneously seem to be proud of. The constitutional right for Freedom of the press is inherently sacred to All Peoples living in a free society. The constitutional right to a fair trial is equally fundamental. Not Only have you distorted the press s Freedom you Are directly responsible for the seemingly impossible Opportunity for or. Simpson to receive a fair trial. Your decision to publish this cartoon reeks of the social and racial biases that Are destroying the fabric of american society. A. " ". But worst of All whatever your motive the cartoon epitomizes an utter Lack of consideration or compassion for Nicole s family. Congratulations staff sgt. Walter b. Hughes Arazos a Greece to support a Transfer of medicare funds so older beneficiaries Aren t shut out of Tricase. " .".,.but Chescavage of the Nymfa says Pentagon officials should be looking for other solutions to protect retirees. Predicting health care for medicare eligible on medicare reimbursement is blatantly unfair and in fact unconscionable she said. These people earned a health care Benefit that should be paid for by the department of defense not medicarefederal civilian retirees Chesca Vage noted suffer no Cut in health Bene fits at65. Many in fact Combine medicare with existing coverage and end up with a very very Good health plan. But for the military Retiree it s.  " Pentagon officials say after tric retakes hold some older retirees still will be admitted to military hospitals if for no other reason than to keep medical skill Sharp. Such assurances Only Stoke Chesca Vage Sanger. Excuse me she said but you re either entitled to a health care Benefit or you Renot. Are we fodder for the system or Dowe have a Benefit at some Point she said the govern ment has lost sight of what it owes to aging retirees an their families. Any health insurer would love this plan because it eliminates the old arid the sick she said. In terms of saving Money what Adeal in terms of health care coverage that people have earned it stinks readers comments and Sqq Eselona nothin5.6uhatgo Kex Jameah  Gotte hink i6ues&ijustipunno.ts Al tue. Gtar/n6at Mph Flyth 6oofygrn