European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 16 the stars and stripes letters to the editor saturday december 17,1994 european edition Cut Steven s. Hoffman usaf1 commander publisher Bernard a. Zovistoski editor news and editorial Deborah Absher news editor Bill walk european editor Bob Wicher sports editor George Manet City editor to write us unit 29480 Apo a 09211 orpostfach11 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 Effia Bathe room .117, Pon str. 104, 09115 Heidelberg Telephone Dan 370 7010 or civilian 06221-23421 Tel fax 0622m 0554. Kaiserslautern Germany Kevin Dougherty and Doyle Tillman. Building 2899, Pulaski Barracks Apo a 09227-3717 Telephone Dan 489-6565 or civilian 0631 52104 Tetera Dan 489-6357 of civilian 0631-536635.7. Nurnberg Germany Ron Jensen Bui Wing 21, Wil Ham 0. Darby Cavern Apo a 09222 Telephone Dan 460-7256 or civilian 0911-712563 Tel fax 0911-717130. Wurzburg Germany j. P. Barham 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 fax 0039-81-7624049. Northern Italy j. King Cruger pc 54. Box 473 Apo a 09601 Telephone Dan 632-8178 or civilian 0039-434-66-8178 Tel fax 0039-434-668222. United kingdom Nancy Tomer Mare Mcfann and Dave Didlo. Building 464 Cess us Raf mime Hall Apo a 09459 Telephone Dan 238-2226 or civilian 0638-542226 Tel fax 0838-718013. New York City Timothy Calll. Room 638, 201 Varlock st., new York 10014 Telephone 212-620-3333 Tel fax 212-620-3268. Washington do Chuck Van cry and Cindy kill lion. Cd a the Pentagon room 2e758 . Box 46095, Washington . 20050-6095 Telephone 703. 697-6695 Tel fax 703-693-6366.business departments maj Richard k. A or Usa. Deputy commander Jeffrey h. Kingdom comptroller James Wytock circulation manager circulation toll free customer service for Home or office delivery inquiries or delivery problems Call 24 hours Germany Belgi Mitaly United kingdom Netherlands Spain Tel fax 0130-840048 07811-8775 1678-7-3456 0-800-89885406-022-7629 900-99-4955 06155-601436 Germany Augsburg civilian 0821-544529, Tel fax 0821-544565. Berun civilian 030-8331846, Dan 332-3548. civilian 0631-57070 or 57079, Dan 489-7100. Tel fax 0631-50696. Nurnberg civilian 0911-712558, Dan 460-7001. Stuttgart 0130-840048. Italy Naples civilian 0039-81 -724480. Dan 625-4880, Tele fax 0039-81-7244489. Vicenza civilian 0444-515358, Dan 634-7545. Tel fax 0444-300-641. Spain Madrid Dan 665-5807, civilian and Tel fax 00341 6561465. Turkey Istanbul civilian 0090-212-272 48 43, Tel fax 0090 212-2743209. United kingdom Cirencester civilian 0285-713-637, Dan 247-4445. Advertising display Germany 06155-601247 or 601309, Dan 348 8247. Classified Germany 06155 601349, Dan 348-8349. Advertising Tel fax 06155-601412 please Recycle this newspaper is an authorized unofficial publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of the Stara and stripes do not necessarily reflect the official views of of endorsement by the . Government the department of defense of the . European command. The appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorse ment by the department of defense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. Dangerous assignment on nov. 18, i was placed on a Street leading put of Ben Franklin Village in Mannheim to hold traffic during a Convoy for safety reasons. The 109th trans co was coming out of the Field and returning to Coleman Barracks. The safety patrol from 28th trans in was supposed to have military police Block the Road for four different convoys. No maps showed up. The safety patrol had three people from the battalion to Stop traffic. The three people had Bright Orange Road guard vests on. The maps drove by but none stopped to help hold traffic for the four convoys. About 4 15 p.m., i was struck by a White Audi driven by a German Man. The car stopped. The Man was very angry. I started writing Down the License plate number. I looked up and noticed an my Van occupied by seven maps. I told the Driver of the my Van i needed help because i was struck and the Driver of the my Van told me to wait a minute. When the maps left the Driver of the Audi put the car in gear and struck me in the legs causing me to fall on the Hood of the car. After stood up the Driver drove around me and sped on from the scene. The maps never snowed up again and the German police never came. About 4 35j i was picked up by the 28th trans in safety patrol. I told the Coic what had happened. I was then taken to the my station in Benjamin Franklin Village. I told the desk sergeant what had happened. He told me that a unit was dispatched but the unit found no one needing assistance. The reason the unit found no one he was dispatched to the wrong location. The maps told me that the Van that was on the scene could not have helped me anyway. It is really bad when a Soldier in uni form is struck by a car and is asking for assistance and the maps refuse. What 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 09241, or fax country code 49 06155 601-395, Dan 348-8395. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. I to complained to the postal service but i received no excuse or answer. Here in1 Mainz at the Martin Luther King Village shopping Center we have a mail drop Box with a sign that says states for faster service take your mail to Lee i thought that Lee Barracks had been closed so i brought this to the attention of a representative of the postal service at the october meeting of Armah. Today at 0900 hours the mail Box still has the notice. I wish someone would Tell me How Long Lee Barracks has been closed or has it i will mail this letter at the German Post office. Harry o. Kelly Mainz Germany would happen if i was seriously injured maybe someone would find me before the maps so i could receive medical Atten -.spec. Redford Earls Mannheim Germany n quandary about mail having sent several letters to the Edi Tor in the 42v2 years i have been Here in Germany without having the pleasure of Reading one that i sent would like to try once More concerning our postal service. While i was in the states last year i was sent a very important letter concern ing a business involving thousands of Dol Lars with a deadline that i could not meet because although the letter was insured registered and sent with the Correct address zip code and All necessary information the letter arrived two weeks later in Missouri after having been sent to a Small town in Illinois. Army Navy Good sports watching the army is. Navy College football game recently i was pleasantly surprised to see a close and exciting con test. I also was filled with Pride at the Mutual respect and sportsmanship Dis played by the players of both teams. The athletes competitive drive was tempered by restraint born of True professionalism and discipline the academies Are known for instilling in its character building aspect of sports is a goal we often lose sight of these Days. These two teams will not win a National championship this year nor be at the top of the a or coaches poll. The players will not go on to make millions in the nil As will some of the players from other big name colleges who strut taunt and showboat on our television screens week after week. However their self control and conduct on the Field is a wonder Ful example for our younger High school athletes to witness and represents the Best in College sports excellence. Capt. Douglas p. Maker Rhein main a Germany commentary Orange county fiasco and Merrill Lnch by the los Angeles times was Wall Street peddling risky securities to a vulnerable Orange county much like a drug dealer feeding the habit of an addled Junkie or was the county a wide awake participant in its own in doing fumbling with strategies that re quire savvy and flexible investing it May be that it was a Little of each. Either Way the Issue of whether investment houses have a fiduciary responsibility for Orange county s bankruptcy is Likely to end up in the courts. There is precedent for finding such accountability however the enormity of the Orange county debacle ought to prompt More than a settling of accounts. It should result in new thinking about oversight of Public investments made by Public officials. Merrill Lynch reportedly earned about $80 million in fees and commis Sions in dealing with the go for broke in vestment Pool of now resigned Orange county treasurer Robert l. Citron. Over the years Merrill Lynch lobbied for liberalizing state legislation to make such in vestments possible and it contributed generously to political campaigns. Now the securities and Exchange commission wants to know whether there were any misrepresentations connected with the fund the state depart ment of corporations is looking for Possi ble violation of state Law in the county s relationship with Merrill Lynch. Did investment houses exploit cozy relationships with municipalities to lure them into unwise investments a 1993 Orange county ordinance was broadly aimed at curbing gifts to county officials not just from Bankers but from developers and the like precisely to discourage the luring of officials Down the Primrose path. But a few lakers tickets or other Small gifts do not make for the kind of colossal failure in oversight now evident in Orange county in its defense Merrill Lynch Sasin effect that the people at the Hall of administration in Santa Ana were grown and ought to have known what they were getting into. Maybe but did the new York based brokerage firm full disclose All the exposure and make Pru Dent investment suggestions certainly most taxpayers would agree that their Money managers and those looking Over their shoulders ought to know what they Are embarking on. Yet without any oversight from other county officials Citron had a free rein and be came a favored customer of Merrill Fannie Mae securities. The county was the sole purchaser of a $800 million Issue being investigated by the Sec. Last week having greased the legislative wheels and courted Orange county officials with Christmas gifts in earlier years some firms retreated by dumping nearly $9 billion in Bonds being held As col lateral on Loans. That ought to be sufficient evidence that the carefully cultivated relationships underlying these huge deals were of the Flimsy fair weather sort bonded Only by Bottom line returns on investments. Suddenly Orange county looked More vulnerable than anyone had imagined Possi ble. Whatever Wall Street s role was in this disaster the experience suggests a need for better disclosure requirements on invest ment funds involving Public Money and better monitoring of Money managers by the Public s trustees in City Halls. Without that the taxpayer is alone with the wolves. You know the irony of this & that even though tos4n/ty, to just a
