European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 03, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 letters to the editor sunday septembers 1995 european edition col. Steven 3. Hoffman Usan Bernard a. 20vistoski editor news and editorial Bill Walker european editor Kathy Oay news editor sports editor George Manes City editor to write us unit 29480 Apoate 09211 orpostfach11 143? 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. Spotts ext. 225,269,263,332,321,221. Features ext. 230,245,341,. Letters to Edt Toh ext. 208, 400. Business news ext. 326. News bureaus Bamberg Germany Ron Jansen Toom 424, bldg 70b9, Warner Barracks unit 27538, Box 23826 Apo a 09139 Telephone civilian 0951-3689s. A Biderberg. Germany Effie Batten room 117, Rome str. 104, 69115 Heidelberg Urf Ephna Dan 370 7010 or civilian 06221-23421 Tel slam 06221-10554. 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Organizational Days for units Are for the morale of the soldiers whatever their rank might  remember a similar incident Back Home in Ohio when then gov. James Rhodes was hit in the face with a pie and was rushed off to the Hospital to Check for injuries. I be never known a pie to harm anyone. So i thought this was silly of the governor of my Home state and i think this is silly to try to harm a Soldier s career because someone does t have a sense of humor or maybe a limited sense of humor. We have had the same activity at our organizational Days and nothing like this Ever happened. As a matter of fact our organizational Day was on Trie same Day. This year we had a dunking Booth in Stead of pie throwing. I personally dunked three officers and a senior no. If i had thought i had to worry about getting someone angry i would not have participated in the activity. In my Opin Ion it is the major who needs to rethink what is going on. Who truly Hurt the organizational Day who got angry Sidney w. Johnston or. Bum Holder Germany no deserves support in reference to the article unit pie throwing contest gets Nasty after sergeant creams major aug. 29it upsets me to Sec a fellow noncommissioned officer get disciplined for throwing a pie in a major s face during an organizational Day Why would the major let someone hit him in the face if he did t want to participate he could have simply said no  it also a palls me that this Soldier is not getting any support from his Chain of command. Everyone knows it was for fund raising Ana yet no one stood up for the sergeant after the major threw a lit this action leads me to believe the major could have been unpopular with the troops. Everyone who was involved with the pie throwing incident should take a Sec Ond look and ask themselves two questions Are we punishing this no be cause someone got angry and ? if it were the major throwing the pie at the sergeant would the sergeant being upset even be an Issue Are we looking at a double Standard Here letting an incident like this disrupt unit morale would be very unfortunate. I m also sure that Many senior cos and officers have had pies thrown in their faces on organizational Days but every one needs to uphold their professional ism arid drive on. Sgt Mark Floryanne Baum older Germany show him it , he suddenly lost his command of English. We then spent More than three hours driving from pick up Point to pick up Point. We waited at least 30 minutes at each place for people who were not there and after the tour guide called top Tours we had to go to another place to pick them up. As a result we were late arriving in Koblenz and almost missed the boat. When we arrived at the Dock,.the boat was already full arid we had no Chance to compete for seating. The previous year we had reserved seats for the boat. This year we did not and ended up in the Lov rest deck riot Only was it extremely hot but we could notice anything when we ordered food we were informed that we could not get dinner because we got. On the boat too late. Instead we had cheese and Salt Sticks. Oit was when i went to get a Beer that i met John apparently the senior guide and asked him Why the tour was so bad. He told me i was wrong. Last year s a gust tour left from Koblenz the seats were riot reserved and there was no Din Ner. He also could not explain Why the flier said we would leave from Bingen. After the boat trip was Over we were told to get off the boat and we would be led to our bus for our. Return trip Home. _ when we had arrived in Koblenz we had been told we would be taking a different bus to return to vog Cloch. The bus Loca Tion had been pointed out to us when we arrived but later i was told by John that the bus would be moved during the eve Ning. We also were told there would be a six passenger Van going Back to Vogel Weh. John left the boat with four hand picked passengers and a top tour pm. Joyee for the Yan and the rest of  told to follow Mark to the bus. Unfortunately John did not Tell our guide that the bus was moved. We walked about six blocks to where the bus had been parked originally and it was not there. We stood on the sidewalk for " Over l /2 hours until the a Plize were asked to find our bus. When my wife called top Tours on a londay she also was told that we were wrong about last year s trip sometimes they have trouble booking trips for americans and were sure the flier . But if we brought them a letter of complaint they would see if something could Bedone. I do not understand Why top Tours just did not Call and Tell us that they were unable to Book the trip As advertised. We bought the tickets two weeks Early. And Why could t the tour guide explain the change of schedule we Are aware that there Are other tour companies and we will take Pur business to them from now on. After All we Only wanted what the flier said we were paying for. Victor Mclaughlin Kaiserslautern Germany scheme or scam As it is surely becoming slowly we have seen the erosion of All of these benefits. There s always an excuse for it. Balancing the budget is just another excuse for the government not to make due its Promise or  How Ever we can give millions or billions of dollars to foreign Aid As in Mexico or the former soviet Union or countless other nations. A hand up is Nice for friends or a handout to some poor off nation. What about our own citizens Charity should begin at Home. By the Way i and others like me Don t want Charity we want what we earned and have a right to. I lived up to my end of the bargain now that i approach my 26th year i am being told my longevity pay increase could be Cut. It is unacceptable. I earned that pay. -. Think about it we do More with less every Day it s not easy by any stretch of the imagination but that does t mean we Don t look Forward to the Light at the end of the Tunnel. That Light is retire Merit and now Congress and the Senate want to dim the Light and make further cuts to the few benefits left. I say no. Senior master sgt Thomas Wharton Raf Lakenheath England from top to Bottom my wife and i had an experience that we feel must be shared. Recently we went on a top Tours Rhine aflame cruise and because we had taken the same tour last year we expected to have a Nice evening. In fact we had such a Good time last year we convinced friends to come with us. We spent most of the evening apologizing to them. Last year we departed from Bingen around 5 30 . And had a wonderful 2 a hour Daylight cruise above Koblenz where we waited for dark and the fire works to Start. On the Way we ordered dinner and wine and enjoyed some of the most spectacular Sites in Europe. According to this year s flier we expected to leave from Bingen As we had the year before. When we got on the bus we were told by the top Tours guide that we would be departing from Koblenz. When asked Why the change of departure Points he told us we were wrong about the flier. When we produced the flier to Don t Iet . Renege in response to the High 1" formula cutting longevity retirement pay where do people get off for 25 years i have put my life and that of my family at the. Disposal of the United states air Force my government for the defense of the United states and its policies. When i enlisted in the United states air Force in january 1970, i knew that life As i knew it would change  i was prepared to give my life in Vietnam or any other location if events turned out that Way because Triy government sent me there. I was doing my duty. Countless deployments travelling to far off and dangerous lands was and has been the Norm. Family separations and missing important dates in our children s development were All taken into account because i signed up. To a contract with my  i was promised if i choose to stay and give myself to our country s needs after the minimum 20 years i would receive certain benefits. Medical educational and financial benefits As slight As they Are were the major Selling Points for the retirement an unseemly d display i just had to comment on the photo of the Citadel cadets cheering when told that Shannon Faulkner would be quitting the school. Perhaps i am wrong but my Home training taught me that a True gentleman never behaves in a Way that is in kind nor would he gain pleasure from another s misfortune. Further a gentleman must at All times act with Deco rum and manners. A gentleman would never treat a woman Dis courteously. I am familiar with the Citadel and am aware of the code that requires All Cita Del cadets to behave As  is an argument about Shannon Faulkner violating the Cadet code of honesty be cause she omitted her sex on the application. This picture indicates to me that other cadets violated an even More important code one of Basic Courtesy and respect for another human being. I Don t believe the picture shows cadets behaving As "gentlemen.".,. Regardless of your views on Shannon Faulkner i find it unconscionable that these same cadets want to preserve a tradition that supports such behaviour. All i can say is shame on the cadets and staff who allow that Type of display and i Hope that during those four years the cadets learn something about Courtesy and re Spect regardless of differences and beliefs. They May have to enter the real world. Tech sgt Linda Hyams Raf Mildenhall England 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 daily 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. Be p for