European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 stars and stripes sunday March 252007 Thomas e Kelsch publisher John d Panasiewicz general manager it col Daniel r Todd Usan commander news and editorial Robb Grindstaff Doug Clawson executive editor managing editor Pacific Thomas p Skeen Pacific editor Chris Carlson Japan Bureau chief id Flack Korea Bureau chief Washington do assistant managing editors Karen Willenbrecht news Sean Moores sports Brian Bowers features Christopher six Patrick Dickson news editor Joe Gromelski web editor addresses us mail unit 45002 Apo a 963375002 International mail 2317 Roppo Ngi 7cbome Mina Toku Tokyo 1060032 Japan fax Dan 2293132 Civ 03 34088936 email readers forum advertising marketing circulation Central office 529 14th Street new suite 350 Washington do 200451301 phone Dan 3127630900 or Civ 202 7610900 fax 202 7610890 editorial director 529 14th St new suite 350 Washington do 200451301 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daily and sunday by the stars and stripes Central office 529 14th St new suite 350 Washington do 200451301 periodicals postage paid at san Francisco Calif postmaster Send address changes to Pacific stars and stripes unit 45002 Apo a 963375002 ombudsman David Mazzarella the stars and stripes ombudsman protects the free flow of news and information reporting any attempts by the military or other authorities to undermine the newspapers Independence the ombudsman also responds to concerns and questions from readers and monitors coverage for fairness accuracy timeliness and balance the ombudsman welcomes comments from readers and can be contacted by email at or by phone at 2027610945 european and Pacific stars and stripes 2007 stars and stripes web site  letters to the editor cafes value to gis is obvious the army and air Force Exchange ser vice is not a monopoly cafes is not even a company it is a Benefit that ser Vic members department of defense civilians and others Are afforded it is one of the Many privileges Given to say thanks for serving your country there Are no shareholders it is not traded on any Stock Exchange it is an instrument of the us government give cafes some Competition let Ter March Why would the us government want to create a second organization to directly compete with cafes it would require its own office staff distribution centers Etc it sounds like More overhead costs to me How would that Benefit service members it  by the Way Walmart target or pc Penney will not be taking Over cafes they Are companies owned by share holders and International conglomerates these entities Are interested in investing their Money in financial opportunities not financial burdens its not cheap transporting merchandise All Over the world As for Gas prices whats the problem Gas is so cheap on base be thankful the policy is Clear weekly stateside average plus a nominal overhead Gas prices vary All Over the us Gas is cheaper in some places and More expensive in oth ers cafes uses the average not the Low est the letter writer should ask his Host country friends about the Cost of filling their cars on the Economy they would gladly fill up at cafes Lowlow prices remember the motto we go where you go that right cafes is Down Range too cafes can even be found on those Small Remote bases with Low popu lations even if it Means operating a facility at a loss cafes is there for you will ing to sell you merchandise at very reasonable prices cafes is a wonderful privilege so lets quit the complaining and Start Tak ing advantage of our tax free shopping benefits tech sgt Jimmy Jones Kadena air base Okinawa doonesbury by go Trudeau bad news sir another coalition Mower 1spulun6oiitofiraq Bap news the time 0ktta1n Folk sap takes Homb its shake of Ai que Patapes Only stars and editorials and columns that Are in the thrice in line lives Wiir letters must be signed and must inulin be the writers address or base and Telephone number please limit All letters to 300 words we Reserve the right to edit letters for length taste and clarity Send your tetters to us mail International mail readers Oram stars and stripes stars Aad Stipes 72317 unit 45002 Mina Toku a 9s3375062 tote 106c email put skill badges on velcro come on Are you kidding me have we not made the decision to allow Hook pile tape commonly referred to As velcro for skill badges on the army combat uni form there is a reason the army and air Force allowed Seton badges for the Bat the dress uniform it was simple and it saved soldiers uniforms from damage All badges should come off when in the Field but pinning on these pieces of Metal Only increases Cost in terms of torn uniforms when caught on a Backpack or Rucksack the constant painting replacing and such with Pinon badges do not save the Soldier any Money i think the gentlemen making these decisions Are generally sitting behind a desk at the Pentagon planning the next major uniform Epiphany listen to the soldiers in the Field i do not know one person with a badge who would rather have Pinon give the Soldier the ability to sew these badges on a piece of hot or take them away from the Acu All together i say i worked hard to earn my badges and would like to Wear them without having to picks the wars going great y youre r16ht the collapse of tub Coa lhioh15 6ood n50js worry that the Black on the Metal has worn off or that i am going to catch it on something i care too much for what they stand for to allow myself to run around with the brass showing others not much i know Many people who do not Wear them daily because of maintenance issues whom is it going to Hurt to have them on hot our danish counterparts among other nations allow it and it Doest look bad just give it up and allow soldiers to stick them on like the rest of the a dons its a great uniform in terms of convenience and functionality just one Small flaw with the badges capt Jay Cash Stuttgart Germany lighten up on Coulter i dont know much about Ann Coulter the few times Ive read her column Ive had a Good laugh the writer of wont sit Down for standup letter March a self described proud Liberal Doest like her in fact she Doest think stars and stripes should feature Coulters column Why because Coulter makes fun of Liber als and no one should be allowed to do that i am an enlisted Seal and from my six years of service i have met one other Seal who would Call himself a Liberal the rest Are either conservatives or eschew politics in general All know enough about the political landscape however to know that democrats Are the ones trying to quit in Iraq redeploy to the Periphery to fight global warming and put Gays in the military not exactly in step with the ideals of most frontline War fighters the letter writer needs to lighten up on Coulter there Are a lot of people in the Mil itary serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who didst join the military for the social Blan Ket of free health care College tuition and advancement by simply breathing and the ridiculous american forces network commercials they signed up to serve their country and Mil some terrorists i think Coulter probably would under stand this better than most proud Liber als and i Welcome her next column and the jokes at the letter writers expense Petty officer 2nd class Ben Milligan Al Anbar Iraq the terror x each t1m5an its follow ally Mth Prauss you Home some terrorists with