European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 27, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 0 stars and stripes tuesday March 27 2007 Thomas e Kelsch publisher John d Panasiewicz general manager it col Daniel r Todd Usan commander news and editorial Robb Grinostaff Doug Clawson executive editor managing editor Pacific Thomas p Skeen Pacific editor Chris Carlson Japan Bureau chief to 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 7chome Mina Toku Tokyo 1060032 Japan Fajg 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 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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 keep health care fees in Check As part of the administrations fiscal year 2008 budget request the department of defense again seeks increased Tricase fees and copayment for retirees under age 65 in order to sustain the military health Benefit the Fleet Reserve association Fra strongly opposes the administrations Cost shifting plan until other options to make Tricase More cos efficient Are sufficiently investigated and implemented Fra is working with Congress and Dod to ensure full funding of the defense health program to meet readiness needs including full funding of both i rec care and Purchase care sectors pro Viding Access to the military health care system for All uniformed services beneficiaries regardless of age status or Loca Tion despite the War on terror Overall fund ing for Dod in recent years has shrunk in terms of the annual Gross Domestic product defense spending was reduced from 52 percent of Gap in 1990 to 3 per cent from 19992001 this year the United states will spend Only 4 percent of its Gap on defense from 19611963 the military consumed 91 percent of Gap annually there is Strong opposition to the pro posed fee increases within the senior enlisted and Retiree communities in Addi Tion the proposed health care fee increases Are a morale Issue within the senior enlisted Active duty communities who View this As reducing the value of their future re Tiree benefits Fra supports the military Retiree health care Protection act or sponsored by reps Chet Edwards Texas and Walter Jones inc the legislation prohibits health care fee in creases unless approved by Congress additionally Fra supports the military health care Protection act s 604 sponsored by Sens Frank Lautenberg Duj and Chuck Hagel neb that would limit annual Tricase fee increases to the amount of the consumer Price Index which is the basis for annual Mili tary retired pay increases providing and funding health care Bene fits for All beneficiaries Are part of the Cost of defending our nation Joseph Barnes National executive Secretary Fleet Reserve association Alexandria a cafes Doest have monopoly according to the specialist who wrote give cafes some Competition getter March complaining about army and air Force Exchange service prices Ameri cans working for the military in Germany Are forced to use on Post facilities huh who is forcing him it never ceases to amaze me How Many people in Germany complain about cafes not having any Competition this May be True for Gas purchases but for clothes electronics food and a whole lot of other products these arguments do not hold water Tell us you think stars and stripes welcomes your comments editorials and columns that Are published in the newspaper and values tetters on topics of importance in the lives of our readers All letters must 6e signed and must include the writers address or base and Telephone number please limit All Fetters to 300 words we Reserve the right to edit Fetters for length taste and clarity Send your letters to us mail International readers1 forum and stripes stars and stripes Topping unit 45002  Apo a 963375002 it Tyr 1060032 via fax from japan0334088936 on 2293271 via fax from country Codi 8sn 2293271 email 88936 the specialist should take some of his own advice and take a drive off Post to some of the German stores such As Media Markt Jodl am Globus real the list could go on and on he can find products in these stores that blow away cafes prices especially if he takes a tax form with him when it comes to buying fruits vegetables and some other food items the commissaries cant hold a can dle to the of Post prices on Many items he just needs to take the time to compari so shop and then make his purchases at whichever location offers him the Best value and Price also internet shopping can help him save Money Many items cafes Sells Are also available from online stores in the us at tremendous discounts if a store will not ship to an army Post office address then i am sure i can find another within five minutes that likes my Money and is willing to ship to an Apo cafes has no monopoly if he Doest like cafes prices he  shop there unless it provides a better Price than an of Post store or the internet or he just cannot get the item he wants anywhere else Bert Linson Heidelberg Germany be thankful for an obviously the writer of Stop trash programming letter March 22 was not around in the Days when we had Only one american forces network Channel programming Back then was a whole season late never mind a few Days we did not have the luxury of Choice now no matter what your interests Are there is something for you i have three kids there want a cartoon network or a Disney Channel for them i enjoy sports there want a sports Channel i see More games now than i could see in the states by buying a season pass we Only got the news every hour now we have a news doonesbury Channel unlike in the states where the broadcasters Are competing for viewers we can watch All our favorite shows with out missing another for the most be thankful for what we have now cause it has come a Long Way the letter writer is in Germany not a lot of people get an Opportunity to come to Europe take advantage and get out of the tech sgt Kenneth d Mcdaniel Stuttgart Germany Chiquita terrorist links Colombia is the third largest recipient of us foreign Aid but it appears that Chiq Uita brands International hurts stabilization efforts in the country by paying terrorists to protect its banana plantations and workers company Chiquita pleads guilty in terrorism probe Brief March 21 Okinawa and Korea in a plea bargain the company agreed to pay million for employing terrorist groups including the revolutionary armed forces of Colombia while dismayed in not surprised Ive been following Chiquita since i trav eled to Honduras and witnessed the Mas Sive cargo ships taking away their natural treasure while workers live in utter poverty nestled in its subtropical corporate Headquarters in Cincinnati Chiquita continues its stranglehold of the banana Indus try dont be multimillion Dol Lar politically connected company protects its interests in the 1990s Chiquita successfully pressured the Clinton administration to impose High tariffs on targeted european goods causing Many Small businesses to suffer Chiquita was upset with Western Europe audacity to Purchase Large quantities of bananas from smaller companies i would gladly pay More for bananas if countries in Central and South America would nationalize their banana plantations but any politician even considering such a move would commit political Sui cide challenging the Chiquita fruit giant takes More than courage maj David j Mcconnell Mannheim Germany no 2 enemy is Media the military members serving in the area of responsibility look at the news Media very differently from our civilian counterparts in the us Here our no 1 enemy is Al Aida and its links while our no 2 enemy seems to be the american Media the unreported news is what bothers me our sacrifices Here deserve some real reporting although it is difficult when a lot of missions Are still works in Progress and at the very least sensitive in nature if everyone would reflect on sept 112001 and let that incident Burn in his heart daily that reminder would bring people together on common ground then we would see some truthful balanced news reported tech sgt Edward Flicker Ali Al Salem Kuwait by Garry Trudeau okay5oihavz  15 Okay what you for sexual 7rauma