European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 2, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pace 16 stars and stripes monday april 2 2007 and Thomas l Kelsch publisher Richard Braun Genera manager Europe it col Stephen Oconnor commander news and editorial Robb Grindstaff Doug Clawson executive editor managing editor Europe Sam Amrhein Europe Bureau chief Joseph Giordano Mideast Bureau chid harm Chentes assistant Bureau chief Washington do assistant managing editors Mary Bander news Sean Moores sports Brian Bowers features Christopher six Patrick Diek Sott news editor Joe Gromelski web editor addresses us mail unit 29480 Apo a 09211 International mail Postrach 1330 64345 Griesheim Germany fax Dan 3498416 Civ f 49 0 email news letters Central office 529 14tn 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 phone Dan 3127630945 or Civ 202 7610945 How to Ca 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fax Civ 202 7610890 email printed in Germany by Hurr yet As  deutschland printed in Italy Fay de Trice Tel Estampa stars and stripes uses 017252 is pubs sized daily except Christmas and new years for 50 cents daily and sunday by the stars and stripes Central office 52914th St new suite 350 Washington do 200451301 periodicals postage paid at Washington do postmaster Send address changes to european stars and stripes unit 29480 Apo a 09211 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 children and id cards in a fourth Grade teacher with depart ment of defense dependents schools in Germany Ive been teaching both fourth and fifth Grade for the past 10 years and in also a retired military member i understand the need for children to have some sort of military identification upon reaching a certain age but in not quite sure i understand the logic for that identification card to be a military id card that allows them Entrance to military bases exchanges and commissaries these id cards Are something our terrorist enemies would love to get hold of How often really do 10yearolds have a need to enter a base by themselves or shop alone in the base Exchange or commissary in Light of the current world situation where we Are faced with the threat of terrorist actions Here and abroad it is quite scary for me to know that children the age of 10 Are Given an id card they carry around on a daily basis As a fourth Grade teacher i always have a number of pupils who have trouble holding onto class work or Homework assignments Long enough for them to find their Way into my i Basket every time i ask the children where their work is time and time again i get the same or similar response i dont know dont get me wrong we have a number of children who Are very mature and responsible when they enter fourth Grade and Are trustworthy enough to have a Mili tary dependent id card however the Large majority of pupils who become 10 re ally have no immediate need to have then own dependent id card i really think if s time for the military to review the age requirement for issuing a military style id card maybe another Type of card that would allow by and commissary privileges but would not Grant the Holder authorization to a military base without an accompanying Parent just a thought during a time we need to be More Security conscious James Martin Ramstein air base Germany frightening stories for germans i surely appreciate the american understanding of Freedom also the Freedom of military related journalists to report to the Public what they see fit for All to be known but in the current wars situation it is not a Good and sound idea to create head lines like witness gang beat i near Hohenecker front Page March 27 and witness i struck 200 times in Initia Tion front Page March telling the general Public about very violent gangs within the military Many of my fellow germans Are fright ened enough by How much work for your War in Iraq and activities elsewhere is helped or led by us citizens living in our neighbourhood Here in Stuttgart there is no need to inform everybody that the us Tell us what you think stars and stripes welcomes your comments on editorials and columns that Are published in the newspaper and values letters on topics of importance in the lives of our readers All letters must be signed arid must include the address or base and Telephone number please limit All letters to 300 words we Reserve the right to edit letters for length taste and Lafity Send your Fetters to us Mai stars and stripes unit 29480 Apo a 09211 International mail stars and stripes Postrach 1330 64345 Griesheim via fax country 0 on 3498395 email is not Able to keep criminal gangs out of its own armed forces the stories about the terrorists in Iraq after so Many years and deaths of your service members hit too close to Home when stut garters read this As i have a great interest in Force Protection for my american friends and my German neighbors i am not feeling Well on a Day like today Gudrun Kaper Stuttgart Germany valor shown in Many forms the Cabin filled with smoke the Only Way out was through a Small Hatch but the smoke was so thick the Crew  find their Way suddenly a voice shouted Over Here and through the Haze and choking Black Ness they could see the beam from the in signs flashlight pointing the Way out the Way to safety the Way to Freedom the Crew stumbled out of the Hatch but the Ensign stayed behind in Case there were stragglers finally he succumbed to the choking blackness he never made it out even though he was Only a few feet from the Hatch he stayed behind because he Felt it was his duty to ensure the safety of his Crew so what did this Young Ensign receive for his actions a Bronze Star medal a Silver Star a Navy Cross no Ensign Frank Flaherty received the medal of Honor for the gallantry and bravery he displayed on dec 7 1941 aboard the uss Oklahoma bravery and gallantry come in Many forms every Day Young men and women Are sacrificing the creature comforts of Home to be involved in the historic Effort known As operation iraqi Freedom they Are Here willingly facing danger in order to give a country and its people the Chance for self Rule the Chance for self determination and a Chance for democracy they Are pointing the Way to Freedom in War not All heroes go outside the doonesbury wire sometimes our biggest contributors Are those Unsung heroes who go about their daily duties quietly humbly and professionally they May not go out Side the wire but their contribution is no less important yes they carry a weapon but perhaps More importantly they carry something As simple As a flashlight a flashlight pointing the Way to Freedom capt John g Donovan Tallis air base Iraq awards system is frustrating i am serving my second tour in Iraq and i am still amazed at the army award system when is the army going to get it Light Why should someone who sits in an office All Day get a Bronze Star medal just be cause of the rank they Wear and the line company soldiers Are the ones outside the wire but have a hard time getting an army commendation medal this is so frustrating they can con Voy All the time be outside the wire every Day but just because they Are an Al through e6 All they can get is an army achievement medal or a com the army is wondering Why it is stretching to meet reenlistment num Bers Well look at How we treat and re Ward our soldiers for the work they do battalion commanders it is up to you to ensure this stops this system should not be the sys tem and for All those who stand up Nice and straight pinning on that award they did not deserve shame on them it is embarrassing to know that they dont encompass what the army says Mey should one of the seven army values integrity staff sgt Chris Sorum logistics support area Anaconda Iraq privatize army medical care my family and i live in the Schweinfurt army Community in Germany and the medical care for family members is pathetic May affect medical Access on bases article March if s equivalent to socialized medical care in Canada i say privatize All army medical care bring in civilians who Are qualified the article quoted maj Gen Gale Pollock act ing surgeon general of the and if we Cut services and have to Send them out to private sector care we also lose our ability to ensure the continuity of care she said we lose our ability to track the Quality of care that s a Load of dog squeeze the civil ians Are better qualified because they have to compete for business and they can be sued if they screw up All we can do is file a complaint a lot of Good that will do the medical care in the army has been declining for years due to budget cuts if i offended the few Good army doctors out there sorry but the medical care in my Community is pathetic sgt Mark Jennrich Baghdad by Garry Trudeau  10haveohths thank you  Mark i Ajak id Tsuyou How much map you for positions you took As 6ov 5rnok of Massachusetts Isai Meyou Mim n0 Rybij m you have courage