European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 13, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 stars and stripes Friday april 13 2007 Thomas l Kelsch publisher Richard 8rauh Genera manager Europe it col Stephen och Hor commander news and editorial Robb Grindstaff Doug Clawson executive editor managing editor Europe Sara Anrhein Europe Bureau chief Joseph Giordono Mideast Bureau chief Mami Mcentee assistant Bureau chief Washington do assistant managing editors Mary Bender news Sean scores sports Brian Bowers features Christopher six Patrick Dickson 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 0 email news letters 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 slow suite 350 Washington do 200451301 phone Dan 3127630945 or Civ 202 7610945 How to cad us editor 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Washington do 200451301 fax Civ 202 7610890 email printed in Germany by Hurr yet As  deutschland printed in Italy by edit Rice Tel Stempa stars and stripes uses 017252 is published daily except Christmas and new years for 50 cents daily and sunday by me 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 locked out of safe7 areas Here is another perfect example of tax payers Money being spent and the red tape behind this one could Cost an american life someday Over a ridiculous and frivolous Standard operating proce Dure i would like someone to explain Why it is that the us military would spend millions of dollars to Purchase what we Call mor tar resistant roofs they Are placed Over our chapels our Post exchanges and Din ing facilities yet during incoming hits sol Diers Are locked out of these Safe areas Are we supposed to never leave a sol Dier behind what could possibly be the reason to lock the doors to these Safe zones with american soldiers left outside i understand that there Are procedures that need to be followed but where is the common sense in this one the doors Are locked in the faces of american soldiers standing on the outside of buildings is it not safer to be inside than out during an at tack How can anyone justify leaving someone outside like that where is the logic or common sense in this our identification cards Are checked our weapons Are checked yet because sol Diers happened to not be in the building at the first Call of the incoming alarm they Are left outside that s absolutely preposterous i dont think there is an explanation that would suffice a decision to leave these sol Diers outside during an incoming hit pc Candy Reitchel logistics support area Anaconda Iraq drop in cola puzzling How much is the government going to save this time allowance to be Cut in Germany article March 31 european in january it was announced that cola would go Down in february because the Dollar was going to be stronger against the euro cola went Down and the Dollar went with it in March the Dollar went up a Little and so did the cola albeit fractionally and also not As far Back up As it was in Janu Ary this month again the announcement that the cola was again going to be Cut even As the Dollar continues to drop against the euro do the people making these decisions live in the us that or so makes a big difference As the summertime Gas prices Inch up thanks army and air Force Exchange service that of course is another Story sgt 1st class Charles d Mccoy Schwet Zingen Germany better to support comrades i just could not let this letter go by with out a response Tor his love of country april 1 written by a staff sergeant was responding to fix problems in the us first March written by a National i Tell us you tank stars and stripes welcomes your comments on editorials arid columns that Are published in the newspaper and values letters on topics of importance in the lives of our readers All letters must be must include 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 letters to us mail stars and stripes unit 29480 Apo a 09211 International mail stars and stripes Postrach 1330 64345 Griesheim via fax country code 0 Dan 34983s5 email guardsman i think the staff sergeant missed the Point the guardsman was try ing to make i detected no shame on the part of the guardsman for his country rather a disappointment in How americans tend to look Down at those of other nationalities especially third world countries what did anger me was the staff ser Gean s comment try living the army life for 365 Days a year and become an a Tiv duty Soldier so he can say he is part of an elite team this is another example of the Active services looking Down their nose sat the guard and Reserve in my unit the 134th infantry detach ment Long Range there Are Many soldiers who Are prior Active duty myself included others chose to make a career by serving in the armed forces i chose to make a career and also serve in the armed forces part gently full we have Many highly trained soldiers rangers pathfinders jump masters and other skills another letter standards Are the same april makes a similar Point re Garding the perceived Lack of professional ism of guard and Reserve soldiers i see the same uniform violations the letter writer sees but i see them in both Active and Reserve component personnel i am proud to be an american but we All could use a Little More tolerance regard ing other cultures and services we should understand that none of us is perfect be fore we judge others pc Clair Jay Nutter logistics support area Anaconda Iraq procedures brain engagement watch where pistols Are pointed let Ter april 1 from the gentleman in Camp Liberty Iraq demands a response the authors statement that a Good number of those who carry 9 my pistols in Iraq violate proper muzzle discipline every time they slip on their shoulder hol Ster shows his Lack of information about weapons As Well As the specifics of weapons safety doonesbury this laughable statement could Only be rivalled by creating something similar to the Mcdonalds nothing but net com Mercial dont Point that weapon at the floor the Bullet fairy could magic up a round in your chamber causing the safety fairy to disengage your safety then your weapon would Ricochet a round off the floor Between the two e4s Bounce off the Wall Tumble Between the ice Cream machine and the civilian in gasp a Mili tary uniform and hit me in the head the biggest Factor in weapons safety is firm engagement of the brain other proce dures and regulations Are in place to Miti Gate the risk of carrying weapons most of these procedures seem to be in place to combat complacency such As the Clearing barrels Between actually having a round in the chamber and the mess Hall line the letter writer was the letter writers Reliance on muzzle direction is probably confusion on his part Between Chow and operations when rounds Are in the chamber weapons Are on fire and fingers Are near the trigger Well when the direction of the muzzle be comes much More important regardless the final engagement Factor continues to be a lengthy Quality training regimen combined with a conscious decision the commercial might have been shy of the Bullseye but the author want even Bitting the target maj Steven Bower bag Idad hoping leaders do right thing looking from a certain Angle one would certainly say that the Pat Tillman Story is getting old coverage overdone letter March however As a Young sol Dier and Leader i feel theres much More to be said the of flan Story is More than just a sol Dier who died in murky conditions if s about our army and country Leader ship As a great nation and military that preaches to its citizens and soldiers about Justice and seven army values Many peo ple including myself Are interested in what these people Are going to do about the situation they created the truth want told straight out about what happened with Tillmans death in Stead a Story was told in its place our leadership blatantly disrespected Tillman and his family by doing so throwing integ Rity and Honor out the window so what Are they going to do about it now this incident is army related so of course Many people within the army Are going to have similar things to say about it with issues such As Tillman and the Walter Reed army medical Center i cant help but Hope our leaders do their Best to do the right thing by taking responsibility for their actions and rectifying the Situa Tion hopefully they dont All cop out and just resign sgt Matt merchant Camp Speicher Iraq by Garry Trudeau Stop in of Wofa my clap boat of course youd How tohjm5quakb Caubit a town Hau a lot of hi5tory place sothi5 15 your your Ceil