Stars and Stripes

Air Force mandates H1N1 shots for children in base care

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Air Force is requiring all children enrolled at base child development centers be vaccinated against the swine flu virus, even though the number of reported illnesses has fallen below the epidemic level.

Once a training mainstay, jungle warfare now a niche that Marines don�t want to forget

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Lance Cpl. Dustin Fulton's newfound respect for the jungle comes dripping with sweat and garnished with the flavor of the bugs he learned to survive on Tuesday.

Continued care hard to find for Haitian patients discharged from USNS Comfort

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Of the roughly 400 patients on the USNS Comfort, around 150 are ready to be discharged to a less sophisticated facility, if only they had some place to go.

Army closes in on south Afghan town

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

U.S. officials have not said when the main attack on the town of some 80,000 people will take place but have nonetheless heavily publicized plans to attack, causing hundreds of people to flee the opium-producing center in advance of the fighting.

Grateful children bring satisfaction to Haiti aid mission

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Unlike in other locations where aid has been delivered in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, there was no mob scene when the soldiers arrived at the orphanages with rice and cooking oil.

Gates works to fine-tune mix of troops in Afghanistan

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Rather than twisting arms for more forces, Gates' mission has become more subtle, aimed at fine-tuning the mix of allied troops and emphasizing the need for trainers to upgrade Afghanistan's security forces.

Marines focus on civilian safety in Afghanistan

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Heading into battle to seize a Taliban stronghold, U.S. Marines are keenly aware of one factor that could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory: Afghan civilian casualties.

Soldier charged for using water punishment on 4-year-old daughter

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A Fort Lewis soldier has been charged with assault after he allegedly held his 4-year-old daughter mostly under water because she couldn't recite the alphabet. Charging papers equated the technique to torture.

Verizon continues free calls to Haiti

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan � Verizon will continue to waive all long-distance charges for calls made to Haiti through Sunday, according to a news release. That includes military base resident...

Far East pool bouts a preview of finals?

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

What a difference two days makes, at least for Zama American's Michael Spencer and Nile C. Kinnick's Nichalous Gibbons. In a reversal of Saturday's 168-pound Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools gold-medal bout, Spencer manhandled his archrival Gibbons, pinning him in 1 minute, 30 seconds as the 2010 Far East Tournament began Monday at Camp Humphreys' Super Gym.

Rep. John Murtha, Iraq war critic, dies at 77

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

U.S. Rep. John Murtha, an influential critic of the Iraq War whose congressional career was shadowed by questions about his ethics, died Monday. He was 77.

Clean up former U.S. bases

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I sincerely very much appreciate your front-page story "Toxic legacy" (Feb. 1), covering the account of untreated waste generated by former Clark Air Base in the Philippines that, to this day, ...

Let�s treat everyone fairly

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

[Recently] my husband and I watched the movie "Men of Honor" on American Forces Network. It brought on a lot of different emotions: disgust on how blacks were treated in the military only 50 ye...

Support for Tops in Blue

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I read "Time to retire Tops In Blue" (letter, Feb. 3) and was floored by the comments. The Air Force is constantly changing, and it seems these days that all things old are being shelv...

Pacific scoreboard for the February 10 edition

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

High school Wrestling DODEA Pacific Far East Tournament At Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea Monday Pool bouts 101 pounds Pool A�David Piliz, Nil...

EUCOM pens �bill of rights� for mental health patients

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A plan that calls for combining mental health care clinics and primary care clinics to reduce the stigma of seeking help for psychological problems has been approved by U.S. European Command's top leaders.

Work out by climbing walls at the Extreme Climbing Center in Ludwigshafen

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Don't let the name fool you; it is a gym. To be more precise, it's a warehouse-size climbing gym.

Iran says it will increase uranium enrichment

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Iran on Monday told the U.N. nuclear agency that it will start enriching uranium to higher levels, shrugging off international fears that such a move will bring it closer to being able to make nuclear warheads.

Miami med student's plan for Haiti put into practice

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti � Seven months ago, University of Miami medical student Elizabeth Greig helped create a plan to get doctors to Haiti in the event of a natural disaster. She never ...

Cowboy theme at U.S. base in Afghanistan

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The lore of the Wild West and the hard reality of southern Afghanistan, the key battleground of the war between NATO forces and Taliban insurgents, share a few things: danger, men with guns and desert wilderness.

Afghan police official accused of aiding insurgents is arrested

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

NATO forces swooped down on the home of a senior Afghan police official, arrested him and accused him of helping insurgents make and plant roadside bombs, Western military officials said Sunday

Saints fans across Pacific celebrate Super Bowl win

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The team's Super Bowl win was met with an eruption of cheers from across the Pacific region, where U.S. military bases broadcast the Monday morning game.

Zama High turns to safer �green� cleaning products

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Students and teachers at Camp Zama High School soon could be breathing easier with the introduction of "green" cleaning products on campus � a growing trend at schools across the United States.

Former gulag inmates recall hard labor, starvation

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Bitterly cold winters, hard labor and searing hunger. Little is known about North Korea's gulags, but accounts from former prisoners who've defected to South Korea never fail to include such conditions.

Facing apathy and the gulags: Ex-North Korean inmates struggle to raise concern in South

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

After speaking recently to a group of young South Korean soldiers about North Korea's harsh labor camps, former prisoner Jung Gyoung Il � himself once a soldier in North Korea's massive army � was stunned by the questions from the audience.

DOD seeks $146M for schools in Europe

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Several new schools would be built in Europe under the Department of Defense's proposed 2011 budget, which calls for spending $146 million on the projects.

Stolen Valor Act facing legal challenges

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The federal courts are wrestling with a question of both liberty and patriotism: Does the First Amendment right to free speech protect people who lie about being war heroes?

European scoreboard for the Febraury 8 edition

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Basketball Boys Non-regional ACS-Cobham 61, Alconbury 38 (Thursday at Cobham, England) Alconbury 5 14 9 10�38 ACS-Cobham 19 17 10 15�61 Top scorers�Alc...

Tops In Blue provides a boost

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Regarding the Feb. 3 letter "Time to retire Tops In Blue": Since the writer's experience with Tops in Blue is being "voluntold" to attend a show, allow me to refute his suggestions. (I was in T...

Special Forces soldiers earn Bronze Stars for anti-Taliban successes

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Three Special Forces soldiers have received Bronze Star medals for their roles in the elimination of three Taliban leaders and more than a dozen other insurgents, and for securing vital reconnaissance information during two battle in Afghanistan last summer.

As U.S. begins Afghan surge, Canada plans its exit

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

After four years of often-intense combat since moving down to Kandahar, the spiritual center of the Taliban, Canadian military planners are now fine-tuning their exit strategy, bringing the Afghans in as closely as possible to ensure that their hard-fought progress doesn't evaporate after they leave.

U.S. plan to win Afghanistan tribe by tribe is risky

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

American officials are attending tribal meetings, staying in close touch with tribal leaders and trying to determine which leaders are friendly and which aren't.

Haiti children play but thoughts of quake are never far

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

CARREFOUR, Haiti � Children gather on street corners playing improvised games. They make toy cars and kites from trash and play hide-and-seek among the rows of shabby makeshift tents. B...

Haitians prepare for boat journey to Florida

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

CAP-HAITIEN, Haiti � The unfinished wooden boat rocks gently in the backwater of Cap-Haitien Bay, lulling 17-year-old Douna Marcellus and two dozen others to sleep as tight balls of mosquitoes ...

For Haiti's orphans, earthquake only increased desperate situation

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti � In the fall of 2008, a pastor traveled through the barren countryside of Haiti asking parents to give him their children. He promised an education and a better life at a...

Haiti's business community seeks to help rebuild economy

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti � A few blocks from where men lined up for backbreaking jobs digging corpses from the rubble for about $3 a day, a hotel was selling a ham sandwich for five times that amo...

Gates: Iran's response to nuclear proposal is disappointing

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and a conservative official in Tehran found something they could agree on Saturday, as each dismissed the Iranian foreign minister's suggestion that a deal was close on Iran's nuclear program.

Afghan force faces crucial test in measure of their readiness

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The effectiveness of the alliance between the U.S. military and Afghanistan's security force rests on a particularly delicate question: Will sufficient numbers of Afghans put up a good fight against the Taliban � starting very soon?

Photo gallery: Snowstorm pounds U.S. capital

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The charming sight of cross-country skiers gliding down monument steps and people throwing snowballs has given way to images of people hunched over snow shovels.

Osan boys win KAIAC tournament; SAHS girls repeat

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Led by tournament MVP Dominique Williams and Best Rebounder Jeff Tinsley, the Cougars completed their school-first Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference Tournament title run, routing Daegu American 64-47 in Saturday's final at Korea International School.

Defending Far East champs struggle in Kanto finals

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Saturday's final tuneup for this week's Far East High School Wrestling Tournament likely proved a bit unsettling for three reigning Far East gold medalists.

Joeun keeps contract despite security lapses

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A South Korean security company will be allowed to continue manning entryways at U.S. Army installations despite at least two cases of negligence within the past seven months � one of which involved a drunken driver who drove past two checkpoints at a high-security facility.

Assessing efficacy of relief work is key to overall effort, DOD official says

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

When the devastating earthquake rocked Haiti on Jan. 12, a small Department of Defense organization in the Pacific was tasked with sending a few people to Florida to assist in recovery efforts.

Exercise validates new disaster control center

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

From the outside, the cluster of boring, beige tents fitted together at Utapao Air Base in Thailand belies the activity within.

Airmen visit site of battle for Iwo Jima

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Almost 65 years to the day after Marines stormed the black-sand beaches of Iwo Jima, U.S. airmen touched down on the remote island to gain a deeper understanding of the epic fight.

European scoreboard for the February 7 edition

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Wrestling (Saturday) Vilseck Challenge Team scoring�Ramstein 222, Vilseck 145, Ansbach 64, Bamberg 61, Hohenfels 47, Mannheim 41. 103 pounds�1, Adam Fran...

Lakenheath girls rally to victory over shape, stay in Region I hunt

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Just when it looked as though the SHAPE Lady Spartans were going to clinch the Region I big schools title on Saturday, Lakenheath decided to press the issue. "We were about six points d...

Patch boys sweep BFA, claim sole possession of region lead

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Inside presence Julius Johnson-Rich and his double-digit scoring took the day off to for the college SAT, but Justin Phelps and brother Justin Johnson-Rich took up the slack Saturday as Patch completed a two-game sweep of visiting Black Forest Academy and moved into sole possession of first in the Region III standings.

Patch shooters are right on target

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Patch Panthers are the top high school shooters in Europe after taking team and individual titles at the 2010 DODDS-Europe marksmanship championships Saturday.

Georgians trained for Afghan duty

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

U.S. Marines and Army soldiers recently completed training 750 Georgian soldiers for deployment to Afghanistan.

�Fighting Hawks� welcomed home from mission in Iraq

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Five months after they jetted off to Iraq, more than 300 airmen were given a hero's welcome home Friday.

NAACP membership dwindles in Germany

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Few become members of the dwindling civil rights group. The Rhein-Neckar chapter of the venerable National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the only one left in U.S. Army Europe, down from 21 chapters in years past.

Troops train for humanitarian response at Cobra Gold

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Right now, there's probably no place on earth with a greater collection of people qualified to critique disaster response than at the annual Cobra Gold exercise � with the exception of Haiti.

Hockey in Afghanistan? No puck. No ice. No problem!

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

There's no ice and no puck, but no matter. Canadian troops still get their hockey fix � even in the middle of a war.

Rules of engagement mean Marines see victory in holding fire

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

With new and more stringent rules of engagement imposed by Gen. Stanley McChrystal in an effort to reduce civilian casualties in Afghanistan and to win over the population, the men who fire the cannons are finding it harder and harder to get their shot at the enemy. As a result, artillerymen now find themselves in the awkward position of having insurgents within range, but being forced to stand down when calls for help come in from Marines under fire in the field.

At the circus in Nagasaki

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In Chinese literature, the emperor of monkeys is a superhero of legendary skill � intelligent, mischievous and often foiled by his own arrogance. The old story of his journey to heaven was retold, this time to hundreds of Japanese in a circus tent on the Sasebo waterfront in mid-January.

After hours: Stacks Restaurant, Okinawa

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I know I am going to make some of my culinary comrades mad by saying this, but my fully satisfied stomach says it's true � Stacks Restaurant has the best barbecue ribs on the island.

After hours: The Walnut Tree, Worlington, England

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Walnut Tree offers its guests locally sourced, home-cooked, English-style food made from scratch by the owners, Colin and Dawn Bailey.

Homefront: Lost-phone stories ring a bell

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I spent half an hour this morning looking for my cell phone even though there were only three places it could possibly be: my car, the kitchen or the bedroom. During the course of searc...

Spouse calls: Bahrain for him, BAH for me?

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Q. My husband is in the United States Navy. I have a question about basic allowance for housing. My husband is currently stationed in San Diego, Calif. I moved out here in September t...

�Active Life� gets gamers moving

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

>"Active Life: Extreme Challenge" plays to the ESPN X-Games crowd. Among the challenges are skateboarding, street luge, wakeboarding and base jumping. There are 15 in all, each played using the eight-button mat in various fashions, some in conjunction with the Wii remote.

Out in the cold: Olympics get lackluster treatment in �Vancouver 2010�

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I've always been a fan of the Winter Olympic Games. Sure, plenty of superb athletes strive to be faster, higher and stronger in the summer games, but the speed, the finesse and the skill ...

Soldiers use virtual reality to practice handling bombs

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Troops are using computerized simulators known as Reconfigurable Vehicle Tactical Trainers to run anti-bomb missions at Grafenw�hr Training Area before they head downrange.

Pacific scoreboard for the February 8 edition

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

High school South Korea Basketball Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference Boys Division I Tournament At Phoenix Gymnasium, Korea International Scho...

U.S. offers anti-bomb tools to allies

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The U.S. on Friday promised allies armored vehicles, jammers and other technology meant to protect against roadside bombs, an offer that officials hope will entice those nations to step up their contributions to the international war effort in Afghanistan.

Belgian base breach sparks nuclear worries

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A recent security breach of a Belgian air force base widely believed to possess U.S. nuclear warheads is being downplayed by Belgian military officials who maintain the activists never got close to any sensitive areas.

Four �juicy bars� declared off-limits in S. Korea

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Osan Air Base officials Friday slapped an off-limits ban on four off-base "juicy bars" they say allowed U.S. servicemembers to pay to take bar girls off the premises, an activity known as bar fining.

Militants threaten to execute U.S. soldier

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Militants in Afghanistan have threatened to execute the American soldier they've held since June if the United States does not release the Pakistani scientist convicted this week of attempted murder, according to Arab news outlets.

Army investigators begin probe of Black Hawk crash in Germany

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A team of Army investigators arrived in Germany on Friday to begin its probe of a Black Hawk helicopter crash this week that killed three U.S. soldiers. Meanwhile, U.S. Army Europe released the names of the three crewmen who perished in the Wednesday crash.

173rd to honor downrange casualties in Germany, Italy

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team is trying a different approach to honoring fallen soldiers at their home bases in Europe.

Vicenza mourns 173rd GI killed in combat

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The first soldier from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team to die in Afghanistan on its current deployment was one of the unit's best marksmen. Sgt. Lucas T. Beachnaw was remembered Thursday at Caserma Ederle.

Groups offer temporary homes to military pets

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

When Maj. Randall Baucom received word that the Army was sending him to Iraq in 2006, he immediately began to worry about what he would do with his two mixed-breed dogs.

Pacific scoreboard for the February 6 edition

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

South Korea Boys basketball Wednesday's summaries Seoul American 76, Seoul International 39 At Yongsan Garrison SIS..........9 8 ...

Military Update: Smaller pay raises in 2011 budget request

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Obama administration proposes to spend three percent more next year on support programs for war-strained military families. But officials are urging Congress to stop adding extra dollars to the military pay raise every January and find a way to raise Tricare fees for the first time in 15 years.

MyPay headaches

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Can anybody please enlighten me as to the process of accessing MyPay anymore? Do I need to buy a retinal scanner or send in a blood sample? I have been trying in vain for two months to ac...

Tax laws hurt employees

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Members of the armed forces benefit � rightly so � from the Combat Zone Tax Exclusion for every month in which they serve a minimum of one day in or, under certain circumstances, above a qualif...

As long as gun sights do job

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

All this commentary about the Trijicon sights is ridiculous! The only thing that should matter is whether the sight is mission-capable. Does it get the job done? Does it allow our brothe...

European scoreboard for the February 4 edition

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

European Athletes of the Week for the February 4 edition

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Three-sport star glad to have one coach: his father

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Vilseck senior Tyler Hall has played three sports a year for two high schools, but all for just one coach. Hall, the reigning European 160-pound wrestling champion and an All-Europe quarterback, wouldn't have it any other way.

What good is the study?

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I am writing in reference to the USA Today article "Study: Deployment affects wives' mental health" in Stars and Stripes' Jan. 15 edition. As the family readiness group leader f...

DODEA should use uniforms

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I read with complete agreement "Support for school uniforms" (letter, Feb. 1). The writer is supported by man...

Volksmarch column for the Thursday, February 4, 2010 edition

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Click here for this week's Volksmarch chart Tuesday was Groundhog Day and we're disappointed that...

Offbeat Prague neighborhood sets the pace for Masopust fun

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Carnival � or "Masopust," as it is called there � is no exception. With festivities ranging from a fancy costume ball and special gallery exhibits to wild street fairs and parades throughout the Czech capital's various districts and surrounding villages, there is no shortage of fun when it comes to the last big bash of the winter season.

Spanish island chain cuts loose with over-the-top celebrations

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Carnival in the Canary Islands is an exuberant mix of good weather and good times.

In Nice, France, carnival means blue skies, flowers and plenty of skin

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Flowers, fantastic floats, gigantic balloon figures, sticky silly string and nearly naked dancers all are a part of carnival in Nice. And so is sunshine, something often missing in carnival celebrations in northern Europe.

European countries mark carnival with unique traditions and costumes

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In Rottweil, Germany, masked figures march down the street, making jumps with the aid of a wooden pole.

Carnival events

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Following is a sampling of scheduled carnival events across Europe. It's wise to verify information with the local tourist board before traveling. From

Let's go

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Skiing in Stockholm In Stockholm, Sweden, there's no need to leave the city to do a little skiing or snowboarding. Located by Hammarby Sjostad station, the Hammarbybacken c...

Best Bets

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Belgium: Brussels' Affordable Art Fair offers the perfect opportunity to buy a piece of original contemporary European art that you thought you couldn't manage financially. With prices b...

Pacific Athletes of the Week for the February 4 edition

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Yokota�s Ettl standing tall

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Erika Ettl, a tiny sophomore guard, has played like a giant for a Yokota girls basketball team chock full of underclassmen that lost its first three games but has gone 8-3 since.

Pacific scoreboard for the February 4 edition

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Haiti tragedy, adoptions

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The New Jersey adoption community is not too surprised that an adoption agency may have skirted the laws to acquire healthy babies from Haiti ("Americans arrested on human trafficking susp...

Studies on military children

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The National Military Family Association noted with interest your Jan. 30 article on a recent Army study of 559 military children ("Army college study sa...

Marines in Haiti work to deliver aid without fostering dependence

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Marines are walking a delicate line, coordinating the much-needed aid without fostering dependence on the military.

Use of German tax forms

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Although I agree with the writer of "Poor COLA decision" (letter, Jan 26), the writer of "

Time to retire Tops In Blue

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In my 20 years of service I saw Tops In Blue many times. I'm sure those involved are hard-working, dedicated individuals. Tops In Blue has been around for 56 years, but are they still rel...

Democrats� �new� policies?

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Obviously there has been no learning curve for the Democratic Party in that the "new policies and programs" offered in the State of the Union address are just more of the same array o...

Pacific scoreboard for the February 3 edition

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Interservice Basketball 2009-10 Korea Traveling League Men League

Wine of the Rhine: Historical estate dedicated to growing Riesling

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Germany's beautiful Rheingau region is at the core of a winemaking culture that offers a unique history and world-renowned wine. The Schloss Johannisberg in Geisenheim-Johannisberg offers visitors the opportunity to experience the Rheingau's historic Riesling wine tradition while admiring majestic views of the region from the estate's hilltops.

Praise for C-5 aircraft

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Regarding "Spangdahlem, Ramstein to see more flights" (article, Jan. 30), I was surprised to see that the C-...

Shedding light on gun sights

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Jan. 28 letter "Get nonreligious sights" continued what has been a gross mischaracterization of Trijicon...

Defense budget continues DOD�s focus on the present

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Defense officials will ask Congress for $33 billion more this fiscal year for operations in Afghanistan and $159 billion for overseas fighting in fiscal 2011, but will slash funding for seven more expensive weapons systems programs the under the military budget plans unveiled Monday.

Require high-school diploma

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Why not require that all young citizens graduate high school to be eligible to receive public assistance in the future? This would have positive effects for all citizens. A high-school di...

Cut from quality fabric

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

[In response to] "Freeze Trijicon contracts" (letter, Jan. 21), although I applaud the Department of Defense's program to educate soldiers in understanding host nations' religions and...

Life in Germany expensive

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I couldn't help but agree with "Poor COLA decision" (letter, Jan. 26), in regard to the cost-of-living allowance decreasing in Germany. I would like to take a look at the pocket...

Support for school uniforms

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I am commenting on "U.S. school in S. Korea mulls uniforms" (article, Jan. 26, Pacific editions). I support a decision to require middle school students to wear uniforms. It w...

Dealing with lost items

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I have some important information for people who have had items stolen or damaged in their bags while flying on a government-contracted commercial flight. I had items taken out of one of my duf...

Adding to terrorists� toolbox

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I never thought I would see the day when a prestigious paper such as Stars and Stripes, with a long military historical background, would trade in the concern for humanity over insanity ("...

European scoreboard for the February 1 edition

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Wrestling Saturday at SHAPE Team scoring�Kaiserslautern 313, Lakenheath 190, SHAPE 96, AFNORTH 93, Alconbury 51, Brussels 47, Menwith Hill 27 Noteworthy�Individual re...

Mizell, Payne enjoy breakout in Rumble

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Call Saturday's Rumble on the Rock finals bouts Jeff Mizell's and Matt Payne's coming-out party.

Girls high school basketball roundup: Ramstein overcomes slow start vs. Lakenheath

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

For the first eight minutes Friday night, it looked like Ramstein, not Lakenheath, endured an 18-hour bus ride to the venue as the Lady Lancers scored the first eight points and grabbed a 12-7 first-quarter edge.

Boys high school basketball roundup: Owens, Admirals make the most of trip to England

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

It's been a long time since England endured a raid as one-sided as the one mounted by the Rota Admirals on Thursday through Saturday against three Division III rivals. Riding the scorin...

After hours: Japan

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

For the record, any place that spends eight hours each Saturday and Sunday serving brunch is my kind of place. Add to that roast chicken, puffy salmon-filled omelettes, savory souffles and build-your-own-hamburgers, and you've got a good guess as to where I'll be hanging out for the next few weekends.

After hours: Germany

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Chi va piano va sano e va lontano is an Italian proverb that translates loosely as "People with a relaxed attitude live a long and healthy life."

Homefront: Secret ice cream outing has kids screaming

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Ron and I really got ourselves into trouble last weekend with the boys, just because we decided to sneak out for a quick date.

Spouse Calls: The best help comes in person

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Sheryl is a career Army wife affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. Struggling to obtain counseling for herself and her children, Sheryl wrote: "My next goal and challenge is to speak out and make the military listen to me. I don't want this to happen to another family, and I will � speak out loud and try and make it better for those who are behind me."

�Family Game Night� a snoozer

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Wii platform woos non-gamers once again, this time with "Hasbro Family Game Night 2," which takes another crack at moving five games off the tabletop and onto the television screen.

�Mass Effect 2� a blast

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Character development and relationship-building have been imbedded in the story line � at least on an optional basis. Once you round up your assault team, you can choose to help each member accomplish a personal mission. This mission will offer insight into the character's background, culture and motivations. This, plus a fascinating primary mission, gives the game even more depth and texture than its excellent predecessor.

Ready for Action

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Walking the streets of Tokyo shortly after arriving in Japan, my wife and I made an interesting discovery: A majority of the billboards and advertisements featured non-Japanese faces.

'Slippery Weasel' course

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

...

Kadena sweeps Rumble duals, prepares for Far East defense

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

It was Kadena's biggest test yet in preparing to defend its Far East High School Wrestling Tournament dual-meet title. If the scores were any indicator, the Panthers passed with flying colors.

Stars and Stripes distributes in Haiti

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Newspapers will be printed in Florida and flown from Homestead Air Reserve Base daily to key military hubs in Haiti.

DODDS-Europe marksmanship championships: Patch sets its sights on defending title

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

If the trend of recent weeks continues, Saturday's high school marksmanship championships look to be a race for second place. The defending champion Patch Panthers have another crown all but nailed down.

Bottom line on sights issue

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I am an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran of two tours. I have been reading about the controversy over Trijicon and the Bible verses. I thought these sights were meant to allow warfighters...

Don�t tread on rights

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In "Freeze Trijicon contracts" (letter, Jan. 21), a fellow leader was shocked by the news about Trijicon's p...

Scout experience invaluable

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I agree with Charles Fleming's initial assessment ("At age 100, Boy Scouts must make changes," Opinion, Jan. 3). The Boy Scouts have a virtuous appeal with Norman Rockwell decency, wh...

Toxic waste sickens the Philippines

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

...

Grateful for liaison program

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I recently had an unexpected 11-day hospitalization at Westpfalz-Klinikum, a German medical facility in Kaiserslautern. On the first Monday morning after my admission, I was visited by B...

Get nonreligious sights

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In "Trijicon sights and tattoos" (letter, Jan. 26), the author stated that soldiers with religious ta...

Appreciating the hypocrisy

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I just wanted to say to my fellow, nonreligious countrymen. ... Relax folks, they are just some words ("Bible verses on rifle sights," Jan. 20). Would the government use...

Volksmarch column for the Thursday, January 28, 2010 edition

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

As January comes to an end, so does our fourth year as writers of this column. A lot has changed since our first article, dated Feb. 2, 2006, and most of the changes have been positive. We ha...

Heidelberg�s French connection

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Jacques Brel croons in the background. The chalkboard menu features coq au vin, bouillabaisse and mousse au chocolat. Worn Bentwood chairs hug the metal-based bistro tables topped with crisp paper placemats.

Bets bets

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Germany: There's plenty of snow this year in Todtmoos in the Black Forest, which means it's a go this weekend for the annual Alaska-style international sled-dog races. More than 1,000 pu...

Let's go

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Rail and sail site Unsure of how to travel with Fido by train from England to the Continent? How about rail connections to Istanbul from London, Paris or Munich? Need the times a...

Hamburg: Boomtown on the Elbe

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Hamburg, Germany, is sometimes considered a "second city." It is Germany's second-biggest city after Berlin. It has Europe's second-biggest port after Rotterdam. And it is home to the world's second-biggest cemetery after the one in Chicago, the U.S.'s "second city." But doing so sells the place short. It is a vibrant, thriving, exciting city with, as the saying goes, something for everyone � which makes it second to none.

Turning PlayStations into power stations

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Once thought to be just a part of home entertainment systems, Sony's PlayStation 3 is proving itself to be more than just an online death-match machine.

Don�t silence righteousness

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In response to "Freeze Trijicon contracts" (letter, Jan. 21), where the writer claims shock, and

Was the study necessary?

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I am writing in reference to "Study: Deployments affect wives' mental health" (article, Jan. 15). Perhaps someone should conduct a study that determines whether it hurts worse ...

Opinion: U.S.-Japan alliance still based on shared values

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

This year, we will hear much about the "50th Anniversary of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty." This is because the current security treaty, officially named the "Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and ...

At home with the Air Force

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

After retiring from the U.S. Army, the greatest organization in the world, I went to work for the U.S. Air Force. I was apprehensive, but grateful for the job opportunity. Over the year...

Poor COLA decision

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Let me see if this is right: The cost-of-living allowance is going down by as much as $150 a month because the dollar has gained 3 cents on [the euro] ("

Quick Trips: Tucherland park is a paradise for kids

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

My 4-year-old's eyes lit up as soon as we entered the door � he had no words to describe what he was seeing. Even I had to pinch myself to be reassured that I was not caught in some child's dre...

After Hours: Germany, Zum V�lta

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Take a short, 12-mile ride out of the city of Bamberg and follow some winding roads through the country until you arrive in Appendorf, Germany, a town that reminded me of Sleepy Hollow.

After hours: Okinawa Batake

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

As Eisa is Okinawa's soul dance, pork dishes are the island's soul food. Because of their fondness for pork, it is said that there are only two parts of a pig that Okinawan people don't eat. Fr...

Home Front: Willing to wait for wisdom from children

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

It was a close call, but I think we managed to dodge a bullet this afternoon in the dentist's office. Jimmy began complaining three days ago about a spot in the back of his mouth that h...

Spouse calls Peace stories, not war stories

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

"Have you asked your dad about his war experiences?" the woman asked me. As the interviewer, I was supposed to be the one asking questions, but perhaps this was to be expected f...

Good cooking on the Wii

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

It's a dangerous thing, playing a cooking game alongside your wife. Strong play on your part guarantees increased expectations on your real-life kitchen aptitude. My wife suggested as ...

Fight and flight

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A friend asked what I was reviewing last weekend. Reply: "A game where you fly around with a jetpack and shoot aliens in the Bermuda Triangle." Response: Wide-eyed disb...

My time in Oz

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Planning a great vacation can be a tricky affair. Mapping out my Australian vacation, I envisioned sun-filled skies, sandy beaches and refreshing drinks with umbrellas being hopped over to me by a kangaroo.

Money Talk: For retirement funds, consider your own needs

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Dear Liz: My husband is quite a bit older than I (about 18 years). When we married, we agreed that we should put all our savings into joint funds and into his retirement accounts. Our though...

Volksmarch column for January 21, 2010

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

One of the most popular volksmarch events in Europe is rapidly approaching. The medieval German town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is hosting its 32nd annual weekend of walking through the city a...

With huskies, skiing, reindeer safaris and a snow hotel, Lapland celebrates winter

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Finnish Lapland probably is not the first place to spring to mind when considering a winter sports break. But this area 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle is worth a look if clean air, afford...

Let's Go / Best Bets for January 21, 2010

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Ski and concert Scherer Tours in H�chberg, Germany, is offering a bus-and-lodging package to May's Top of the Mountain Concert at Ischgl, Austria, an event it is calling the "ski part...

Quick Trips: Hit the indoor slopes at Belgium�s Snow Valley

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In an unassuming field near the town of Peer, Belgium, stands an enormous structure. Giant metal bracings prop up what looks like an industrial chute attached to a second large slanted building. Inside are nearly three acres of snow-covered terrain.

After hours: Hanaya Yohei, Fussa, Japan

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Pictures are worth a thousand words, particularly when it comes to eating out in Japan. Menus adorned with glossy photos of food don't exactly signal fine dining, but they prove invalu...

After hours: Cantina Mexicana, Einsiedlerhof-Kaiserslautern, Germany

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

A little south-of-the-border cuisine can be a nice change from Frikadelle, currywurst and other savory German delights. One place that has been serving up Mexican grub for quite some time...

Homefront: Stirring up trouble for a good cause

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

I look forward to celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. every January for several reasons. Least important is the fact that it is the last long weekend for teacher and students to...

Spouse calls: Casualties of war and PTSD

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

On the Spouse Calls blog: As I watched the towers fall, I knew our lives would change. My heart ached for the people in the towers and their families, and then I got a col...

Games: Enlist in �Army of Two�

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

When you help make a mess, you need to help clean it up. That's the moral of "Army of Two: The 40th Day," the M-rated shooter from Electronic Arts. Tyson Rios and Elliot...

Games: 'Darksiders': Action title offers little innovation but delivers plenty of fun

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

"Darksiders" won't win any awards for innovation, story line or anything else for that matter � except for the first good video game of 2010. Maybe. It is hard to compare it to ...

Many ailing furry friends keep Kadena veterinary facility busy

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Dozer, an 18-month-old purebred boxer, got a taste of Christmas when his family decorated their tree. So much so that it landed him in the operating room at Kadena's Veterinary Treatment Facility on Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.

Military Update: What will health care reform mean for the military?

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

As House and Senate Democrats negotiate a final health care reform bill, servicemembers across the nation � and their advocates in Washington, D.C. � remain vigilant for side effects. T...

How you can help victims of the Haiti earthquake

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

People who want to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti are asked to make cash donations, not clothes or food. Money can be transferred instantly and can be used to purchase exactly what is needed. Here is a list of reputable charities where you can donate safely.

Volksmarch column for the January 14, 2010 edition

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

See this week's European Volksmarch schedule. We believe that an important part of reaching volksmarch g...

Slovenian farm stay offers sights, scents, sounds of the countryside

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

You have to rub your eyes to make sure what you're seeing is real when you first get to the Slovenian town of Bled. There's the imposing, red-roofed, cliff-side castle towering over pristine, green-blue Lake Bled, the 17th-century baroque church crowning a leafy island in the middle of the lake, and the towering, snow-capped peaks of the Julian Alps in the background for good measure. I half expected to see a dragon soaring over the fairy-tale setting.

DODDS Jazz Seminar, Kaiserlautern, Germany

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Noted band leader and instructor Jiggs Whigham, conducted the jazz big band at this year's DODDS-Europe Jazz Seminar in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Tuesday. Thirty-six students from 12 high schools are taking part in the annual seminar that wraps up with a 7 p.m. free concert at the Haus des Burgers in Ramstein on Thursday. Ramstein High music teacher Jeff Pellaton says to expect "an atypical student performance."

Wiesbaden exhibit captures the tragedy of Titanic�s voyage

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Through May 2, visitors to the Marktkeller in Wiesbaden, Germany, can get an up-close and personal glimpse of the Titanic and its passengers, from the ship's conception and construction to the fatal night when approximately 1,500 people aboard the ship died after it struck an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Your Money: Credit reports are not merged after marriage

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Dear Liz: The day before my son got married, he proudly had a long-term 800-plus FICO credit score. The day after he got married, his FICO score became 600. It seems his new wife had many ou...