Volume 6, No. 20 ©SS 2014
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2014
DYING IN WAIT Report: At least 40 vets died while waiting for care at Phoenix VA Stars and Stripes
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At least 40 veterans — including some who were placed on a secret waiting list — died while waiting for care at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs hospital, according to a CNN report. The “elaborate scheme,” implemented by top management, was an effort to hide the fact that 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans waited months to see a doctor, CNN said, citing a former Veterans Affairs doctor and other agency staff. The secret list also gave the appearance of shorter appointment wait times, which were reported back to Washington, according to the story. SEE PAGE 2
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New locations open for shipping vehicles BY A DAM L. M ATHIS Stars and Stripes
C HRISTOPHER MENDOZA /Courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps
Helicopter raid Marines board a helicopter after helicopter raid training as part of a weapons and tactics course for instructors on Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., on April 9. The training teaches the basics of Marine Corps aviation and provides strategy, tactics and execution experience. The Marines are assigned to 2nd Marine Division’s India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. FROM FRONT PAGE
The report quotes a recently retired doctor from the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Dr. Sam Foote, who explained the protocol for misreporting appointment requests. According to Foote, when vets requested medical appointments, their information would be entered into hospital computers but not saved. A screen grab of the actual appointment data was printed, added to the secret electronic list, then shredded, erasing any public record that the actual ap-
RAF MILDENHALL, England — Servicemembers planning to ship vehicles as part of a permanent change of station should check the location of pick up and drop off points, as some locations around the world are changing and a few are closing. The location change is due to the hiring of a new contractor. U.S. Navy Capt. Aaron Stanley, a director with Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, said most of the new locations will be in the same city as the old pick-up and drop-off points. International Auto Logistics, the new provider, had to “identify locations where they could conduct operations,” including securing lease or purchasing facilities, Stanley said. The previous contractor, American Auto — which, according to a company spokesman, was outbid for the $304.5 million contract — will continue to deliver vehicles it has already picked up to the old locations, Stanley said. Locations owned by the government — mainly in Germany and Italy — will be closed on May 1 and 2 while the two contractors switch employees; they will, however, accept emergency vehicle drop-offs, according to officials. These sites will reopen for all busi-
pointment was made. “So the only record that you have ever been there requesting care was on that secret list,” Foote said in the CNN story. “And they wouldn’t take you off that secret list until you had an appointment time that was less than 14 days so it would give the appearance that they were improving greatly the waiting times, when in fact they were not.” The article references the family of a 71-year-old Navy veteran who had difficulty getting a follow-up appoint-
Vehicle processing Here are new U.S. vehicle processing center addresses for International Auto Logistics effective May 1: Atlanta: 3025 Sylvian Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30354 Baltimore: 17079 Midway Road, Odenton, Md. 21113 Charleston, S.C.: 3601 N. Meeting St., North Charleston, S.C. 29405 Dallas: 957 Heinz Way, Grand Prairie, Texas 75051 Los Angeles: 14611 S. Broadway St,, Gardena, Calif. 90248 Norfolk, Va.: 1215 Executive Boulevard, Chesapeake, Va. 23320 Seattle, Wa.: 840 Industry Way, North Algona, Wa. 98001 St. Louis: 13918 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, Mo. 63044 San Diego: 11433 Woodside Ave., Santee, Calif. 92071 The following are new overseas vehicle processing center addresses for receiving vehicles effective May 1: Anchorage, Alaska: 300 LaTouche St., Anchorage, AK 99501 Fairbanks, Alaska: 5250 Airport Industrial Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709 Bahrain: Al Musaskar 940, East Riffa Industrial Area, Bahrain Brandon, UK: Field Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 7AL, UK Aviano, Italy: Via dei Longobardi 49, 33080, San Quirino PN San Juan, Puerto Rico: 45 Calle 1 Parque Indust., San Miguel, San Juan, PR 00936 Rota, Spain: Calle Dr. Pariente, 11500 El Puerto de Santa Maria, (Cadiz) Spain Incirlik, Turkey: Yenimahalle 33 Sokak No. 31 TR-01340 Incirlik, Turkey Izmir, Turkey: Doganlar Mah. 1417 Sokak TR-35040 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey Eight of the 46 VPCs will permanently close on May 1 in the U.S. and overseas. � VPCs slated for closure in the U.S. are located in Edison, N.J; New Orleans; Orlando, Fla; and Oakland, Calif. � VPCs overseas that have closed, or are slated for closure, include Mannheim, Germany (closed); RAF Croughton, England; RAF Menwith Hill, England; and Seville, Spain.
ness on May 5. American will continue limited operations to deliver vehicles already shipped to these locations until Aug. 1, Stanley said. Troop reductions have led the government to close eight locations, most in the U.S. and England, officials said. Seven of them will close on May 1, and one in Mannheim, Germany, has already closed. International has established a website, pcsmypov.com, for customers to find information about shipping a vehicle and tracking its progress. Besides the change in loca-
ment after they rushed him to the Phoenix VA emergency room because of blood in his urine. Despite a history of cancer and a chart identifying him as urgent, Thomas Breen’s family could not get him in for an appointment. Breen’s wife said she called daily for appointments from late September 2013 through November. Breen died Nov. 30. “They called me Dec. 6,” his wife, Sally, told CNN. The Phoenix VA Health Care System
tions and new website, Stanley said, there are virtually no other differences between shipping a vehicle with the old and new contractors. The Defense Department previously used several contractors to ship vehicles, so different vendors could have been responsible for the ocean and land shipments of vehicles, according to a DOD release. This changed in 1998, when American won the contract and became solely responsible for all aspects of transporting a vehicle, the release says. mathis.adam@stripes.com Twitter: @AMathisStripes
responded to the story, writing they would “welcome the results from the Office of Inspector General’s review.” The statement went on: “We acknowledge Phoenix VA Health Care System has had longstanding issues with Veterans accessing care and have taken numerous actions to meet demand, while we continue to serve more Veterans and enhance our services.” Lawmakers have since called for all records at the Phoenix VA to be preserved, according to CNN. news@stripes.com
Stars & Stripes is back in the U.S.! National content provided by Stars & Stripes. Local content, printing and distribution provided by A1 Publishing Alaska (A1). Most of the advertising provided by A1. A1 Publishing Alaska Publisher Steve Abeln SteveA@AK.net (907) 250-0018
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MILITARY
Hagel reviews prosthetics technology ‘People
BY CHRIS CARROLL Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on April 22 met the bionic man, and it turned out to be someone he’s known for decades. At a Pentagon demonstration of new technologies being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the wounded warrior who showed off an advanced prosthesis was Fred Downs Jr., who worked for Hagel at the Veterans Administration during Ronald Sudoku Puzzle - Medium Reagan’s presidency. Downs lost an arm in a landmine explosion while fighting in Vietnam. Hagel hugged him and shook his mechanical hand, with Downs joking, “I don’t want to hurt you.” “He and I worked together many years ago,” said Hagel, who received Purple Hearts during his service in Vietnam. “How you doing, Fred? How’s your family?” Downs showed Hagel how he controls movements of the DARPA arm, which appeared to be partly covered in translucent white plastic, with two accelerometers strapped to his feet. Through a combination of foot movements, he’s able to control the elbow, wrist and fingers of the www.sudoku-puzzles.net battery-powered appendage in a vaSudoku Puzzle - Medium riety of movements, including the thumbs-up sign he gave Hagel. It took only a few hours to learn to control the arm, he said. “It’s the first time in 45 years, since Viet-
nam, I’m able to use my left hand, which was a very said it time,” would be emotional he said. 50 years Dr. Justin before we Sanchez, a medical doctor and saw this program mantechnology ager at DARPA in humans. who works with prosthetics and We did it brain-related technology, told in a few Hagel that Sudoku Puzzle - Medium years. DARPA’s arm Dr. Justin is designed to Sanchez mimic the shape, Defense size and weight Advanced of a human arm. Research It’s modular too, Projects Agency so it can replace a lost hand, lower arm or a complete arm. Hagel said such technology would J. SCOTT A PPLEWHITE /AP have a major impact on the lives of injured troops. “This is transformaDefense Secretary Chuck Hagel, left, examines a prototype prosthetic arm tional,” he said. “We’ve never seen and hand developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency anything like this before.” fitted to Fred Downs, right, and explained by Dr. Justin Sanchez, center, a DARPA and its program manager with DARPA, on April 22 at the Pentagon. research partners are working on you can use that sensory information climbing ladders, opening doors ways to control to assist with that task,” Johannes and carrying things requires major Solution - Medium prostheses, said. feats Sudoku of engineering and computer ranging The tactile feedback system science. from sensors should be operational within a few Journalists were escorted out months, he said. “People said it like Downs before the remaining three technolowould be 50 years before we saw uses, to gies could be demonstrated because this technology in humans,” Sanchez www.sudoku-puzzles.net prosthe ses of classified concerns. According to said. “We did it in a few years.” that can a Defense official speaking on backHagel was next given an overview readSudoku minute Puzzle - Medium ground, Hagel brought up to date of the DARPA Robotic Challenge, muscle moveon progress of three other DARPA a competition to develop a rescue ments in residual programs: and disaster response robot that was limbs. Even further Plan X, “a foundational cyberinto the realm that a few inspired by the Fukushima nuclear warfare program to develop platyears ago would have been incident. forms for the Department of Defense considered science-fiction Virginia Tech’s entrant in the to plan for, conduct and assess was a video that Sanchez showed contest, the hulking 6-foot-2-inch cyberwarfare in a manner similar to Hagel of a patient whose brain had Atlas robot developed by Boston Dykinetic warfare.” recently been implanted with a namics, loomed menacingly in the Persistent Close Air Support, a sensor at the University of Pittsbackground as Hagel was shown a www.sudoku-puzzles.net system to, among other things, link burgh, allowing her to control an video of robots walking over uneven up Joint Tactical Air Controllers arm with her thoughts. ground and carrying things. ExSudoku Solution - Medium with close air support aircraft using Matt Johannes, an engineer from cept for LED lighting, however, the commercially available tablets. the Johns Hopkins University Ap330-pound humanoid appeared to be Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, plied Physics Laboratory, showed switched off. to “reduce dependence on intelHagel a shiny black APL-produced Brad Tousley, head of DARPA’s ligence, surveillance and reconhand and arm that responds to brain Tactical Technology Office, exnaissance platforms, network links, impulses. The next step is to put plained to Hagel that Hollywood and GPS navigation in electronic sensors in the fingers that can send creates unrealistic expectations of warfare environments.” sensations back to the brain. robotic capability. In fact, build“If you don’t have line of sight on ing humanlike robots capable of carroll.chris@stripes.com something you’re trying to grab onto, autonomously doing things such as Twitter: @ChrisCarroll_
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MILITARY
Civilians losing LQA vent anger as cutoff nears BY JOHN VANDIVER Stars and Stripes
STUTTGART, Germany — Dr. Jeff Wolff loves working with the patients at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. So why leave suddenly after more than a decade? Wolff is among the nearly 700 civilian Defense Department employees who this month will have housing allowance benefits cut from their paychecks. Wolf will be leaving Germany on Monday — just days before the cuts take effect — for a job with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Texas. At issue are conflicting opinions over whether an obscure set of State Department regulations allow certain locally hired workers to receive housing allowance benefits. Affected employees contend that DOD is retroactively applying a new interpretation to a decades-old regulation governing who is eligible for Living Quarters Allowance. DOD counters that it is obliged to enforce regulations. When the DOD determined last year that 659 overseas civilian employees, mainly in Europe and the Pacific, were receiving housing allowances in error — a contention refuted by the workers themselves — a one year LQA extension was provided to help employees plan for a future without the subsidy. That extension expires in early May - the dates differ for individuals affected. “I’ve been here 11 years and these are the greatest patients in the world,” Wolff said of the troops wounded in war and aging veterans he has cared for and treated. Wolff said he leaves with a great deal of anger directed at the DOD. “This last year has been a total fiasco,” Wolff said. “Why would anyone want to work for an employer that has become as toxic as DOD. It’s been nothing but a big slap in the face.” During the past year, DOD has urged workers to file special requests to be relieved of debts associated with past LQA payments. Workers who have not made such a request by the time LQA expires, will have their wages garnished in addition to having to cover their housing expenses out of pocket. At least 556 of the 659 affected employees have requested waivers and 483 have been approved. Others con-
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Dr. Jeff Wolff, a civilian physician at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, is among the nearly 700 overseas civilians who the Defense Department says received a housing allowance in error. Without the benefit, Wolff says he is leaving DOD employment abroad and relocating to the U.S. tinue to be processed. To date no one has been denied a request for debt relief, according to the Defense Finance and Accounting Services website However, the challenge of making ends meet in costly overseas locales without an allowance still remains, employees said. Some, such as Wolff, have managed to find work stateside, but others say they are looking for ways to economize or planning to dip into savings to help cover the costs of rent and utilities. The workers’ dispute with DOD stems from a 2011 ruling by the Office of Personnel Management, which determined that locally hired employees are eligible for LQA only if they worked for no more than one non-government employer overseas before joining government service. For years, many personnel offices had interpreted the rule differently. “I’m still trying to figure out how someone today can reinterpret what someone else wrote 30 years ago and absolutely no one of authority questions it,” said Michael Taylor, an Air Force civilian at Ramstein Air Base. “It became the new law unchallenged
Many of the affected civilians have and was retroactively applied.” banded together over the past year, DOD officials, however, say they are trying to galvanize support for their obligated to enforce regulations and argument and have garnered sevpoint to the measures taken to ease the eral high-level supporters, including financial pain of employees, such as European Command’s Gen. Philip the debt waivers and one-year extenBreedlove and Africa Command’s sion of housing benefits. Gen. David Rodriguez, who have both Taylor, who lives in a small village issued letters urging DOD to restore near Kaiserslautern, said he won’t the benefits. walk away from a job he loves with see 8 several lawmakers have Inpage addition, the Air Force, where he works as a voiced concern, even calling on the foreign treaty analyst, but is holding Government Accountability Office out hope DOD will eventually restore to investigate DOD’s management of the benefits he was promised when he housing allowances. was hired. Karen Diks, an Air Force civilian “We will probably make ends meet, at Aviano Air Base, Italy, said she and but it certainly is a hardship,” Taylor her family have been saving money said. all year to prepare for the loss of LQA. Joni Thomas, another Air Force For now, Diks said, she needs to stay civilian at Ramstein whose debt was in Italy to be close to her terminally waived, said DOD should honor the ill father-in-law in Europe. Even after original terms of her employment, which guaranteed a housing allowance. housing benefits go away, the push to get a better resolution will press on, “It feels like a betrayal,” she said. she said. “Most of us are veterans who have sac“I think what they (DOD) are doing rificed a lot and elected to continue to is wrong and immoral,” Diks said. “It’s serve as civilians. I think it is a tragedy been a long year, but we are not giving the way they are treating people who up. It shouldn’t have to be this way.” have given so much. This could have vandiver.john@stripes.com been handled with a swipe of a pen.”
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MILITARY
DODEA’s new chief eager to get started BY CHRIS CARROLL Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — Collective lamentation over the falling defense budget has been part of the Washington soundtrack for several years, but it’s not a tune you hear in the office of the new head of the Defense Department’s elementary and secondary schools. Thomas Brady, a retired Army colonel who took over last month as director of Department of Defense Education Activity schools, worked for years in leadership positions in struggling urban school districts beset by high poverty rates and deep fiscal problems. In a recent interview with Stars and Stripes, he called the financial situation at DODEA, which serves 82,000 students, “a remarkable relief” by comparison. That’s despite the threat of furloughs for all employees last year and the possibility that across-the-board budget cuts could be imposed again once a bipartisan budget deal expires in 2016.
“The Department of Defense has made a tremendous commitment to education, and we have to understand that the budget is getting reduced,” he said. “But actually, in ’14 and ’15 it appears that DODEA is getting sufficiently resourced, and we hope that continues in the out years.” Brady retired from the Army in 1997 after a 25-year career capped by the position of commander at Fort Belvoir, Va. With an undergraduate degree in teaching earned decades earlier, and with years of extensive involvement in
parent-teacher organizations at the schools his five children attended, he decided to refocus. “When I got to the end of my military career, I said to myself, ‘Maybe I can get into this education thing and keep the service ideal, but just do it in a different way,’ ” he said. His first education job was as chief operating officer at Fairfax County Public schools, a district serving one of the wealthiest counties in America. Ready for more of a challenge, he moved on to administrator jobs at District of Columbia and Philadelphia school districts. Then in 2008, he was hired to run Providence, R.I., Public Schools, a district with crushing fiscal challenges — where nearly 90 percent of the students qualified for free and reduced price lunches, a federal measure of poverty. Brady described a fiscal environment at Providence at the time where “every day is a budget battle, every day is a budget reduction, and there is no money put into capital funding.” That’s unlike DODEA, which has said it would spend $4.7 billion to repair and replace schools between 2011 and 2021. Providence Mayor Angel Taveras in 2011 developed a crisis plan to reduce employee costs in the school district — by firing the entire teaching staff. The mass termination was planned because of rules requiring advance notifica-
tion of firings, and a large majority of the teachers were later hired back. Brady oversaw the process, but said he told the mayor to weigh the consequences, including putting at risk an innovative new agreement between the district and the teachers union to help fix failing schools. “He thought the best approach was to do the maximum latitude” in terminating teachers, Brady said. “I pointed out the impact on the workforce and that perhaps there were other ways to approach this.” Brady resigned the following month, citing philosophical differences with the mayor. “We are both passionate about educational reform but I realize it takes time to have a sustained, enduring reform,” he said. “I wanted it to last, and short-term things don’t necessarily last in the long term. We were well on the track of student improvement and student performance improvement, and so philosophically there was a difference in how to approach it.” After two years of consulting and other work, Brady found out about the DODEA director opening. “I said, ‘Wow, I can combine 25 years of military experience with 15 years of education experience in a well-resourced system and have an impact,’ ” he said. “My five children attended DODEA schools, my wife attended DODEA schools and two of my grandchildren attended DOD schools, so it’s sort of in the DNA.” In his first weeks on the job, Brady has been traveling in the United States and worldwide
to speak with DODEA staff and parents and describe his vision for the organization. With no crises — budgetdriven or otherwise — forcing radical changes, he said he would focus on a few long-term reforms rather than a host of programs and quick fixes, which he said can exhaust school staffs. “I’m passionate about aligned curriculum with assessment, so that you know what you’re taught, and the children are prepared,” he said. “That’s not to say that teachers have to do it by rote. I think there’s a difference between, ‘They make us teach it this way’ and ‘Here’s your learning objective and you can teach it whatever way you’d like.’ ” The move will be fully resourced, with plenty of professional development opportunities for teachers, he added. Along with most states, DODEA signed on to the Common Core Standards for English/literacy and math. Brady said the standards, which he plans to implement over the next 18 to 24 months, will help students, but he recognizes that the nationwide initiative has been controversial in its approach to testing. “Common Core means many things to many people, and it’s an emotive term,” he said. “It’s not a system, it’s a set of standards and it’s by grade, and I think it’s a positive step. … But I’m not going to talk about the Common Core. I’m going to talk about college and career readiness, which is more encompassing and less confusing to the non-educators.”
‘ Wow, I can combine 25 years of military
experience with 15 years of education experience in a well-resourced system and have an impact. My five children attended DODEA schools, my wife attended DODEA schools and two of my grandchildren attended DOD schools, so it’s sort of in the DNA.
’
Thomas Brady Department of Defense Education Activity director
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VIDEO GAMES
Never-ending glory ‘Elder Scrolls Online’ offers all the multiplayer medieval mayhem you can take BY BRIAN BOWERS
F
“Elder Scrolls Online” takes the popular franchise to the MMO masses. Its worlds are vast and diverse enough to have gamers exploring for days on end.
Stars and Stripes
or years, fans of the “Elder Scrolls” franchise have dreamed of fighting side by side with friends in the fantasy land of Tamriel. With the release of “The Elder Scrolls Online,” they get their chance. The new online game is remarkably faithful to its predecessors. From the lore to the gameplay to the graphics — and even the glitches — it definitely feels like a familiar foray into the medieval world created by Bethesda Softworks. Of course, the mechanics and dynamics of cooperative and competitive play have been added in the transition from a single-player title to a massive multiplayer online game. And the minor tweaks are countless. However, it seems that Bethesda really didn’t make any major changes to its basic formula. And that should make fans happy. What hasn’t made many of them happy is the $15-per-month subscription fee. For the past year, gamers have been eager to point out that practically every other online multiplayer game is now “free to play,” relying on advertising or on fees that unlock special items and experiences. Of course the MMO king, “World of Warcraft,” still gets away with charging a monthly subscription fee, so the fee-haters’ argument will fall flat if “ESO” manages to reach similar status. While that might be a tough dragon to slay, I believe it is possible. Gamers want enthralling stories and enjoyable gameplay. Fortunately, “ESO” has both covered — though it doesn’t actually break any new ground in the second category. “ESO” starts off with a much richer heritage than “World of Warcraft.” Bethesda can draw upon the lore developed for five deep role-playing games filled with fascinating people, nations and creatures. “WoW” had only three strategy games that were fun, but comparatively light on mythos.
Overall grade:
B+
Bethesda Softworks
In addition, the folks at Bethesda are skilled at developing games that offer more than 100 hours of captivating gameplay. Because of this, I don’t think providing interesting content should be a major concern. That was evident during the first weeks of availability. Despite playing the game for almost 100 hours since its beta phase, I feel like I’ve only dented the surface. I’ve played extensively in only one of the three warring alliances and have just dabbled in the others. Each has a unique set of missions and environments, so there’s plenty more for me to explore as I create new characters and join other alliances. And Bethesda is already advertising that more adventures are on the way. Players start the game by creating a character, which involves coming up with a name, choosing gender, race, alliance and career path and determining physical characteristics. The races are the usual suspects for Tamriel — several nationalities of humans and elves, feline Khajiit, reptilian Argonians and rugged orcs. The career possibilities consist of dragon knights, warrior-monks known as Templars, stealthy Nightblades and magic users. The character-creation mechanics give you an excellent amount of control over your avatar’s physical characteristics. My only gripe concerns the relatively limited number of hairstyles and beards. Upon creating a warrior or wizard,
you are cast into a prison in another dimension known as Coldharbor, which serves as a tutorial level. After learning the ropes and escaping your incarceration, you are transported to a location that’s determined by the alliance you selected. Since I have the “Imperial Edition,” I was able to create a high-elf dragon knight who was part of the Ebonheart Pact — an unusual combination because high elves are normally part of the Aldmeri Dominion. Since I was part of Ebonheart, I started in the town of Davon’s Watch. There, my goal was to circumvent the nefarious schemes of the rival Daggerfall Covenant. The war among these three alliances is the primary motivator behind the game’s action. Each of the three aims to take control of the imperial city of Cyrodiil. Many of the single-player and small-group missions touch on this theme. And the player vs. player mode hinges on this conflict. Combat is handled like that in most PC role-playing games — mouse clicks and hot keys initiating different kinds of attacks. As long as your connection isn’t lagging, the attacks unfold smoothly and efficiently. Although you select a character class at the beginning, you aren’t prevented from using weapons and certain skills associated with other career fields. For example, my dragon knight has joined the mages guild, so I have a few magi-
cal tricks up my sleeve. This sort of diversity is similar to the system that Bethesda used in “Oblivion” and “Skyrim,” though it’s not quite as versatile. As a dragon knight, I’ll never have access to Nightblade, mage or Templar’s most distinctive abilities. As in most role-playing games, you gain strength and abilities as you acquire experience and increase in level. So, you can learn to breathe fire, forge better swords or be more persuasive when talking to nonplayer characters, depending on which career path and guilds you choose. New levels come at a pretty steady pace if you keep on top of your missions. Simply wandering through the countryside and killing zombies and demonic Daedra isn’t enough — though it is fun. Nonplayer enemies tend to be relatively well balanced as long as your character is at the right level for a particular area. For example, if you’re level 4 and face off against two or three level 4 or level 5 bandits, you should do well. If you’re level 15 and bumble into an area geared toward level 20, you’re going to die. One of the problems is that it’s way too easy to bumble. From experience, I know that there’s a levelappropriate set of adventures somewhere, but it sometimes can take an hour of repeatedly dying and respawning to find it. SEE PAGE see page12 9
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VIDEO GAMES from page11 8 FROM PAGE Many of the major missions have some connection to the wider conflict among the alliances. Spies might be poisoning a town’s water or an army might be attacking a city. Others focus on local problems, like giant bugs infesting local mines or an elf who thinks a ghostlike creature is his reincarnated wife. Some are very complex and challenging, involving multiple mini-quests. Others are more mundane, like gathering ingredients so the local apothecary can mix up some medicine or finding a hungover warrior’s missing pants. Quests are scattered all over the map so there’s always a reason to explore — one of the elements of previous games that helps make “ESO” so fun. Most missions unfold in public areas. This means that other avatars are always nearby, completing their own quests. This can be helpful, but sometimes can get a bit odd. For example, if I’m trying to knock down a big boss, I’m usually quite happy to receive a helping hand from another wandering warrior. Everyone gets his own batch of loot after the battle, so there’s no fear of losing goodies to interlopers. However, since the battle unfolds in a public area, the boss needs to reappear to confront the next batch of adventurers. The result is that Mr. Baddy is sometimes resurrected beside me before I can even loot his treasure chest. Although there’s no need to fight him again, it doesn’t seem quite right. And those hovering adventurers can present some irritating problems of their own. For example, if you’re gathering certain items as part of a quest, you will need to be quick or others might grab the goodies from under your nose. Or, they might unintentionally interfere with a puzzle. In addition to the missions in public areas, you can team up with friends and tackle private areas. These usually present tougher enemies and better loot. They can be very fun and very lucrative. The third option is the player vs. player mode. In this, the three alliances struggle for control of resources, fortresses and magical Elder Scrolls, with the ultimate winner of the campaign crowning a new emperor, aka its highest-ranking player. The battles occur on an immense map that’s dotted with castles, lumber mills, mines and farms. Action can pop up at almost any point since each location holds strategic value. Fighting ranges from small-time bushwhacking to full-blown sieges, complete with catapults and dozens of warriors. It’s
Bethesda Softworks
Most missions unfold in public areas, so you can enlist other avatars to help. a mix that will be familiar to fans of “Guild Wars 2,” but it’s still enjoyable. You can join the struggle for Cyrodiil after reaching level 10. Your level will be boosted temporarily to the maximum — level 50 — so you’ll be somewhat competitive. However, you’ll keep your regular abilities, weapons and armor, so don’t expect to live long if the action gets hot. Even though it’s fun to jump into the middle of a castle siege, it’s best to start off by taking easier missions, such as scouting out enemy territory. It’s also wise to travel with a friend, because solo trips can easily turn deadly. Twice, I died in heavy action and tried to rejoin the fray by galloping across the countryside only to be waylaid by groups of enemies waiting for unwary travelers. Aside from the fun of participating in large-scale battles, the big benefit of this mode is that the experience and gear you acquire can be carried back to the regular campaign.
Graphics and glitches The graphic presentation is similar to that of “Skyrim,” realistic rather than surrealistic or cartoony. The
environments are well designed and attractive, though they lack the feeling of grandeur that’s conveyed by the expansive vistas of “Skyrim.” And it’s hard to avoid a feeling of deja vu when exploring buildings, because there is a very limited number of floor plans for houses, inns and castles. If you have a computer that can handle the “ultra-high” graphics setting, you’re likely to be impressed with the detail and textures — at least by MMO standards. However, since I’m “the console guy,” I don’t have a computer that can handle that setting for anything other than quiet strolls around town. Combat requires quick action and that’s not going to happen unless I knock the settings for my computer — new but very average — down to “medium.” But even in that setting, the graphics are respectable. However, visual glitches are relatively common. Don’t be surprised to see a riderless horse scoot across the ground without moving its legs, or watch your avatar lean over and be absorbed by a nearby rock, or see an enemy back up and go inside a wall, or run toward an open area only to have a tree suddenly materialize right in
Many more staff-written game reviews at stripes.com/military-life
front of him. Some of these issues are caused by graphics bugs but others are undoubtedly caused by laggy connections and my “medium” settings. Other bugs have more serious implications for gameplay. In several cases, I’ve encountered quests that couldn’t be completed because certain elements wouldn’t activate. These are easy to spot because you’ll see four or five other avatars circling the item in question or jumping up and down on top of it. In most cases, Bethesda has eventually corrected the problem — once about an hour after I discovered it. I’ve also fallen through the ground and into the game’s digital “basement” and gotten firmly stuck in a glitched part of the landscape. Both problems require using the fast-travel function to escape. I love Bethesda’s role-playing games, but I have to admit that I’ve come to expect these sorts of glitches. The game carries a mature rating for violence, blood, drinking and sexual themes, though they are very low key compared to most M-rated games. Bottom line: B+ “The Elder Scrolls Online” is fun, deep and satisfying. It doesn’t break a lot of new ground, but it does almost everything well. Platform: PC. Coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in June. Online: elderscrollsonline.com
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Court: Some Americans entitled to child-care funds I
Moving experience: Cherish, or cling?
BY M ARCUS K LOECKNER AND JENNIFER H. SVAN Stars and Stripes
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — A recent court ruling could have implications for some foreign parents-tobe living in Germany under the NATO status of forces agreement. A German court ruled in March that an American woman, a SOFA cardholder married to a U.S. servicemember assigned to Germany at the time, should have received a federal income subsidy that is paid to working parents who choose to stay home or reduce their hours after the birth of a child. Whether the decision means that all new parents covered by the SOFA now qualify for the allowance — which ranges from about $414 to $2,490 per month — remains unclear. The American at the center of the more than four-year legal battle for the allowance was employed for nearly 10 years by an international company in Germany and had paid for years into the German social insurance system, said her lawyer, Sandra Flämig. The court emphasized those two circumstances in ruling that the woman should have been paid the parental benefit and is entitled to about $27,600 retroactively for a period after her daughter was born in 2009, according to court documents. Flämig believes the court’s interpretation will narrow the pool of SOFA cardholders eligible for the allowance to only those working on the local
economy and paying for social insurance, which covers health and retirement benefits. Rupert Hassel, the presiding judge at the Baden-Württemberg state social court in Stuttgart, said he could not say how far-reaching the decision would be for other NATO SOFA members, since his court ruled on a specific case. “But simply the fact that the federal social court accepted this case gives you an idea that there is some relevance,” Hassel said Tuesday. The court’s decision is expected to be appealed before the highest court that can rule in the case, the federal social court in the city of Kassel. That process could take up to two years, Flämig said, during which time her client must wait to be paid. The law creating Elterngeld — “parent’s money” — went into effect in January 2007. It’s designed to help support families with newborn children and to encourage parents to stay home longer after a child’s birth. It’s one of several social benefits provided to families in Germany, the government of which is trying to promote larger families and boost the country’s low birth rate. The parental allowance law, as it’s currently written, stipulates that to be eligible, one must: look after and raise one’s child in the same household; work no more than 30 hours per week; and be a resident of Germany. Only one parent can receive the benefit at a time, though the money can be split by two parents over 12 to 14 months. The allowance is
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based on the parent’s income. The woman who sued first applied for the allowance at a German state bank in October 2009, two months after her second child was born. The bank refused to pay, arguing that the woman did not have German citizenship or European Union membership, nor did she have a residence permit giving her legal authority to work in Germany, according to court documents. The woman, now 43, claimed discrimination and argued that as a SOFA cardholder she did not need a special working permit, according to court documents. The woman, whose name was not disclosed, left Germany in November 2011. A lower court in Mannheim had ruled against her in March 2010. The Stuttgart court, which reversed the decision last month, said there was a gap in the allowance law and found that the woman, with her SOFA status, did not need a residence permit to work and therefore would be eligible for the allowance. The fact that the woman worked for years in the German economy and paid into the German social insurance system particularly qualified her to receive the allowance, the court found. Flämig told Stars and Stripes the court’s ruling was more than fair and her client is entitled to receive some of the money back that she paid into the German social insurance program.
kloeckner.marcus@stripes.com svan.jennifer@stripes.com
This publication is a compilation of stories from Stars and Stripes, the editorially independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense for members of the military community. The contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Defense Department or the military services. The U.S. Edition of Stars and Stripes is published jointly by Stars and Stripes and this newspaper. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DOD or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
© Stars and Stripes, 2014
f moving was only about and keep you from moving swapping one physical ahead. Then you’re stuck in the location for another, most past.” military spouses could These are lessons Miller knock it out in a weekend with learned over many moves. a checklist and some elbow When she made her last grease. But leaving one home move to Phoenix, Ariz., she for another carries emotional began speaking to women and spiritual baggage that about the emotional and spirirequires more than checked tual demands of moving. She boxes — or packed ones. said she wanted them to know Susan Miller hasn’t changed they were not alone in the addresses lately, but she is angst of transition. often on the move, traveling Her first book was born of the world with a message for those early experiences. Her military spouses about the nonprofit organization, Just physical and emotional transiMoved SPOUSE CALLS Ministry, tions of life. “When you move, you are blossomed uprooted, leaving everything in 1995, and you know and everything has been that’s familiar,” Miller said. connecting “Unpacking your emotions is with military just as important as unpacking communities your home.” ever since. The author of several books Much of about moving, including “After the material, the Boxes Are Unpacked,” and Miller’s Miller is the president and speaking Terri Barnes founder of Just trips, are Moved Minis- Join the conversation with Terri at provided at no try. She grew stripes.com/go/spousecalls cost to these up as an Air communities. Force daughter “When and her hus(military band, Bill, served in Vietnam. groups) invite me to speak, I His post-military career in don’t say no,” she said. “Just hotel and restaurant manageMoved Ministry pays for ment added 14 moves to her travel, and the hosts take care resume, so she understands of housing and meals.” what it means to start over. Additionally, through a pro“A move is a tangible loss, gram called Operation Hope, and that has to be addressed,” Miller’s ministry provides free she said. “In the military they materials to military spouses are really good with all the for a series called, “Moving basic tasks of moving. But we On After Moving In.” The kit also have to deal with the emoincludes materials for seven tions of that adjustment.” participants: books, workNow a widow — Bill died books, a leader’s guide and 13 DVD sessions. in 2009 — Miller has experiAn online application to ence in many transitions. She request the materials requires encourages military families contact information for a to move forward in any life group leader, a chaplain and change by cherishing what a commitment that the DVD is past and clinging to what doesn’t change. For Miller, that will remain at the chapel to be used again. When a new group means clinging to God’s promwants to use the same video ises, primarily, and to family, set, Miller said Just Moved friends and memories. Ministry will provide another “To cherish means to hold set of books for seven new in mind, to treasure; to cling participants. means to clutch,” she said. “To Miller firmly believes the apply those definitions to movprinciples she espouses have a ing, you want to cherish what wide application. “This study you left behind, the home you is not just about moving in and loved or the military post you out of boxes,” she said. loved. Cherish those friends, “It’s a guide to all of life’s but you can only cling to what transitions, the empty nest, you have with you, what does divorce, death, retirement and not change. If you flip that and health issues.” you cling to the things you should be cherishing, it will Terri Barnes writes Spouse Calls weekly for Stars and Stripes keep you from starting over
P R E A M B L E
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Look for more in coming weeks!
Content provided by A1 Publications, Alaska.
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P R E A M B L E Section 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. Section 2. 2.1 The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Content provided by A1 Publications, Alaska.
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