Problems with new mall

The new super base exchange/post exchange at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is awesome, even though a couple of years late.

With all of the good, there has to be some not-so-good. My criticisms can be relatively easy to fix, except for the lack of customer parking. My criticisms are:

• There is no longer a repair shop for American Forces Network decoders [as there was at the Vogelweh store]. Solution: Set up a repair shop in the new facility. The personnel [who worked at Vogelweh] still work for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. AAFES’ solution is to send the item to a German firm to determine what is wrong. By the way, AAFES will rent you a replacement. AAFES’ solution is unacceptable.
• The dishes of uncovered candy in the mall candy shop are a health hazard and could easily be the source of a flu or other epidemic. Solution: Only put out wrapped candy in an open environment. Exposed candy should be in a glass case only accessible by staff wearing proper head covering.
• There is no handicap parking near the north entrance. Solution: Have the base civil engineer designate two or three spaces.
• Parking is a problem, particularly on weekends. Solution: Go to Congress for funds to build multistory parking garages.

I sincerely hope that action will be taken on these items.

Lt. Col. John T. Purdy (retired)
Landstuhl, Germany