illegal•Practices hurt serviceman
ATTENTION ALL'.HANDSt This information i;s .published, for your benefit. Read this
article completely,, save it, and.re-read it every time you are approached to
sign a sales contract or purchase an item on time.
Recent information has been.received concerning an Airman attached to- an Alaska
Command who was pressured into signing "an installment sale contract for a net
figure of $390,00. The written agreement containing the agreed terms was execut
ed at the Airman*s quarters, and he was given a carbon copy. Subsequently, the
airman became suspicious regarding his contract and wrote directly to the home
office of TrfFLompany conceding it. His suspicions hacl^Decome aroused by an
apparent difference between the monthly'‘payment figure in his original contract
and the figure demanded by the company. In response the company forwarded to him
a photostatic’copy of the contract,, on file in their office, under which they
were holding the airman liable* Examination of the photostatic copy revealed
that it was not the contract signed by the airman with the local agent. Its terms
had been changed so as to be more favorable to the company. The airman*s sig
nature and that of his wife had been obviously forged. Upon consultation with'an
(assistant staff judge advocate of the Command, the airman was counselled first to
contact the agent and ask him for the original contract. If the agent failed to
produce the document the airman was to make a complaint to the States-Attorney’s
Officer concerning a possible forgery. The airman did contact the agent, who ad
mitted in front of witnesses. that he had dropped the original contract in a mud
puddle, thus obliterating some of the writing on it. Afterwards he wrote out a
new agreement with different terms, signed the airman’s name and that of his
'■'ive, and submitted it to his home office. The agent was advised- of the airmen’s
disscitisfacjdpn with the situation and was requested to straighten the matter
out with his company. This he refused to do. Again, acting upon legal 'advice,
the airman wrote the company and advised them that they were holding a forged
contract. This* resulted only in their sending another photostat of the same
forged contract to the airman*. At present the airman has been advised to cease
payment to the company and to write them concerning the disposition of the merch
andize ' ■ ' •
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Such sales practices as described are quite possibly not unique* The airman
made 4 payments.on a forced contract, because he freared the consequences of his j
Commanding Officer’s receiving a letter of indebtedness concerning him* Wo there
fore with to stress that personnel of the station have nothing to fear from their
refusal to honor ILLEGAL and UNJUST obligations*
This relieves ^ny service member from the payment of JUST obligations
and debts* Before you take any action to stop payment consult the Legal Assistance
Officer, LTJG FREDRIX, for information and counsel. And if you have any questions
regarding a sales contract or- agreement you are about to sign, do riot hesitate to
contact him. .S. ’ -
•• Forgery is only 'one of several cases whore an obligation may be unjust. However
service members are cautioned that legal counsel should be consulted. Be not make
the decision yourself. Report all the facts to your Legal Assistance Officer
immediately when you feel- that something is wrong. He is here to help you. Do. not
hesitate to call or stop in for advice in any matter which you consider doubtful
or questionable. .. ' •
REMEMBER; CHECK WITH YOUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICER FIRST!!Mi!!!!!!