European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes sunday april 14, worn vehicles rebuilt saves Gold far Uncle to Eslingen Germany Spe Cial keeping vehicles on the go and helping to reduce the Gold flow Are jobs that go hand in hand at the . Army maintenance Plant Here. Worn out military vehicles including the m113 armoured personnel Carrier pc Are liter ally taken apart piece by piece and rebuilt from the ground up. An assigned activity of he com a the to Eslingen facility has As its clients the .army, the Federal Republic of Germany the British army on the Rhine and just recently the . Air Force was added to theist. The vehicles Are sent from these forces to the Plant and re turned to them As Good As new at the rate of five a Day. Commanded by maj. Mason , the Plant is a govern ment owned contract operate facility. The present contractor employs about 1,200 German another european civilians in the operation. Lummis office which insures the provisions of the con tract Are carried out is staffed by about 50 army officers and men department of the army civilians and local nationals. Besides the pcs the Plant re builds m88 tank recovery vehicles m577 command Post vehicles m114 command and recon Naissance vehicles pm 501-e3hawkloaders and assorted engines transmissions and generators. A department of the army study according to Lummis has shown that rebuilding the m113every 5,000 Miles is the most economical Way to handle the maintenance problem Over a Long period of time. Under Norma conditions the tracked vehicle will be in operation nearly fou years before it is slated for Over haul. Similar studies have set Over haul limits on the other vehicles. Facilities on the 203 acre plan site include s3 buildings which House storage areas Assembly and painting lines and of course a building where the aging be hides Are broken Down to begin the rejuvenation process next to the building Complex Isan extensive open area where ranks of the completed vehicles shiny with a new coat of paint stand As if in formation awaiting delivery to the Field. Also in this area is the testing track Complete with Pond to As sure watertight amphibious vehicles and a 60-degree Hill to test traction of the tracked machines. Before a vehicle is approved for shipment it is thoroughly checked by department of the army technicians. The to Eslingen Plant is one of four similar overhaul operations in Germany. The others each rebuilding different types of equipment Are located at Mainz Ober Ramstadt and Schwa Ebisch Gemuend. All Are com z  to Eslingen Plant s govern ment owned contract operated aspect has decided advantages Lummis pointed out the con tractor under what is called a barter contract receives fro the . Government All costs of the operation plus a fixed fee forgoing the work. However the company is paid in foreign currency not . Dol Lars through a financial Chai involving transaction Between the . Disbursing office the federally operated commodity cred it corp. And . Barter  barter dealers who sell to Lyth Bacco and other americano the world Market Are t source of the foreign currency Effion Sald Lummis Nea $500.000 a year is returned United states in essm vehicle parts needed in throw haul operations. The major i this process a  at a time in . History the outflow of american Douay Al a major economic problem. The Type of contract with its pronged attack on the Drain is allowing the . To Tain a vital service on this Sid of the Atlantic Ocean without reducing the Gold reserves. T and at the same time the Plant is assisting the to Eslingen area s Economy. The annual cos of operation is scheduled to reach nearly 111 million next fiscal year new life vehicles Are rebuilt on Assembly line while at right be climbing ability of an pc is tested. ,._ new food ration creates gourmets Wall u test an pc performs fording Tost to make sure that uie vehicle la leak  Washington is the american Serviceman without the Benefit of a French chef or even a gentle assist from a mess sergeant is becoming a gourmet in of All places South Vietnam. And according to the defens Supply Agency his new appreciation for Good food has com about thanks to the food packet Long Range patrol individual. Dsa says the packet is bring ing in rave notices from combat men in the Field. The Agency supplier of food to everyone in uniform reports the tasty relatively new precooked and de hydrated ration now in use i combat is drawing enthusiastic letters Seldom heard in the Mili tary. An infantryman wrote those rations Are the Best Chow Over Here. Keep up the Good  Marine Felt that it s the great est using since a s  servicemen have even asked about buying the for their families at Home or for use while Hunting or  is not possible Supply officials say since All the production has been committed to the armed forces As a result of their popularity and the Vietnam buildup de sense plans to buy an estimated8 million rations this fiscal year or More than three times the number bought the previous  food packets have eight specific menus with three each Type meal packed in � moisture resistant Case. Simply by adding water a varied Well balanced nutritious and familiar meal can be prepared by j Soldier or Marine in the Fieldin anywhere from seconds to 5 minutes depending upon whet frer hot or cold water is used. In a Pinch they can be eaten dry. The Olive drab camouflage packets feature menus us Chicken and Rice Chili con Carne Spaghetti with meat sauce or pork with scalloped  also include a confection Cereal or Fruitcake bar Coffee Cream sugar toilet tissue Ana  Cost $1.74 each have an average Gross weight of Only ounces and Are an outgrowth w developments started five year Sago by army laboratories Ben ibid at Natick muss