European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1981, Darmstadt, Hesse                                February the stars and stripes Page 9 Gary Crain left rides in his open jeep with a frosty machine in photo at a cavalry scout fires smoke grenades As armoured vehicles approach in the 2nd army Cav on a quest for capstone modern knights ride armoured steeds Story and photos by John Savard Nuernberg Bureau chief like armoured knights of medieval eur members of the 2nd army Cav regt have embarked on a the physical object of their foray is a Threefoot Blue Pyramid which their Lead ers have dubbed the Al though squadrons of the 2nd army regt Are graded on their prowess during the Squadron that captures the Battlefield around the capstone wins the quest and controls the capstone for a but the real quest is to have lots of fun even though there is rain and near Zero a combat Section May stumble into an ambush and be yet the magical Powers in the 2nd army Cav regts kingdom of Dragoon allows that same Section to Rise again for another try for the unlike the Nobles of these 20thcen Tury warriors use radios and machine they ride armoured mounts that include armoured personnel carriers and combat hardened even the sweeping armoured cavalry charges Are punctuated with explosions and smears of smoke that seem closer to Battles for ice planets in galactic empires than the Days of Lance and some imagination to those living outside the regiments mythical kingdom of it May seem a Little More than weird for members of the army oldest cavalry regiment to act this but local jesters Point to the Lack of imagination in most army combat they note the same old Blue forces battling the same old red when these cavalrymen any thing can attackers Are cavalry charges Are trapped from special disruption squads stalk the Battle Field at night in darkened camouflaged jeeps to spread explosions and Ter ror in the troopers say they play their War games the hard Way because it gives them a Chance to have fun while away from their real when the cavalrymen of the 2nd army Cav Arent playing War games or repairing their military they Are facing real communist troops across 621 heavily armed Miles of East German and czechoslovakian Iron but All of this takes most of these troopers spent two out of three Days either training in the Field or patrolling the East Ern when cavalry troops have War games the lore of the kingdom of drag Oon makes Competition a Little rougher and a lot More All this Bull Means were kicking the hell out of the other said Jerry Eddington of troop 3rd from West drives an armoured personnel it All helps bring up said Mitchell of troop 1st especially when its cold like anyone can come out Here and be mis said Robert 60th colonel of the but we come out Here to have and nobody has More fun out Here than the regimental com tanks from co 3rd 2nd army Cav regt launch an attack during a