European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes sunday september 22, 1985 construction of a radar station in Honduras. . Troops constructing temporary buildings last August at Comayagua Honduras. New York twin Phool exercising the army in Honduras by Richard Halloran . Times d keep in the Lush Guan Valley near Sanlorenzo . Army combat engineers have been carving a dirt Road 16 Miles Lon through the of Een Brush and across the shallow streams of this Remote Region in North Central Honduras. Under a hot Sun burning through the Clouds one Day recently an Engineer on a Bulldozer scooped gravel from a Creek Bottom while another graded the Side of the Dusty Road. An Indian peasant watched impassively Horn his Saddle on a lean Pony As did several cows lying in the Middle of the Road. A Tanker truck siphoned water from a Creek to Sprinkle on the Road so the Sand and gravel would Settle. Nearby a squad of soldiers smoothed the Concrete on a spill shield that would protect a Culvert from being washed away. Col. Paul y. Chinen. Commander of the engineers clearly relished the training Lor his troops. We could t do this kind of training in the .," he said because of environmental restrictions and the Lack of space on or outside military reservations. But the he said the honduran government also insisted on preserving the scenery. He pointed to the Banks of a Stream that had been torn up by trucks and the matted area of a motor poo. Both he said would be repaired so the grass would grow again. We have to put everything Back except Lor the Road itself just the Way we found  it Linen said. When tha United state wants to use projects such As this one to train troops the honduran government picks the site. In this Case the new Road will run from an existing Road in san Lorenzo South through cattle ranches and farms to the Village of Jocon. The immediate economic Benefit Chinen Sake is providing Access out to the main  the Road built to military specifications can be used by heavy trucks. Until now the people scattered about the Valley have gotten out by Pony or by walking. Chinen however anticipated a problem Lor the hondurans after his troops leave. If this Road is not maintained he cautioned after a couple of years it will Wash  the project is the latest in a series of diverse exercises that american forces have undertaken in Honduras Over the last three years. Others have included infantry and artillery training counterinsurgency Maneu vers medical deployments and building of dirt airstrips. While military training has been the main objective the exercises have been designed As shows of Force to caution the leftist government in Nicaragua and to reassure the hondurans. An american officer pointing to the Road building project said for the american image that Road is Worth 10  this project which was begun in june and was scheduled to be completed in september underscores the logistic difficulties of operating in this part of Central America. For this dirt Road 16 Miles Long the army has used 850 soldiers 42 of them women and 530 pieces of equipment. Three cargo ships and several flights of big aircraft have been used to bring equipment and people irom the United states and Panama. Tea honduran government has furnished fuel and construction materials at an estimated Cost of $150.000 to $200,000. The United states paid for the transportation but the engineers said they did not know How much it had Cost. The engineers came from fort Benning. A. Medical military police and support units have come irom All Over the United states and from american forces in Panama. Most of the troops were flown in to la Ceiba. A honduran port on the Caribbean sea about 25 Miles North of san Lorenzo and were then trucked in Over a winding Access Road that an Advance party had widened and straightened in a dozen places so that heavy equipment col old pass. One Large truck tipped Over injuring eight soldiers. When the engineers leave Chinen said they will take All their equipment and weapons. He insisted that nothing would remain behind. Critics of the expanding american involvement in Central America have expressed suspicions that american military exercises have been a cover for delivering arms and equipment to insurgents lighting the sandinista government in Nicaragua from sanctuaries in Honduras. The closest Point on the Tea Raglan Border is More than 100 mites South of Jocon. The troops Are up at 4 . Start maintenance chores on the trucks graders tankers and other equipment at 6 . And Are at to on the Road trom 7 . Until 6 . Chilian Aid the Traat and humidity had presented few problems largely because most of the soldiers were in Good condition when they arrived. There is a direct  he said Between physical training and the ability to withstand the  cots Are covered with air mattresses and sleeping bags which the troops sleep on. Not in protected by Mosquito nets. Army women have their own tents and hours or using the Shower tent Are divided Between men and women. An officer said women had adapted As Well As men to the strenuous work. Recreation has been limited to a Lew movies. The Camp is too Remote to receive the american radio station in Palmerola. The honduran air base that serves As a held Headquarters for american forces. A bag of paperback books brought by a visitor was greeted with applause. Officers Here said disciplinary problems had been rare except for instances in which mate and female soldiers had broken regulations by fraternizing