European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 26, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Sunday january 26, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 soldiers Al taif 32ml inf brigade meaty of the Wisconsin National guard Kirn Aboul it soviet t-6i Ank do tons a class in he Italy in area at Crafe Woehr Germany. Guardsmen train with East bloc equipment Story and pharos by Tony Naboth staff writer g a Fen Woehr Germany when 7th army training come officials look a Long hard look Ai the weather two weeks before certain so Linel was scheduled to Start they predicted floods mud and red Man Euver  also foresaw reformer return or forces 10 Germany soldiers sitting on their thumbs for two weeks raining in skills they could do at Home. That s one reason soldiers of the Jund inf brigade Mech of the Wisconsin National guard were invited to Ost Galen Wocher ranges and train Wilh Warsaw pact military equipment captured during the 1976 Arab israeli War. Second i. Lori Ropke chief of the foreign Materiel training pet. Said her detachment s Job is to keep european a cd groans tip to Speed on identification a and familiar tettion with East bloc equipment. Hut Liis is the first Lime we be rained reserves from the Sta is she said. Roenlee said 200 National guardsmen rotated through four training stations each Day. The stations included equipment identification classes familiarization with real vehicles firing an rpg-7 Ami tank grenade launcher and a class on soviet military organization to give students some perspective about How the equip ment is used in Battle Roepke said the soviets Don t use the equipment her detachment has. Theirs is More up to Dale Bui the czechs and other Warsaw pact nations do so it s still valid she . 4 Jeff Kent a tank Driver from new London wis., said he d rather be looking closely at he equipment than Sil Ting in the Woods passing time. I be never seen russian equipment be fore except for fun flashcards. He said. Staff sgt. Jake Pompa of Appleton wis., watched of spec. 4 Gerald Dii White an instructor pulled Back the Canvas convertible top of an at to snapper anti tank missile launcher mounted on the Back of a jeep like vehicle. Now that s what i Call a rumble Seal said Pompa. A scout platoon Section Leader Wilh the 2nd in 127th inf. This training gives us a Chance to Sec the conditions that the soviets work under he said. Ill probably never Sec this kind of equipment again but i be got a better idea of in feel and  Ropke said soviet troops working in trucked vehicles Are cramped but he vehicles ars reliable they used their Heads when they built them said a guardsman spec 4 Eugene runs in of an Ami Armor Section. Down in the motor Pool one of the so Viet missile launchers was humming away As Hough it just came off the Assembly  a have a problem with Maine a Roc pc said. We can t just order another Lank engine from the  she  they have to have parts tooled from scratch and Many of the vehicles have american engines in them. But the Sanks All have original Etui Mcm she said. Second it. William Allcock y platoon Leader from Neenah wis., said the train ing is especially e00"1 for his anti Armor  they look through Ilic scope at 3,000 meters they d better know Haw o Lell the Good Guys from the bad Guys he said. A lot of Bem arc disappointed thai they did t go to do what icy Canie to Germany to do Man Euver Over the Countryside Allcock said. That s Why we Wurl cd so hard to gel this training for them. At least our own equipment is in treat shape. After aft we never got to use  aft insert pains " Wisconsin us spec. 4 Jeff Kent of new Union wok eels his first look at sonet equipment