European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Log huge fax Relff at French commando school obits to eat at it Dott Gnetti to a top Toft Torf overcome tear of Heights. Survival of the masochists by Don Tate stall writer he Little Captain Wilh the wings on her Chest stood on the Edge of the platform staring Down. And stood there and stood there. You re going to grow feathers a male voice hooted playfully from 30 Odd feet below on the French commando obstacle course capt. Sue Pranke forced a Grin and stepped Back. Her 15 troops All male except one had already jumped. Sha was trying to master her feelings her fear. Three limes she visualized herself making the jump. She would Edge Forward narrowing her Blu Green eyes. Look As though she was about to do it then. Step Back. It was t that big a jump. She had made much bigger ones. This was Only about three feet Oul and six feet Down onto a platform then another jump onto another platform then another ump until she was on the Rocky ground. Ii is not difficult a French colonel murmured to observers. It is a matter of dominating  sue prank the Only woman officer on regular jump status in Usa eur and commander of an 80-person detachment of Parachute riggers and jumpers out of Kaiser Slatlem had shown fear who was Boss More than once in her six years As a Soldier. Eight limes she had jumped out of air planes from hundreds thousands of feet up. Bui today was different. No Parachute Security Blanket billowing Oul above her. Even though she was hooked to a safely Belt she could get pretty banged up on lha rocks and Sharp edges below if she came Down wrong on one of those platforms. And she was already sore hurting and admittedly a bit intimidated from the Rigours of the Day before. Still she was the Leader. People who jumped from air planes were supposed to be fearless. And her troops wailed for their Leader to jump. Pranks knew a lot about leading from the front leading by example. Five limes she had led the Way out the air plane door. But she had never faced anything like the French commando course. For nearly a half hour she stood up there alone trying to psych herself into taking the plunge. But the five foot two 125-Pound Captain finally. Stepped Back. The French commando obstacle course was rough on everybody but it seemed to be beating the Captain to pieces i started hurting the first Day and Haven t  her left leg was badly swollen. The rainbo wish Bruise running Down it looked a Yard Long. By the third Day Sha was dragging the leg along like a sandbag. Much of her body was a Sunset of reds blues purples. Survival of the  she said smiling through the pain. 123,1986 Why Are you going Marn she said one of her soldiers looking about twice her size and strength had asked her before she and the others All volunteers left Kaiserslautern. Sue Pranke was going because sue Pranke liked to lest herself. Like jumping Oul of air planes. How Many women did that like challenging the system in Wisconsin in 1975 and becoming one of the firs two women lobe allowed to try out for a male baseball team there. I was t the greatest second baseman in the world i did it for tits principle. To prove something. " Sho confessed thai the French commando obstacle course had proved something to her it was a Shock. The physical thing Here went far beyond anything i had Ever experienced in our own army. There was nothing in jumping from a plane nothing in our it physical raining to prepare me for  she shrugged. Maybe i m Loo  she s 28. But Pranke said she text that leadership was composed of More than just the rough stuff i think my strengths Are that i m fair and knowledgeable i m a teacher. I think i teach my people to become More  the trouble Wilh the French commando school was that it seemed designed to draw out qualities More Akin to brute Swift action. A Man was Oul there teaching them How to gouge a trooper s eyeballs Oul and stuff them in his or her ears. Would she jump from that platform in she had Illo do Over again yes i know f would. This was strange. Somebody told us in was a Lark Over a French vacation. Next Lime i d have More motivation. I d have fire in my eyes the toughest part of my Job she said is to prove to them i m not a wimp. Maybe they la understand that in took More guts to try this with my body than with the body of some  the Little Captain said she intended to keep on trying keep on challenging. She vowed that she would be Oul there leading ptas soon As she got Back from the four roughest Days of her career even if i have to do in in a body  t combat sue Pranko Toft in � mining tout with Cindy College the stars and stripes Page is