European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Face to face with fear army Boldios thug Fng tar Foo Thom. By Wendy Bourlanp staff writer he Sun was sinking into the Jura Mountain As Donna Cay tar and Cindy College parked their car in a dirt lot several Hundred feet beyond the cracked Stone Waits of fort Henry Martin in lbs rubs is France. The 24-year-old first lieutenants had left behind the desks maps and manuals of their military intelligence jobs at 81h inf div in bad Krauz Nach for a week of commando training with me French army. Two other american women were participating. Capt. Sue Pranke came  with 15 Parachute riggers including spec. 4 Sandy Barnell. Another male Soldier attached to Pranke s unit for the commando training was also there. I to thought this would be a French vacation one said. They though wrong. The one week program for soldiers of visiting nations would Teal the women and the men to the Limm of their endurance. Ii airborne training prepares you Aon whal or Tow it in$tffl3 fortitude pranks said aft of the first Day of training. She didst my that after the second Day. Cd for said she came to the school looking Tor adventure but found herself dealing with fear. You face your fear and you go ahead anyway Ehe said even though there s As much Cable head of you As there is behind  French u. Col. Hugo decan Dobe second in command of the school said tha women who go through the school find the obstacle course difficult considerable upper body strength is required to Complete it. One male member of the airborne Unn said he d rather jump out of a c-130 than do some of is obstacles. As Barmett put in jumping out of an air plane you have a Parachute Here when you jump and mass your Mark you la hit something. And it win Hurt bad on the Taco and morning the group is at the platform obstacle. Caylor in t doing this one. The tall slender blonde injured her Back the Day before. Ill probably skip several exercises today it hurts to  she said. Piano be is the last one on the platform the Captain is prepared to jump safely harness snug. In this exercise there s a jump to a platform three feet out with a thick padded Pote at the far end. There Are two More plate ones each lower than the first with Skinny a padded poles. From the third platform there is a jump to the ground. Barmett is seated on the ground rub Bugher right knee. She injured it As she jumped from the last platform. Prance sees everyone waiting below wailing for her. Finally unable to jump she Steps Back unhooking her safety harness. I saw myself doing it but i thought about yesterday s pain. I could to she said walking to the next obstacle. College is the Only woman who has avoided injury other than the bruises and Burns they Ali have from crossing cables. Some of the men seem to have pinned their Hopes of womankind the possibility thai women can perform in Laid conditions under stress on this seb assured Spunky lieutenant. Several cheer her on during the Day. Swim glob from an embankment by a knotted rope to a Wall of rope Niehing with holes big enough for an Arm to fit through College does t lift hot feat enough As the rope reaches the Bottom of its swing. She grinds into tha ground. Stunned and embarrassed she struggles to her feet. Three others two men and a woman suffer similar fates. Throughout the Day Baumelt struggles on the course with her injured knee but jumps crafts and climbs through each exercise. Her face is a study in determination. By Day s end the determination has been replaced by fatigue her a is stringy and unkempt. She Totels her Mouth into a Grin As she smacks the dust off her uniform. By evening of the second Day the women find themselves incredibly sore and colourfully bruised. Who its Nice found the course to be More Ihan she bargained for. College did not. Cindy s done this kind of thing before said Caylor. She used to comb  College says she did not compare herself with the Man. However she found some of them comparing themselves to her. One Guy said it i did it an obstacle he Felt like he had to. When i fall he said a wondered if he could do it she said the afternoon of the third Day a Stocky muscular Soldier said he Felt that women had proven themselves unlit Lor grueling physical raining or combat duty. But he Felt the women training with him deserved Praise for sticking it out. Only 10 frenchwoman have completed the longer three week version of the course at lbs Rousses the colonel said. No american women have attempted in. Men of the sch quartermaster dal who acknowledged College s ability did so by encouraging her As they did each other. Several men were not impressed. They Felt an exceptional Strong woman is the same As an average Man and College did t deserve special Praise. But she got it anyway. From both sexes. Page 16 the stars and stripes wednesday july 23,1986