European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 30, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Snowshoe patrol Dan Knappenberger troop i commander leads a patrol Story and photos Byton Nauroth Nurnberg bureaus Pec 4 James Emerson pulled his fur lined Parka close around his childlike lace he talked Abou to letters his Mother reads at her warm f Urchen table in Tacoma was hand about what a does t write in Chr m Emerson says it s us1 another Day on Lri Job Oxcell he wishes Spring would come faster to these mountains at 21, the Young Man emerging into Duil Foort on the Border Between West Germany and Czechoslovakia does t wan to play up any danger he might be facing. A does t want to worry his Biol Hor oven when he s on whal he Ciiab the big guard duly " i m used to the Emerson said it s like guard duly. No like in the motor Pool that s Tittle guard duty this is big Juard to was his Evjy o explaining the Diluci clue Axil Wincn Border mentality and Gru Risovi mentality. Small sol luvs con Feras. Emci5on = patrol Leader peered through binoculars at the Bayer Iseh Eisen Sleibi Border crossing in front of him. To s a in a crossing Point Tor europeans mostly truckers not americans. Hla fur lined Hood Lay draped across his shoulders oars bared to the wind As he hunkered Down in n camouflaged Hunker Hen Oul of a huge Snow tint. Contr Pinr. Thinks most americans have a flawed picture of what Tho Border is like i think looks Back in the Stales picture multitudes at tanks Aid a real Iron curtain he said. Of course the tanks Are Tiore but Back farther and obviously it Toviy really wanted to do. Something with them we d have a rough Lime " but con Lecras in t worried. To said he is sure both sides have each other Polly Well sized up they be been doing it or More than 40 years they know we re hers and we know they re hero. Thai s no secret Bui there ate secrets for example to keep irom lipping their hand regimental Olti oals keep a close watch Ori the timing of their patrols. I col William Wallace. 3rd so commando out of Amberg. West Germany said the scheduled patrols Nie slag jetted and mixed up to prevent any routine from creeping into them Tho schedules Are checked at several Levels to see if any inadvertent routine i evident. Certain Border sectors and specific locations Kritil must be patrolled regularly sume like Bayer sch Eiso Sloin arc patrolled More than others. To Choice no grumble even when the Snow is up to heir necks and they d really rather be Back Home in the Kitchen. Adapting that Kitchen Garrison mentality to the Border involves what one Soldier Ler Mcd a change in your Frame of Lor the duly there in More real than in most places. The adrenalin moves faster Emerson said. You see the Throat it s Nel out of some on the Lar end of that threat was the potential Border incident. The Cavalty Solc fico i arc armed they do Cairy ammunition bul their leaders say they re also prepared to make whal they say Are hair trigger decisions " they undergo old week of training. Border Basic la s called immersed m the Border knowledge they must have to pass a written test before they Are permitted to go on patrol. If they fail a rare oct nonce. Wallace said they 5 1 in the Border Camp embarrassed you might have a More experienced patrol Leader Oul there with a less experienced ass Island patrol Leader Wallace said bul oven Ilio privates Are Trace certified bolder Utra Lilied Camp duty officer test i. William Couit up stressed that these men. And there arc Only men in the cavalry Aie immediately responsible for be they learn a neat in lie actor shop on which to base their decisions they Aie permitted their weapons Only in in self do sin the event of hostile ack on orders of Tho regimental commander 0. Or to prevent capture p. Bul officials say Ai trigger decisions require Malu judgment Nof us memory rate acronym runs. A mistake Wallace said escalate to an International inc bul the troops Don t i Hank m anything to worry about la s j
