European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 16, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Of officer does his work from an army arc monday May 16. 19b6 the stars and stripes  Norn Lori Harcou plumed Imp Earth and 1 lined into heaven. Air Force Apt. Jack Rimann flies an armoured personnel Carrier across inc rutted Hills of  the sub Dued Patch of inc army s 1st Arrond div on his shoulder a pair of Hue airman i wings above his heart. As air Liaison officer for the division s 2nd brigade at Erlanger North of Nim tier Rimann and his staff form it used to be that when a Pilot would get the report on his target s position he could pretty much expect that target to be there. Not any More.1 the close air support link that in Lime of War would contribute la a longer life Ciuc Clancy for grunts on the ground. Every Man Euver battalion in the army has an attached  team its Mission in bring in the aircraft that blast enemy tanks Anil strafe enemy troops. Getting these planes from air bases in Western West Jermany and the Netherlands to targets in the training areas near the East German Border is an accelerating Jug Eling aet thai Gen trickier As tanks get faster. La used in  Zeimann said that when a Pilot would gel the report on his target s position lie could pretty much expect that target to he there not any More Reimann s juggling act features thunderbolts phantoms Falcons Alpha jets jaguars and eagles out of air bases from the Netherlands in the Nonh to  in southwestern West Ger Many when inc planes hit their targets the army troops cheer largely unaware that an air Force Guy with an army Patch on his shoulder was Chr one who brought the aircraft in for the kill. H inched in the Back of a radio stuffed m113 armoured personnel Carrier Rei Mann talks through a Mustache Bor rowed from Tom Selleck at Neit one slip pity militarised. Mustache aside it s Rimann s hands that hold the visitor s attention with lingers fluttering painting and swooping Palms Hying in Light for mation from radio to map to Headset and Back again. The Ball of one thumb stained a Loyal air Force Blue rubs grease pc Cili a Marks off acetate to be quickly it placed by new Marks that follow the Progress of Battle. With every gain in Armor technology s Speed. Reimann and others like him must learn to juggle a Little faster a Little More efficiently. On a Battlefield army units Call for air strikes. Alos at battalion brigade and division Levels sort out and prioritize the Calls until at corps level Deci Sion makers Post the final Yea or nay. In combat some units will gel air support some Likely will not depending on How Many planes Are available and which Mission is most critical. That reality can be a bitter Pill for the commander pinned Down against Over whelming Odds and Reimann says he s glad he does t have to make that Deci Sion. Guys with a lot More rank than 1 have take on that  but he does represent one link in it Chain that when yanked brings fire from Lite sky that can Rescue the grunts when the Odds Are not in their favor. Reimann normally serves As a weapons system officer on an f-1e i Hanunm and know what it s like on the delivery end of the business. With six years of flying under his Belt he said he welcomed inc Alo Job of grinding along with the Grunis on. The ground. Believe it or not. The air Force looks Ess Norai by Toft Niue to air Force Cap. Jack Hel Matin wears Wing an his uniform ill hell As a 1st armed div Patch in his Jub As air unison Affler. Kindly on Guys in this Job. Of course. Hying it Nice but most Guys out Here get preferential treatment As a kid i always loved playing army he said. In what he Calls a liquid lightning Swift Battle air Force planes would ily from their Home bases through turn Points or intersections in the sky to standoff locations 10 to 15 Miles from the Battle. From there the Alo would bring them Sicri Aming in. Ideally it works Best when you have an uninterrupted flow of planes leaving and arriving from the standoff  he said. Two a-1d thunderbolts came scream ing from out of nowhere to attack a Cut urn of simulated soviet tanks during the 1st Arrond div s Iron Star Maneu vers last month. Reimann popped his head up out of the track and yelled. Here they come and seconds later the thunderbolts swooped in settled in on the column and in Ilicich their Ila Mac. One More duller of Rimann s Busy hands and a thumbs up sign appeared. I Minn Batik livid office is an my 13 armed personnel Currier As he helps coordinate air Force aircraft supporting ground i roup