European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 2, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazines a photo by Charlie Bowden buddy Williams is overseer of an army commissary District ranging from the ski slopes of Berchtesgaden West Germany to the deserts of saudi Arabia. Long distance commissary manager by Deedee Arrington Doke staff writer Ead South of the great Pyramid of Cheops on the East Bank of the Nile River and you la find what could be classified As an egyptian treasure. A Tomb full of riches not necessarily although it s cold enough inside this treasure trove to keep things Well on ice. This Gem is a 3,000-Square-foot . Army commissary in Cairo one of 13 grocery stores in four countries that fall under the multinational Domain of it. Col. Buddy Williams of the . Troop support Agency Europe. Based in Munich Williams is overseer of an army commissary District encompassing the ski slopes of Berchtesgaden West Germany the deserts of saudi Arabia plus operations in Italy and Egypt. It s a Job with a certain amount of Glamor and considerable travel to exotic lands but Williams who sports a tag with his name in English and arabic on his trips to the Middle East has to know More than merely How to run a grocery store. It s a zoo Williams joked recently before embarking on a trip to the Middle East. That s Why i be gotten All these Gray hairs in the last three  in turn Williams must become an International labor manager a Diplomat conversant in several languages and the Monitor of the logistics of stores in completely different physical As Well As cultural environments. The Job also Calls for remembering common sense basics like keeping a store located in the Middle East Well stocked with fruit juices and tanning products while sending More soups to colder climates. I can sell cases of suntan lotion in the Middle East. In saudi Arabia there Are some of the most fantastic beaches in the world. Or there s a Pool right out the backdoor Williams said. In addition it s helpful to be Able to juggle time schedules keeping in mind that hours of operation for the Cairo commissary Are thursday through monday and sunday through thursday for the two stores in the saudi arabian cities of Riyadh and Dhahran. And a sensitivity to religious and cultural differences is key. Knowing that an employee Waits until late at night for his Only meal of the Day during the 30-Day holy period of Ramadan will help an understanding overseer empathize with the worker s grumpiness 21 Days into the period. A graduate of the University of South Carolina Williams started his army career in the infantry later moving into the quartermaster corps. Variety has been a Staple of Williams army experience which includes a stint in saudi Arabia As a logistical adviser to a saudi general. Now Williams oversees via Long distance the two commissaries in saudi Arabia that serve state department employees and service members attached to the . Military training Mission there. On his trips to saudi Arabia Williams stops in at what May be the Only commissaries in the world with prayer rooms religion comes first without a doubt Williams said of workers at his saudi arabian stores none of whom incidentally Are saudis. If a worker is a Good moslem and does his prayers five times a Day you should look at him More leniently that s How managers look at their employees Williams said. Moslem Pray at five different times daily dictated by the position of the Sun. In the commissary prayer rooms Williams explained you Don t just go in and Start praying. You walk in and wait. Sometimes two or three other people will come in to Pray at the same time. If no one else comes then you can  the work Force at the stores in saudi Arabia consists of what Williams called third country nationals filipinos pakistanis yemenis thais partly because most saudis have sufficient Means to allow them to not work Williams said and because non saudis outnumber locals 10 to 1. Saudi arabian Law prohibits women from working in professions other than teaching or nursing and . Interests Aren t exempt from the Law. What shoppers at the . Commissary in Cairo will find however is a full civilian work Force of egyptians. One peculiarity of doing business with the egyptians Williams said is an import limit on soft  import limit the Only one of its kind imposed by the egyptians on . Commissary items amounts to 10 cases per month per person attached to . Government interests there including the state department . Aid to International development and military personnel assigned to a medical station nearby. The United state has to furnish the egyptian government with a diplomatic corps list with the names of All of the americans who can shop there Williams said so that the egyptian government can retain a degree of control Over the operation. Then there s Italy a sort of Middle ground Between doing business in Germany and the Middle East where Williams oversees commissaries in Livorno and Vicenza. If doing business in Italy it pays to remember the difference Between temporary and permanent hires a person can be hired for a Short period but if the employment is extended for any length of time the commissary has just picked up a new permanent employee Courtesy of italian labor Laws. But after three years in the Job remembering such details and being Able to give pm a Buon Giorno in Italy and get by in arabic becomes second nature to Williams. And even fun. It s the greatest Job i be Ever  the stars and stripes Page 13