European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 31. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 Over Here crazy go still seeking new challenges by John Millar Vor Burk Bureau Fulda West Germany coloured tags hang from the mass of electronic components stacked on Gray Metal shelves. Spools of electrical wire and army Green radio headsets hang nearby. Against the Back Wall two army desks sit Side by Side both covered with a collection of repair forms and a mixture or pens and pencils bits of wire tools and an occasional soda can. Behind one desk in this room gone Hayti rusits spec. Erwin Narvarz a Soldier who thinks he s sort of haywire too. The slender dark haired Narvaez and one other Soldier Are responsible for tracking Down and repairing electrical system problems in the More than 70 i Ith army Cav regt helicopters at Sickols army Airfield near Fulda. Narvaez does t mind that it s a big Job or even that it s not really the Job he came into the army to do. And at age 30, Narvaez does t even mind that his army pay does not come close to the $34,000-a-Ycar income he made doing the same thing As a civilian. Maybe that s Why he describes himself As crazy and a serious  others in the unit think the tag fits. Narvaez after All likes to Lead the troop in aerobics during physical training sessions. He wears Jungle boots instead of Tennis shoes while running in formation. And then there Are his part time jobs aerobics instructor at a West German club and University teacher in the evening. If not the Man at least the Pace is crazy. The Bronx n.y., native admits he was nuts from the beginning. Nuts for air planes anyway. My dream in life was to be a Pilot he said. I guess that s every kid s  but being cursed with bad eyes he figured the next Best thing is to know All about  Narvarz attended aviation High school in Queens n.y., where he Learned to repair air planes. The school he explained had an academic Wing and another that consisted of a giant hangar tilled with air planes and engines. When students weren t beefing up on English and geometry they were working on aircraft. Narvarz finished High school with a diploma and a Federal aviation administration Airframe License certifying him to work on everything from Landing gear to stabilizers and other aircraft  went on to earn an associate degree at the Academy of aeronautics in Queens n.y., where he also earned the Faa s aircraft Power Plant License covering work on All aspects of aircraft Power trains. When i graduated i got a Job at Lockheed straight up he said clapping his hands. Just like  moving from his Home in new York for the first Lime Narvarz went to work for Lockheed California co., a division of Lockheed aircraft corp. He found himself plunged into the High tech and highly competitive world of the aircraft Industry. During his6vj years at the company Narvarz worked his Way up from Sheet Metal structures Assembly through seven different positions. In his climb up the technical ladder he said he worked on such sophisticated planes As the sr-71 strategic reconnaissance aircraft and even the stealth fighter. "1 did a lot of Good things with Lockheed they were real Good to me. They taught me a lot of advanced stuff he  then problems came. Lockheed s contracts slowed and so did the  happens to you is you go Down the ladder Narvarz said. You work your Way up and when things Start slowing Down what they do is Slot you Back to where you came from. And it came to the Point where 1 got Laid  aircraft companies were hiring but not in his Field. "1 said to myself maybe i should get out of aviation because it s flip flopping. One Day they re hiring the next Day they re laying  with that in mind he packed his bags and returned to new York hoping to learn his father s Trade of Diamond cutting. After working for his dad for seven months he discovered that it just was t me. My love for aviation was like i need it i need Narvaez searched the East coast for an aviation spec. Erwin Narvaez leaches students about a lotion electronics during a University class. Is John Uimer Job but companies based in the East weren t hiring. One Day during the new yorker s search he ran into an old Friend who told him about the army s aviation program. Narvaez recalling what he had Learned at Lockheed remembered the army was kicking around the idea of the Lex or Light helicopter experimental. "1 was thinking god that would be a great thing to do go in the army and work on the  in 1987, he joined up and after Basic training went straight to Fulda receiving no army aircraft training. I guess they figured it would be redundant training he said. Once assigned to t troop 4th so 11 the army Cav regt at Sickols Narvarz found no Lex. The Lex is a Long ways away. I guess. I Don t know if i la Sec  on the Way in the army gave him the Job specially of aircraft powertrain repairer. Arriving at the unit he was asked where he attended advanced individual training for the army. His reply raised a few eyebrows. They started probing me. I wanted to come in More or less incognito you know i just wanted to come in and do my  but the unit eventually got the details out of him and decided to let him work in his Job. Knowing his capabilities his unit later asked him whether he d fill a shortage in electronic maintenance. He s had some aviation experience in the civilian world that allows us to use him As an electrician said 1st sgt. Ronald Boese of t troop. Not to use it would be a bad  Narvaez s presence has paid off in other areas As Well. Boese said Narvaez has won Soldier of the month and Soldier of the Quarter honors and achieved the highest Points possible on the skills qualification test for his Job. He s also just graduated from the air assault school at Sickols. I m glad to have him Boese said. Everything he does makes me Hurt All Over because of his aerobics. Sometimes it s a Challenge to me in finding things to Sis Jonn Siuai Narvarz i can t see my self slotting Down. I wish 1 could live  Challenge  a Challenge anywhere he can find it. Is what Narvarz appears to live for. After going to a West German fitness club in Fulda for example he saw what he termed As the pioneering of  deciding he could Teacle the class belter the 5-foot-8-Inch Soldier landed the Job. And As if teaching aerobics twice a week was t enough he also landed a Job teaching aviation courses for Embry Riddle aeronautical University at the Airfield s education Center. Narvaez teaches such courses As aircraft Airframe systems and components aircraft structural systems and aircraft electrical systems at the University. Having a Low ranking Soldier teaching University courses has its moments said Elizabeth Judd. Embry Riddle s Fulda Field Center director. In the beginning there was a perception among higher ranking students that there was a problem she said. But it Only occurred in the first semester. It s resolved now and they Don t seem to have a problem with that now. From what i understand from student comments he s a dynamic  spec. Dale Gapp an armament technician for the troop look one of Narvaez s classes and confirmed his teacher s knowledge. And craziness. He s a raving Lunatic he said. But 1 think he knows a lot More than they expect him to teach and can Leach in on a Low enough level for people who Don t know anything about it. He also makes in so that you Don l fall asleep in  Narvaez s Roommate i pc. Ying Yeung. Said the aviation Whiz is always on the move working teaching and running at night to slay in shape. Sometimes i wonder How he finds time for All this  Narvarz docs find the Lime and is trying to find fresh challenges. I m gelling hungry for More he said. The latest Challenge grows out of a love for the infantry Hal he has developed while serving in the army. This new love is so serious thai he has applied for special forces training. If 1 can go to that and not flunk out. I gotta be  he said with a smile. Whatever the outcome of this Laieski Mcmurc. Narvaez has no plans to end his quest for new challenges. I can t Sec myself slowing Down he said. It s like inc concept of sleep it s useless you just lie there you re Noi accomplishing anything. As Long As i m healthy and 1 have a Good Back. I m going to keep on blowing. 1 wish i could live