European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday March 18, 1990 the stars and stripes Over Here _ a amps Randy Pruitt be a Milestone training exercise. Sgt. Terry Bretherick of the 38th missile defense so Peers from a foxhole in Effenheim West Germany during what is Likely to unit May have roughed it for last time by Randy Pruitt staff writer Effenheim West Germany a they hide deep in the Woods. They dig Foxholes up to their armpits. They sleep in tents. They rough it. They Tough it. Would anyone Ever guess this is the . Air Force a wide Grin Breaks through the camouflage War paint spread across the face of capt. Rex Maybin Bravo flight commander at the 38th tac missile Wing at i Aschheim air station. He admitted his Grunt operation looks More army than Well the army. A a we re the Only unit in the air Force that comes to the Field with a specific ground Mission a he said. A a it a More like an army Job than something you would see in the air  Maybine a responsibility is tremendous. If War Breaks out he must be ready to fire his 16 ground launched cruise missiles. The Job takes on the flavor of an army platoon when it comes to concealing his Mobile trans Porter erector launchers and two launch control centers in the West German forests. Nearly invisible Security policemen hidden under leaves and branches secure the area. A sensitive Green Box called a pews platoon Early warning system alerts guards to both vehicle and foot traffic. Camouflage netting shrouds the missiles and launchers. The mood is somber professional. For Maybin and the 70 other members of his flight the five Day dispersal training exercise that ended Friday was something of a Milestone. It very Likely will be the last. Peace has dealt a blow albeit a welcomed one to the last Home in Central Europe of the intermediate Range missiles. The Wing at i Aschheim scheduled to be deactivated by March 1991 under the intermediate Range nuclear forces treaty signed in 1987, will be closed by the end of this year. Sister wings at Raf Greenham common in England and at Comiso air station Sicily must also be Deac heed by the inf deadline. The air forces ground launched cruise missiles and the . Army a n Ewt is were originally designed As p of resp use to soviet deployment of the ss-20 intermediate ranges amps Randy Pruitt camouflage War paint decorates the face of 1st it. Allen m. Steenhoek a Deputy launch control officer at i Aschheim air station. As capt. Rex Maybin says a a it a More like an army Job than something you would see in the air  missiles in Eastern Europe. A in All honesty in be enjoyed this Job a said first it. . Vanbelkum senior launch control officer who has been at i Aschheim since 1987. A a in a proud of this weapon system because it has actually done what it was designed for to be a bargaining Chip in the reduction of nuclear Wear j a she said. Tech. Sgt David Stein a Bravo flight Field maintenance supervisor agreed. A i did no to think i would Ever see this Day and i know in a going to miss this Type of air Force. Its a situation that when you re out Here you Don t want to be Here but when you re not Here you miss it a said Steinike who is one of two men required to ready the missiles for launching. In War top secret information would be channelled to the tactical operations Center which has radio Contact with All defensive fighting positions. It would take both the senior launch officer and a Deputy to unlock the system. Each would need to press buttons simultaneously to fire a missile. A and its a Green Button not a red one a Vanbelkum added. A computer would handle the launching. The roles of Vanbelkum and other women in the operation have never been questioned. A a it a almost a combat position which Isnit allowed by Congress Quot said capt. Eric Schnaible Public affairs officer. A but the thing is our concept of operations is rear defense. Its behind the Forward Edge of the Battle  it. Col. Randy Mason 89th tac missile so commander who was part of the initial cadre that developed the training program for the ground launched cruise missile said the primary role of the missile system is deterrence. A the key that Glam provided to everything was the ability to take these missiles off base and hide  he said. A we still have a training exercise scheduled next  after a Long pause he repeats one word  a the likelihood for More dispersal is becoming doubtful a said col. Henry Kecse vice commander at i Aschheim. A with what a going on in the world today you just done to know How much longer one unit or another is going to be  on Friday the men and women left the Forest. They Tore off the tape that covered the reflective Chrome on their vehicles. They packed away the soviet replicas of uniforms and weapons used in mock attacks. They took the Black markings Down from the tall Trees which meant that in a War they would be toppled so the missiles would Clear. They came Home tired and with dirty smiling faces. The 65th dispersal had just been completed a in All probability the final one. It was a bittersweet Homecoming for the peaceful warriors