European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday june 24, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9over Here a amps Scott a. Miller pfc. David Brown left of the 3rd in St Cav regt in Kirch Gons Heads Back to Shore after his slide for life and pvt. 2 Robert Smith right of the same unit has his turn.2-week Ranger Camp hones infantry skills by Chuck Roberts staff writer Lipfeld West Germany a spec. Benjamin Kelly a self proclaimed a non non swimmer a stood quietly in line for the slide for life. The 10-second ride by a Pulley attached to a wire Cable would begin at the Cliffs Edge and Cross Over the a shark pit before ending with a splashing plunge into cold Green water in the Rock Quarry below. Tightly strapped into an Orange life preserver that marked him As a non swimmer the 3rd in 5th Cav regt Soldier from Ayers Cavern in Kirch Gons said he did not fear the water. A a in be got Faith in my unit and my team Leader ahead of me a he sail pointing to staff sgt. Oscar Brown who had led his squad through More than a week of similar ordeals at spearhead Ranger Camp 1990. A a in a sure they wont leave me moments later he emerged from the water and summed up the experience with one word a a cold a a before running up the path out of the Quarry. He passed beneath the watchful eyes of it. Col. John c. Brown the Ranger school commander who was particularly interested in the third and final battalion to undergo the two week course. Brown also is commander of the 3rd in 5th Cav regt so he was getting his Chance to see How his troops matched up with the units that had successfully completed the course a the 5th in 5th Cav regt from Kirch Gons and the 4th in 18th inf regt from Gellhausen. Brown occasionally yelled encouragement As one of his soldiers plunged into the water when the yellow Flag fell and one of the Ranger cadre yelled the soldiers did no to need much encouragement. Many would scream out a hard Rock Charlie a As they sped Down the Cable with their bodies extended straight up and Down before raising their legs and dropping. Nerves and some showmanship made for some interesting landings with occasional half twists and face plants into the water. Brown said the focus of the school is on the squad and the squad Leader who has been Given the Chance to a grow two inches in the eyes of his squad members. Although the Camp run by the 3rd army div Isnit intended to match the eight week Ranger school in fort Benning ga., Brown described it As Tou a and exciting. A typical Day might begin about 3 30 . With a a Little hand to hand combat before a their skills have been raised from infantry 101 to infantry 301,�?� he said. A i am convinced that the Squadron they take Home is better than the one brought spec. Anthony Reed said he liked everything about the Camp except the Chow. While waiting in the Back of a truck to be transported to the slide for life the 3rd in 5th Cav regt Soldier said his a three squares a Day had been replaced with a snack Are but food aside Reed said the Camp not Only improved him As a squad Leader but helped him overcome his fear of Heights. After tightly clutching the rope at the rappelling portion of training he soon was Able to join the Good natured laughter of the soldiers around him. Later while pulling himself out of the water at the slide for life Reed looked up and said a just like i said nothing to but while he was flying through the air it seemed like a forever to get to the water. It was like a air air where is the water there it is in my monitoring the top of the slide for life was 2nd it. Jerry Miller a 5th in 18th inf regt officer from Friedberg who is one of about 50 Ranger instructors at the Camp. He said the spearhead Camp is comparable to the first two weeks of the real thing he attended in fort Benning except that the emphasis is on the squad instead of the individual which he said is a Good idea. Although the atmosphere around the Quarry was More relaxed than it was during most of the previous training Miller and the rest of the cadre gave the soldiers an occasional reminder that they weren to out of the Woods yet. When a Soldier dropped from the slide for life too soon so he could enjoy a longer free fall the cadre sent him shark Hunting with push As his weapon. A no Sharks sir a sgt. David Wardlow said while doing push in the shallow water near the Shore. It was a penalty for using Only his right hand to hold onto the Pulley s rope. A cadre member suggested that he do push with Only his left to build it up so that he would be Able to use both arms the next time. But Wardlow seemed to take it in stride. After the push he emptied the water from his pants legs and headed up the Trail on his Way for another phase of come takes Pivotal role in drug War Quarry Heights Panama up . Military bases in Panama have become a major logistical Point in . Efforts to fight drug trafficking in latin America the commander of the . Southern come said Friday. The Southern come has concentrated on monitoring former dictator Manuel Noriega defending the Panama canal and providing military Aid to Central american governments in recent years but now the War on drugs has emerged As a major new Mission Gen. Maxwell Thurman said. A a it a increasing a he said. A we became a big time player in the anti narcotics the Mission began by dispatching military equipment and advisers to Colombia and Bolivia in the past year As the . Government approved $125 million in anti drug assistance for those two nations and Peru Thurman said. He called the command the a coordinating entity for the Pentagon a Antidrug efforts m latin America. A we Are in a support Mode in the delivery of equipment in sending people on temporary duty to help do the training a said Thurman who took charge of the command last september and was a chief architect of the . Invasion of Panama. The . Military is prohibited from direct involvement in anti drug operations in foreign countries but has agreements to provide equipment and training teams to colombian and bolivian Security forces. Peru has yet to ratify a similar Accord Thurman said
