European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday july 28, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 9 Over Here spec. Kevin Jackson explains water safety rules to children from Camp Akawa ran by the bad Hersfeldt Community and recreation division in West Germany. Is John a hit by John Millar i helping kids be Happy campers t a a a h vim j lift their Young troops passes a guard shac a the. I Al Ryburg Bureau bad Hersfeldt West Germany a the soldiers stand with arms crossed on their chests As a bus carrying in Quot into the Camp the smiling troops file off the bus and form up into fidgeting Little groups. Someone shouts a Good morning campers Quot another Day Jam packed with challenges training and physical activity has begun at Camp Akawa but the troops Are 8 to 14-year-ods from the bad Hersfeldt and Fulda military communities looking for a Good time at Day Camp. The soldiers Are engineers maintenance technicians and medics who volunteered for a two month tour of duty As Counselor and specialists at the bad Hersfeldt Community and recreation divisions Camp. Although it May seem strange to have soldiers working at a summer Camp for children Akawa director Amy Boyle said it was quite necessary. When the Camp first opened last year there was plenty of funding for Counselor and administrators Boyle said. A Success last year Akawa proved even More popular this year and enrolment almost doubled. Unfortunately that was bad news for the Camp. A because of the hiring freeze we were not Able to hire As Many personnel As we needed for Camp Akawa keep it within the budget and keep it reasonable so a family could afford to Send a child Here a Boyle said. To keep Akawa open units in the area were asked to Supply Volunteer soldiers who had some experience in working with children. Interviews were held with 15 soldiers and the Camp selected eight representing five Llyn army Cav regt units in Fulda and bad Hersfeldt. Boyle one Counselor and summer hire teen agers Are the Only civilians at Akawa this year. The rest Are soldiers. Once selected some soldiers were sent to a weeks Worth of red Cross water safety instruction. Spec. Kevin Jackson an aircraft structural repairer for t troop 4th so used the full extent of that training on his second Day at Camp Jackson was monitoring his group of children at a Public Pool in bad Hersfeldt when he noticed something at the Bottom of the water. He jumped in and saved an 18-month-old West German girl from drowning. He received an army achievement medal for the Rescue. After saving the girl Jackson said he Quot did no to think too much about  his mind and eyes were occupied again with the children he was teaching. The soldiers also attended a week Long staff session that included situational training on dealing with groups and individual needs of children Boyle said. They also had to sing Wacky Camp songs and act like children themselves Quot you do a lot of crazy things a lot of silly things at Camp that you  normally do walking Down the Street or with other adults a Boyle said. Quot so you have to be a Little less inhibited. When the kids see that they re Gale to do that and have a Good  t spec. John Parrish a horseback Riding and cultural instructor has found the Camp to be a lot like the organization he left behind for a while. A you have the same problems because you have some with attitude problems some that Are Good to work with some that done to want to listen. Basically its a Small army Quot said Parrish a heavy equipment operator assigned to 5slh combat engr co 3rd so. And occasionally he gets the feeling that his campers need to be treated As if they really Are in the army. Quot i  say its being a Drill sergeant a a he explained Quot although sometimes it gets to the Point were you want to be a Drill  but Parrish Isnit complaining Quot i am released from company duty. My Only Job is Here. I have weekends off and after work in a off. No cd no guard duty no  still Camp life Isnit All fun and a a a or is Jovi Montr sgt. Greg Vanover helps Angler Dave Mcdaniel an 11-year-old from Fulda with a Rod and reel. At right pvt. 2 Jay Morrison background and staff sgt. Dale Sloan Lead children in a game at Camp Akawa Btry is tsp. Quot if you have one kid its not too bad Quot Sloan said Quot but when you re dealing with 10 to 20 at a time and having to satisfy the needs and desires of All of them it gets a Little  he said the Job is also physically demanding. Quot they sure have a lot More Energy than i do. And when you get 20 of them together they have even  sgt Greg Vanover a fishing instructor Hopes the children leave the Camp with fond memories. Quot the Way 1 see it in Germany its not real easy to fish anyway Quot said Vanover training no for k troop 3rd so. And being in the armoured cavalry regimen your fathers probably not going to get the time to take you fishing. They get this Chance once a year and i want to make the most of  for Jackson his Job at the Camp has i. Basically Given him a Chance to work As wel1 As play in fact it he s liked the work so much that he a volunteered for other activities such As chaperoning a youth dance 11 s Char a of Pace a Jackson said. I m still a kid at heart and i m probably the biggest kid out