European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday july 30, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 9 Over Here Gen. John r. Galvin right shown lunching at the Grafen Mthr training area in West Germany says he understands soldiers sacrifices during the cold Wnm soviet thaw makes Galvin do about face by Vince Crawley Nornberg Bureau Stuttgart West Germany a four months ago Gen. John r. Galvin was still calling the soviet Union his adversary. Now he a checking his Mailbox for an invitation to the Kremlin. This months historic nato Summit in London ended with a prediction that some of the alliances top commanders might soon visit the soviet Union. If word comes Galvin is ready. A we can to just tramp off to Moscow a he said. A and i have not received an invitation. But if i do ill  providing he added quickly that nato says its of. Even the supreme Allied commander Europe can to sign his own leave papers. Still the 61-year-old general relaxed his normally poker face a Little when the subject of the soviet Union came up in an interview last week. A nobody can focus for his whole military life on the soviet Union and not feel an enormous interest in seeing the country Quot said Galvin a native of Melrose mass., a which of course is something that i have never had the Opportunity to do a Galvin seems optimistic about More than the Chance for travel a if we get All the treaties signed a he said a and we keep nato and we keep a minimum level of forces we can accomplish what we have not been Able to do in the past. And that is to keep from War in Europe for extended periods of time in the  that peace will mean a major draw Down in . Forces in Europe and americans overseas a absolute Liance had with the Warsaw pact Quot he said. Galvin who joined the Massachusetts National guard in 1948, said that staring Down the Warsaw pact has Cost . Service members years of sacrifice. A your family knows very Well what its like a Galvin said a for family members to get overseas six or eight months after the military member arrives because of a Lack of housing. And then to find that he a going to be in Grafen Wuhr for the following six weeks anyway. A and i can remember pregnant wives keeping a few pfennig always Handy so ency could go out to the phone Booth and Call their husbands orderly room if they Felt labor pains starting. A that and a million other circumstances that can Only be described As hardships and sacrifices Quot he said a have led us to where we Are today and allowed us to witness the Rollback of communism. So if it All goes As we Hope then we should be ready to accept an enormous amount of change and say to ourselves a Mission  a revamping tomorrows military will be a tremendous Challenge and Galvin said he would Tike to be a sergeant or lieutenant again to experience the change at a level lower than the four stars he wears. A you better add though i never did make sergeant Quot he said. Then after a lengthy pause a i did no to make Corporal either for that  another pause before Galvin finally responds to prodding. �?opfc., in a proud to say i had a Stripe anyway. That would have been old fashioned private first class stripes the so called Mosquito wings that now signify a private two. A a in be got a picture of myself wearing that Stripe on my old of Ike jacket a Galvin said. �?o1950. R �?o21288623,&Quot Galvin recited. Quot that was my service number in those Days before they went to the system they have now using your social Security  / Galvin enrolled at West Point in 1950, putting him on the path that led to the commanders office at nato and the . European come. But he still keeps the picture of pfc. Galvin in a scrapbook. A i done to have it Hung up. But i take a peek at it every now and then Quot he said. Quot i like to look at the one where in a dressed very sharply. But unfortunately i know of some other photographs of myself where 1 look j ust like Beetle  Galvin who served As an ambulance Driver and medic said he first made a name for himself by being Able to administer almost painless shots. A in fact inoculations was one of the skills of which i was most proud Quot he said. A i knew How to give a shot that did no to Hurt. So i had a lot of customers. I was a pretty Good Blister specialist too. A even today when i see a medic with his kit i usually ask him to open it up for me. And i like to Surprise him by telling him what a  praises Blacks wartime contributions Leavenworth Kan. Apr the nations top military official praised Blacks contributions in . Wars at a ceremony saturday opening construction of a Monument to the a Buffalo soldiers who fought in the West. The Buffalo Soldier Monument will Honor All Black american soldiers said Gen. Colin Powell the first Black chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. A from pre revolutionary times through the revolutionary War through every one of our wars and on up to the present Black men and women have willingly served and died a Powell said. A but for most of that time Blacks served without recognition or Reward for the contribution they made for our Freedom a he said adding that it was a Freedom they did not enjoy Here in their own beloved native land. The Monument is planned for the fort Leavenworth grounds near Smith Lake in Northeast Kansas. The Buffalo soldiers of the army a 10th Cav regt once camped there Between campaigns against indians in the Southwest Plains Down to the Border of Mexico. Quot America has made enormous Progress from the Days of the Buffalo soldiers to the Days of a Black chairman of the joint chiefs of staff a Powell said. A we Arentt perfect. We never will be. But the Beauty of this country is that we re always making Progress. Powell serves As the top military adviser to the president the Secretary of defense and the National Security Council. The 9th and 10th Cav regiments were formed by Congress in 1866 to patrol the fit. R. Western Frontier. It was the indians who named the Black men serving in the segregated regiments As a Buffalo  in their service from the mid-1800s to the Early 1900s, the Buffalo soldiers endured discrimination hardships and neglect that White regiments did not suffer. They protected settlers built forts and fought apaches and comanches in the Southwest Plains and along the mexican Border. The monuments design Calls for a Large Bronze statue of a Rifle carrying Buffalo Soldier on a horse. In the design the Soldier stands on rocks Between two Ponds a one behind him to represent the past and a reflective Pool in front to see into the future. Water will flow Over the rocks into the reflective Pool