European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday August 14, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 3 combat vet leads troops in Gulf area Washington not As head of a command once viewed As something of a misfit in the Pentagon s organizational charts Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf finds himself playing a Pivotal role in the largest . Military operation since Vietnam. Schwarzkopf the Leader of the . Cen trial come which spans military activities in Many countries in the Middle East Afri Ca and the persian Gulf is in charge of american armed forces sent to defend saudi Arabia against an iraqi invasion. A tall Burly Man nicknamed the Bear Schwarzkopf is a combat Veteran who is experienced in desert Maneu vers. He once commanded the 24th mechanized inf div which now is preparing for deployment in saudi Arabia. The division regularly trains in Cali fornia s Mojave desert and every two years joins egyptian troops for desert Maneu vers in their country. The Central come known in military jargon As Cen com has few military units directly under its command and must Call upon those in the United states or other Heaters when it faces a military threat. Unlike other geographical commands which have Headquarters in their areas of Gen. Ii. Norman Schwarzkopf during a press conference sunday at Macdill fab in Tampa Fla. Responsibility the Central come is based at Macdill fab in Tampa Fla., because no Middle Eastern country is willing to be its Host. In the last 10 Days the 55-year-old general has been instrumental in shaping the american military response dubbed operation desert shield. He briefed president Bush the  after Iraq invaded Kuwait and he later accompanied defense Secretary Dick Cheney to saudi Arabia where Cheney presented intelligence reports to King fahd that persuaded the King to allow . Forces to land there. Schwarzkopf who was named to head the Central come in 1988, coordinates All planning from his Florida base. The Pentagon said that its top officer in saudi Arabia will be at least for now it. Gen. Charles a. Horner of the air Force. Schwarzkopf graduated from the . Military Academy in 1956 and later earned a master s degree in missile Engi Neering from the University of Southern California. After two Tours in Vietnam first As an adviser to an airborne division of. The. South vietnamese army and later As commander of a battalion in the 23rd inf div Schwarzkopf commanded infantry brigades at fort Richardson Alaska and fort Lewis Wash. Then he took charge of the 24th mechanized inf at fort Stewart da., Between 1983 and 1985. In 1983. The general was plucked from fort Stewart to serve As the army s adviser to the task Force that invaded Grenada. In effect he was the land forces com Mander said retired vice adm. Joseph Metcalf Iii who was the operation s Overall commander. In addition to experience in Jungle and desert warfare Schwarzkopf carved out a Niche at the Pentagon As the army s director of military personnel and later As the army s Deputy chief of staff for operations and plans. For Schwarzkopf the persian Gulf Cri Sis is a Page from testimony he gave to Congress six months ago. The greatest threat to american inter ests in the Gulf Region is the spillover of a regional conflict which could endanger american lives threaten . Interests or interrupt the flow of Oil thereby re Quiring the commitment of . Combat forces he told the Senate armed serv ices committee on feb. 8. A \ Large group of Seni Cemen top photo prepares to Board a military transport plane at Norton fab in san Bernardino calif., on sunday afternoon apparently heading to the Middle fast. Haircuts were part of the preparations left for members of the army s 101st airborne div air assault at fort Ampton la ky., which is bang deployed to saudi Arabia Hile a Lony co buoy of trucks right from fort Bragg n.c., arrives at the state port in Wilmington n.c., on sunday