European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 15, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9over Here \ a it a / a s. A a. A a a a a a As a a a a \ is. T a a Vav s a v a a a 1 a a. A amp of John Milf a 3rd inf div officer briefs Brig. Gen. Jarrett Robertson left assistant division commander for Man Euver and other officers about med Edian military  warriors fight a generic enemy by John Millar Wurzburg Bureau Forth West Germany a col. Jim Riley was facing a new enemy. This time out it was not a tidal wave of troops and tanks pushing across the West German Border from the East. This was not the Warsaw pact. For a change it Wasny to Ivan. A the enemy situation is vague a said Riley who commands the 3rd inf dives 3rd brigade. A in the past when he a come at us we be had 40 years to think about How he might do if and a lot of smart minds thinking about it. This time Riley had a week to prepare for the attack a series of computer commands generated by keyboard killers at fort Leavenworth Kan. Such computer exercises Are designed to train commanders and their staffs without sending Large numbers of troops to the Field thereby saving training dollars and sparing the Countryside. But the computers Are also easily adaptable to political change meaning units in Europe done to necessarily have to practice fighting hordes from the East said it. Col. Phil Erickson the no. 2 Man with the army a Battle command training program. A last week they might have been the North koreans a Erickson said of the computer operators at fort Leavenworth. A next week they might be iraqis or somebody in that part of the world. A you might want to think in terms of a generic enemy an enemy that is More in line with How we see events in the world  previously Riley a brigade focused on sealing off West Germany a Eastern Border to invasion. Generally speaking the plan called for forces to move relatively Short distances to the Border. A you have some units in Reserve that provide a Little bit of depth but the focus was really on stopping them cold a Riley said. The computer War meant the unit did not move a to age old prepared defensive positions As we always do in these types of exercises facing the Warsaw pact to the East on the ground we be practice on rehearsed on re conned for Over 40 years Quot Riley said. Instead the brigade battled the 18th combined arms army from a computer generated country called Medved. The computer game also abandoned the scenario of an outgunned nato merely trying to hold off the invaders. The exercise kicked off with near parity of forces and involved a free play that allowed commanders to attack As Well As defend. A a we re looking at it with a More offensive Frame of mind a said maj. Jim Morris who Heads the divisions tactical operations Center. A instead of sitting there behind a Border we re going out and looking for them a it in last weeks exercise for example Riley explored the idea of moving his brigade from the Nurnberg area North almost to Kassel then attacking. This meant a new set of headaches that might not have been encountered in More traditional scenarios a such As keeping his tanks fuelled and providing Security and other logistical support for his attacking columns. Quot there arc some tremendous challenges that we Haven to had to think through in the recent past Quot Riley said. A a it a a lot More than just pointing Over a Nice Hilltop overlooking a Valley he s got to come through and shooting when he gets  consequently the division has had to come up with new ways of a skinning the logistical cat Quot Riley said. One called an approach March operation includes massing maintenance Engineer military police and air defense elements to pave a dear secure path for units on the March. Quot we re developing this because we think one of our most Likely requirements is going to he to move Long distances and then go into operations Quot said maj. Dennis Cook who Heads rear area operations for the division. With it a the brigade can move without worrying about what they mtg he have to do on the route a he said. �?o1 hey just  despite the new logistical headaches Riley said he welcomed the Challenge the new technology provides. Quot it got a Little old defending the same Hill every time a he  hostage turned Over to envoy in Syria Damascus Syria apr former Swiss hostage Elio Erriquez was returned to his countrymen tuesday his first full Day of Freedom after palestinian kidnappers in Lebanon released him to syrian officials. A i am Happy very very Happy a Erriquez said at the foreign ministry minutes after his arrival in the syrian capital. He was then whisked away by Swiss ambassador Eric Pfister. Erriquez 24, later left for Geneva. He and another Swiss National Emanuel Christen were kidnapped oct. 6 near a clinic run by the International committee of the red Cross where they worked in Sidon Lebanon. Christen 33, was released from Captivity a week ago. In Geneva the rebel organizations president Cornelio Sommaruga tuesday welcomed the release and made a a pressing Appeal Quot for the release of All hostages. Swiss foreign minister Rene Folber joined the Appeal. He said Switzerland would make available its information and its diplomatic cooperation to All countries that still had citizens held captive in Lebanon. The kidnappers turned Erriquez user to syrian officials in Lebanon and sgt a a a state minister for foreign affairs Nasser Qaddoura passed him to Pfister later the same Day. Erriquez wearing a White shirt and White pants looked Pale but in Good health alter his 10-Munlh ordeal lie was taken to Lisle re a residence but there was no word on when he would lease Syria