European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday August 17, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 3 saudis May frown on women gis american ways could clash with rigid islamic culture by Dana Kennedy associated press the women among the 50,000 . Soldiers in saudi Arabia Are Likely to be a disturbing if not threatening presence in a culture where women cannot drive vote sit in a theater with a Man or even show their face and hair. The saudi kingdom has the most conservative and rigid islamic Way of life of All the Arab countries. Most westerners there Are employed by Western companies and Are kept isolated from the rest of the country. . Women soldiers Quot said wednesday that saudi men react with dismay and occasional hostility when they see them doing such non combat jobs As repairing air planes and driving trucks or in at least one Case giving orders to men. A i done to think they disagree with what we re doing Quot said a Victoria va., sergeant whose name was withheld in keeping with the Media ground rules. A i think they re More like shocked there san american woman. She a doing what men Are a a the . Troops May pose a significant outside influence that could be hard to control. It a a it a a breaking of the hermetic Seal that a surrounded saudi Arabia since it was founded in the 1920s,�?T said Richard Bulliet a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Columbia University in new York. A what happens to the saudi foot Soldier whose world View of women is quasi human when he sees a woman making an arrest a the . Buildup includes women truck Drivers communications specialists technicians and aircraft Crew chiefs. The Pentagon would not give specific numbers. Some experts warned against allowing . Troops much Access to average saudis who live in a culture where one recent topic of conversation was whether beheading should be televised. So far they have not been a it would be a big mistake if our soldiers were allowed to mix too much Quot said Lenore Martin a fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern studies at Harvard University in Cambridge mass. A we really have to see our forces separate because the stability of the government is involved. One of the main reasons the saudis Haven to Given us bases before is the fear of being too closely westernized in order to protect the fundamentalist regime and Way of although saudi men Are forbidden to drink alcohol and must adhere to a rigid dress code among other regulations it is saudi women who live an especially restricted life. When women go outside their clothing must cover almost All of their bodies and faces. Women must use separate beaches and Heaters. They Are allowed an education but can attend Only segregated classes. Saudi wives cannot ask for divorces and Are strictly limited in their right to own property. A american troops Are totally incompatible with the Way of life in saudi Arabia a Bulliet said. A i have no idea who a going to get disgusted first a the americans with saudi behaviour or the saudis with the the Virginia sergeant an f-15 fighter ground Crew chief said saudi men Stop work and stare when she tells crewmen what to do. She said saudi men reacted so strongly when another ground Crew woman peeled off her shirt to work in a to shirt that a . Sergeant told her to put it Back on. A they got very emotional about that a the sergeant said. A they made a lot of physical movements. 1 think they asked the sergeant to make her put her shirt Back . Troops were briefed on saudi culture in one of several booklets distributed before shipping out. A you will Seldom Sec women outside the Home Quot reads one. A it is considered impolite to inquire about a Many a wife or his female children. Men should not show any interest in Arab women. Do not photograph or stare at them. Arab women barely touch upon greeting a Man and they shake hands using fingertips but the saudis knowledge of the Western Way of life May be less detailed. The information they glean from saudi television where prayers arc broadcast five times daily along with readings from the Koran is not Likely to prepare them. A the fact that there Are women in the . Mij Ilary will be regarded As a very unusual and perhaps disgraceful thing by the clergy in saudi Arabia a said Gary sick a Middle Eastern specialist at Columbia and a member of the National Security Council during the Carter administration. But he added a people do what they need to do for survival. It would be a mistake to assume that because they re breaking their own rules in a crisis like this the saudis wont revert to old ways once the crisis is indeed some experts on islamic Law and culture said the role of women May appear More restricted than it is. A while women done to have Many of privileges and liberties in the internal dynamics of saudi families women have to be very much the said Roy Mut Thedah a professor at Harvard s Center for Middle Eastern studies a it leads to a lot of do Facto matriarchies.�?�. To by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Ober Ursel West Germany a pvt. 2 Rodney Jenkins went to the Public swimming Pool on july 11 to catch some rays. He did t plan to go into the water. But his plans took a near fatal twist and two German lifeguards Peter Fourier and Ernst Dux saved the 19-year-old�?Ts life. The Rescue caught the attention of it. Gen. George a. Joulwan v corps commander who presented the two with scrolls of appreciation and Gold medallions in a ceremony at Camp. King on aug. 9. Jenkins a Cook assigned to he co 22nd signal brigade at Camp King had gone to the Pool with a Friend spec. Frank Hudson. Hudson was preparing to dive from the 3-Metcr diving Board while Jenkins watched from the 1-meter platform. At that Point a i slipped on the Board and hit my head on the Side of the Pool a Jenkins said. "1 remember the pain when 1 hit my head. I blacked As Jenkins Sank to the Bottom of the 5-meter-deep water Hudson rushed to the lifeguard station grabbed Fourier by the Arm and took him to the area where Jenkins was submerged. Fourier dived in and pulled Jenkins to the surface. Fourier does no to recall How Long Jenkins was under water but he thought it was less than a minute. All be knew for sure was that the Soldier had no heartbeat. Fourier was soon joined by Pool supervisor Ernst Dux who was summoned from his Home on the grounds of the Complex. And while a West German ambulance raced to the scene Fourier and Dux applied Mouth a it nose resuscitation and heart Massage to Jenkins. The men estimated that it took 15 minutes to stabilize Jenkins enough to carry him inside the lifeguard station. Soon the German medical Crew armed and worked on Jenkins for another 30 minutes. Pvt. 2 Rodney Jenkins Center owes his life to Quick work by Ernst Dux left and Peter the Soldier vaguely remembers being in the ambulance in route to the Frankfurt army regional medical Center. His first Clear memory was waking up the following Day Quot hooked up to he was released after a week in the Hospital. �?o1 look at the whote thing As a lesson a Jenkins said. Quot sort of a Blessing in he said he is taking things More seriously in his Quot second look at at the forefront of his new Altitude is a desire to rekindle family lies. Although he is close to his Mother and younger brother in Irvington n.j., Jenkins admittedly neglected to keep in touch since he armed in West Germany a year ago. Quot i was t occupied with calling to see if my family was of before the incident a he said. His new desire to maintain Contact was magnified by the initial information relayed to his Mother after the incident. Quot an unknown person called and told them that i died a he said. Martha Jenkins called her son each of the next six nights. Now lie is eager to get on with his life. "1 know that everything is not Bai k to Normal Quot he said. "1 have Short breath and i get tired quickly hut it wont be the two West germans have Pul the sa5 Gary Popff Fly Fourier of the Ober Ursa swimming Pool. Incident behind them and Are mostly thankful they have avoided such attention in the past. Fourier who had been credited with saving one other Many a life m his 17-year career said he wore a hat and dark glasses at one photo session with local Media. Quot we. Both dul what needed to be done a like Good soldiers Quot said Dux. Who has saved seven people in his 311-year career. I lie pair agreed that publicity has positive cited. Is but Dux expressed wariness. Quot i or Norrow something Tan happen and has e a drier evil
