European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2the stars and stripes Friday August 24,1990crisis in the Gulf need for water loads Down troops Dhahran saudi Arabia a . Soldiers deployed to defend saudi Arabia Are finding the biggest Challenge of desert operations is carrying enough water. To prevent dehydration the americans have been told to drink about 5 Gallons of water a Day. That Means when soldiers go out on desert patrols they re loaded up with an extra 10 to 15 pounds in backpacks that already weigh about 30 pounds. Because of the extra weight they have to Stop every 15 or 20 minutes for a break. A i Ustia ily carry four canteens with me a said it. James Mead a Marine who trained in desert warfare at then Lynne Palms calif., in the Mojave desert. The marines and army Are assigned to the Eastern province of saudi Arabia but defense department rules prevent identifying their exact location. The Quot names of enlisted men interviewed cannot be reported. The logistics of hauling enough water for the thousands of americans in saudi Arabia is just one of the hurdles facing troops As they Settle into position. Everywhere soldiers go in the desert they drag a 5,000-gallon water tank in a trailer behind their truck. Although most of the men have desert experience a some in Egypt Somalia and Jordan a the reality of a possible Lon term assignment in the broiling Sands of the arabian Peninsula came As a Shock. They said it would be hot but not this hot a said a Marine As he relaxed in his shorts during a break. The United states has not fought a desert War since 1943 when it joined Britain to defeat Germany in North Africa. Remembering that conflict not so far away a member of the 82nd airborne carried a copy of the Book Quot Rommel a desert War Quot in his pack. The temperature rises to above 120 degrees creating Furnace like conditions particularly for airmen in flight suits. A these done to breathe real Well a said Doug a Marine cobra Pilot pointing to his Lull Bodysuit made of Nome a fire British airman Pete greening stays hydrated by drinking bottled water after his Squadron arrived tuesday in saudi Arabia. A retardant material the cobra an attack helicopter is air conditioned but other helicopters such As the Huey and the ch-53, both used to transport troops arc not. In the Sun the service members must stay covered from head to toe even wrapping a cloth around the neck to prevent sunburn. All Wear hats sunglasses and sunscreen. Chapped lips have Bec Mcd such a problem that the marines have ordered extra Balm maj. Mark Hughes said. The vastness and unique conditions of the arabian desert have posed problems. Ground troops often spend twice As Ong digging a foxhole because the Sand is so Fine it collapses on itself. Pilots have had trouble Reading their navigational maps in a terrain altered by constantly shifting Sands. The intense heat affects Nagi National equipment causing slight variations in the readings. In addition there Are the Standard problems faced i n any desert. The Sand clogs machinery forcing added Maintenon be and extra spare  wife anxious to join husband in saudi Arabia fort Bragg . Apr army 1st it. Dominique Allen does no to want to wait around her Post much longer. She wants to follow her husband of less than two weeks to the saudi arabian desert. Her husband spec. Joseph a. Hudert Iii already is stationed with the 82nd airborne div in the Middle East a a in a feel better being Over there Quot the 24-Ycar-old nurse said. Quot ill be Busy. Pm doing my part for the army 1 might be Able to see him. The chances Are slight but i  she and her husband who met in Roth at Virginia Commonwealth University had dated for six years and had planned to marry next year. But when word came that both would Likely be sent to the Middle East they decided to move things up. In a speech monday president Bush cited the newlyweds As Fine examples of the soldiers participating in operation desert shield. Army orders units to Cut spending to help pay for persian Gulf Force by Steve Taylor Munich Bureau the army has ordered subordinate units to Cut Back expenses to help fund operation desert shield in saudi Arabia in a message sent to major units on aug 14, the service said Quot As a general policy All fiscal 1990 non essential discretionary operations must be stopped and the funds generated will be used to support desert  the message said the cutbacks were necessary because it was unclear How much funding would come from the Pentagon and Congress to pay Tor army operations in saudi Arabia. It asked commanders to Send estimates on How much could be saved by reducing non essential operations. The message instructed commanders to limit Tempo Rary duty assignments cancel or reschedule exercises not related to the Middle East operation and limit purchases of supplies and equipment not required for Temei ency safety or other non operational requirements. Some maintenance requirements should also be limited and non essential conferences should be cancelled the message said a spokesman for the . Army in Europe said the command would need about 10 Days to respond to questions about the message. The order is already being Felt at the military Schain of resort hotels in Bavaria where 11 conferences have been Ca Nee led this week. That leaves More than 200 hotel rooms available in mid september according to spokesman Harry Connors Quot basically if the conferences Are appropriated fund they re cancelling Quot Connors  buys w. German vehicles to test for chemicals Stuttgart West Germany a amps a the army has purchased 10 special armoured vehicles from West Germany that will be used in the Middle East to Monitor the environment for signs of chemical warfare. About 100 . Soldiers Are scheduled to begin training in the Fuchs Fox chemical monitoring vehicles. A . European Conid spokesman said wednesday that he could not Dis close when or which . Units would participate in the training because of Security concerns. It. Col. Joe Hen Burgemeister spokesman for the West German defense ministry said the Bonn government complied with a . Request for the Fuchs which he called a the most Modem vehicle of its Type in the  the vehicles Are made by the Thyssen Henshel co. In Kassel. The vehicles also carry radiation detection equipment that provides Crew members with a computer printout detailing exact locations of contaminated areas. A sampling device located at the rear of the vehicle enables the Crew to test soil for contamination Peter Wiegelmann a spokesman for Thyssen Henshel said the events in the persian Gulf prompted the West German army to sell the vehicles from its inventory. He said the 10 vehicles will be adapted to meet . Specifications. The United states had several of the vehicles on order from West Germany before the Start of the deployment to saudi Arabia a Neucom statement said. Wiegelmann said . Soldiers will train with the vehicles in sont Hofen in Southern West Germany before going to saudi Arabia. The West German atomic biological and chemical school is located at sont Hofen