European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday August 23, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 3 crisis in the Gulf kit Many troops still done to suits saudi Arabia apr american troops stationed Here before the huge buildup of the past two weeks Are complaining they have not been issued suits to protect against chemical weapons. A fall these Guys coming in Here get Gas masks and the suits but we get nothing a one airman said a they Are treating us As if we done to a military spokesman said the shortage was discussed at a command staff briefing tuesday and More suits arc expected to arrive on transport planes in the next few Days. Even so the enlisted members comments suggest How deep the fear of chemical weapons runs. Such weapons a and iraqi president Saddam Hussein a willingness to use them a Are prime topics of discussion among troops Here. A a it Sas much psychological As anything a one of the men an air Force master sergeant said of the protective suits. A a we Sec everybody else with them and hear everything being said about Iraq s Gas and chemicals but we get one air Force sergeant stationed in saudi Arabia the past nine months went As far As calling a news organization in the United states to voice Bis complaint. A i was just fed up with the bureaucracy a the ser Geant said monday. A Why should my Guys be left naked Quot Pentagon ground rules prohibit the use of troops a fall these Guys coming in Here get Gas masks and the suits but we get nothing. They Are treating us As if we done to a an airman a. A a names in news Media Pool dispatches from saudi Arabia. I. In Bride interviews with a dozen men stationed in saudi Arabia As part of a standing . Military training operation just one a an air Force sergeant a said he had chemical gear. A i scrounged it up by cutting a Deal Quot he said. The sergeant who called the states to complain said there Are about 120 . Military personnel stationed at the training Mission most of them in the air Force. The service Mem hers conduct training with 1 he saudi military and also provide Security communications and other logistical support to a Small . Compound on a saudi air base a i done to have a suit. I done to have a Gas mask. I done to have any of an army sergeant said when asked whether he had the protective gear. Both saudi and . Officials have said they doubt Iraq has the capability to successfully use chemical weapons against the base. Iraqis missiles Are not considered very acc Raic at Long distances and the United states Nas deployed missile destroying Patriot guided weapon systems at strategic areas As a precaution. Moreover. Air Force officials predict that . Or saudi fighters could intercept any iraqi planes that tried to Cross into saudi territory. But the service members said they would still feel More comfortable with the anti chemical gear and had requested it several times. J one said he was told gear for troops stationed in saudi Arabia full Lime was aboard a transport plane that arrived monday. Bui when he went to the plane the Man said he was told the chemical suits and gear had already been taken somewhere. A somewhere but not Here not for us Quot he on Way to desert predict hot War of nerves. A amps Ken George . Soldiers in route to saudia Arabia Are interviewed at Rhein main wednesday. By Ron Jensen staff writer Rhein main a West Germany a at least one Soldier passing through on his Way to operation desert shield has been in that part of the world before. And there a something he a not looking Forward to on his return trip. A the heat Quot the Soldier said while eating lunch at the 21st replacement in dining Hall at Rhein main on wednesday. The Soldier said his unit trained last year in Oman Jordan and Egypt but it did no to prepare him for temperatures Topping 100 degrees that Are now sizzling the Region. A it was Winter so it was Only 90 degrees Quot he said. The soldiers who cannot be identified for Security reasons Are part of the 82nd airborne div from fort Bragg no. They were on a Brief Stopover at Rhein main after a 10-hour flight. A we were pretty much planning on it a said another enlisted Man who was asked when they knew they were going to be part of the military buildup. A but they told us for sure since the operation began aug. 7, he said the soldiers had been required to Call in every two hours to report their whereabouts. The two do not expect the tension in the persian Gulf Region to turn into a shooting War. A i think it will be a War of nerves pretty much a the second Soldier said. He a been in uniform Only a year but said his nerves Are Good a a in la hold the soldiers each carry about 50 pounds of gear in a Rucksack plus some additional a Toms in a Duffel hag. Their Load includes equipment to keep them Safe in a Poison Gas attack. Iraq used chemical weapons in its War with Iran and the possibility they May use them again has added tension to the situation. The soldiers said they have trained extensively in the use of Gas masks and other anti chemical warfare equipment. Before leaving the United states the soldiers were Given briefings and literature about saudi customs. They were told How to avoid offending the local population. A a we re not supposed to Point at people a the first Soldier said. A strange Little things we never heard of new embassy Job turns grim with invasion by Deedee Arrington Doke Kaiserslautern Bureau the family of Navy it. Cmdr. Michael Schwartz or. Was thrilled when he received an assignment last Spring to an embassy Post in Kuwait. A with the draw Downs he was More worried about if he Wras still going to be in the Navy next year than about being sent to some Small Region that was suddenly going to be invaded a said Kathleen Brown Schwartz a sister. A the had never had a diplomatic Post before. This was a wonderful Challenge for him. We thought it was a very stable Schwartz 38, is among the personnel who have lived on the . Embassy compound in Kuwait City since aug. 2, when Iraq invaded the country. Embassy personnel were recalled to the compound from their Homes soon after iraqi troops lined up on Kuwait s Border. They have left Only once since then to pick up food at a warehouse Brown said. Schwartz a wife a member of the army Reserve is the Only family member to have talked with the lieutenant commander since the invasion. He told her that he was Safe Quot and that things were tense but everyone was in High spirits a Brown said. Schwartz moved to Kuwait last month and his wife and children were to have joined him in december. His kuwaiti assignment would have marked the first tour overseas for his family. The officer a Vietnam Veteran appreciated a diverse cultures a Brown said. A the always enjoyed meeting people from different cultures. He a never been someone who wanted to Homestead and never go anywhere Brown and her husband who is assigned to the air Force office of special investigations live in West Germany s brawn Eife Region with their two children. Brown and Schwartz Are two of five children of retired Navy Apt. Michael Schwartz and his wife Patricia of Elpaso Texas. Patricia Schwartz is a former Navy wave. Brown has been unable to get through by Telephone to the embassy in Kuwait. A recording saying that lines to Kuwait Are blocked interrupts when she dials. Instead she and her parents Send telex messages to Schwartz through the state department. A the slate department has been wonderful a Brown said. A i Call them they Call me. They be been Able to help us a great state department officials have called the family often to allay fears about exaggerated or incorrect news reports Brown said. They also have advised them not to reveal Schwartz a specific Job or share photos and detailed information about his wife and family. Officials have emphasized that the situation in Kuwait is a dangerous but not extreme a Brown said. She worries about her brother but coming from a military family has prepared her her parents and siblings Lor troubled dangerous times. And she believes her brother would not want the United Stales to Back Down. A from knowing my brother my opinion is he want them to Duke it out but he want the United Stales to just walk away a Brown said. She recounted a lightly worded telex she recently sent her brother. A if you Slop in Wiesbaden give me a Call and ill Bop on Down a she wrote referring to the air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden West Germany . Hostages usually Stop for checkups at the Hospital on their return from the Middle East. �?o1 fully expect to be seeing him in Wiesbaden in the next few weeks Quot Brown said. �?�1 done to see this going on and
