European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 9, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes sunday september 9,1990 crisis in the Gull saudi repair shop pleases Al 5 mechanics by Ron Jensen and Vince Crawley staff writers an air base in saudi Arabia a when the 1st tac fighter Wing began its deployment to operation desert shield staff sgt. Bill Holland envisioned maintaining f-l5 engines in a Canvas covered sweatshop on the Sandy floor of the desert. Instead he a in an air conditioned shop with nearly every tool and piece of equipment he needs to keep the fighter jets in the arabian sky. There seven a clothes Washer and dryer in the Back room a rarity in desert shield. The reason for All this the base is the Home of no. 13 so of the Royal saudi air Force. A when we packed up we packed up As if we were going to set up shop in the Sand a said Holland a member of the 1st component repair so Quot when we saw this was air conditioned we thought a awl Wriight a a the shop is almost exactly like the one the Squadron has at Langley fab a. That was an enormous Tim Saver. The existence of this base shaved two to three weeks from the Normal deployment time of about 24 Days. A having Al 5s at this base was a great help a he said. A trying to do the work we do outside with Sand blowing around would definitely have an effect on How Well these engines  also the Crews would not be Able to work As efficiently in the heat and would require More Breaks. A in Here its clean a Holland said. Quot we can slam bang. We can go to town in  the repairmen say the desert environment creates no extraordinary problems. The Sand does reduce engine life but so does the Salt and humidity in the air at Langley. A if the engine wears out in a year and a half there it will Wear out in a year and a half Here a he predicted. A bigger problem has been a Lack of work. With air forces from France and Britain sharing the duties the american pilots Are spending fewer hours in the air than Back Home. A t s4s Vince crawl a airman Ronnie West 19, has found new friends among the saudi mechanics working on f-l5 jets in their air conditioned shop. A this is a Holiday right now Quot Holland said. The Lull has Given the americans time to meet their saudi counterparts sharing the shop. A we done to have to ask for too much help because they readily Volunteer it a staff sgt. Chris Maxwell said. A a they re always inviting us off base to their Homes for dinner a said airman Ronnie West 19, from Oklahoma City. A for downtown to go shopping. And we be been invited to go water  a of course we can to go a added West who is confined to base like almost All american service members Here. Instead West said his saudi hosts bring some of the comforts of the outside world a carry out Chicken and cans of Coke a into the Jet engine workshop. A can of Coke incidentally costs about 25 cents in saudi Arabia. West said he a spending about $10 a week All of it on sodas and fast food. He a shared Many meals with the saudi airmen. A they eat Beans and bread for breakfast Chicken and Rice and bread for lunch. Chicken Lamb and beef with bread for  the Flat bread West noted is used in place of silverware to hold food. A we think its Good to eat with them because its better than res Quot he said referring to the military a packaged meals ready to eat. A we asked them a hey would you like to try this res a they said a in a sorry i can to because its in a Square  a other arabians say they be never heard of such a prohibition. More Likely West a friends have tried res before and simply Are being polite. Desert troops with off base Homes in states fear  lose allowance i dragon base Camp saudi Arabia apr the talk from the exhausted group huddled under the f-l5 turned quickly from the intricacies of Jet engines to worries about financial support for their wives and children Back Home. The . Government May Cut the sup elemental income soldiers received Back ome for living off base because they now get their food and supplies free in saudi Arabia �?o1 just had a kid four weeks ago and that Money is figured into my finances Quot Chris Jessen said at an Al 5 maintenance Hanger on wednesday where the airmen work 12-hour shifts in sweltering heat. A if they take it away then in essence the government is saying a sergeant you re going to pay us this Money so that you can go to saudi Arabia and support the Mission a a a he said. Jessene a buddies who were huddled under the Al 5 fighter nodded their Heads in agreement. All but one of the five is married and those four All have children. One found out the other Day that his wife is pregnant with their fourth child. A was far As morale that a the biggest problem a Kevin Wilde of Sioux City Iowa said of the possible loss of the pay known As Bas a Basic allowance for subsistence. For these men it amounts to an extra $180 a month a about 20 percent of their total pay. Their commanding officer interjected to say that for now the air forces tac air come has kept up the payments but that Congress will have to act to keep the Money flowing if the Bas payments Are to continue throughout the . Deployment. The airmen complain a bit about the heat and the Long hours spent hunched under the seemingly endless line off a 5s needing maintenance. Airman Adam Bayes described the Days this Way a you go to work for 12 hours go Home get clean go to bed Wake up get clean whatever do your laundry if you can do that come to work work go Home sleep. Its getting to be a  so much so that Wilde spent his Day off this week sitting around watching his buddies work. A i did no to know what else to do a he said. During a visit to the troops last week sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., was pulled aside by col. John Mcbroom commander of the 1st tac fighter Wing. Mcbrooms message do something to keep the extra Money flowing to the families Back Home. There Are some indications Congress might heed the advice of Mcbroom and other commanders in the saudi desert. At a White House meeting wednesday sen. John Glenn a Ohio suggested that Congress and the administration agree on a pay and income tax incentive package for the troops deployed in saudi Arabia a to forestall a morale  the airmen interviewed wednesday predict just such problems if the Money is Cut off. As the Law stands now service members lose the extra payments when they get free meals. A every Serviceman Here that has heard about it is in an uproar a Jessen  mess in Gulf solved by Post office Washington apr self adhesive postage Stamps that done to curl and stick together in hot humid weather Are being shipped to the troops in the persian Gulf the . Postal service announced Friday. Some 400,000 of the 25-cent Stamps Are being dispatched to the . Forces there. The Stamps which have an Eagle and shield insignia were introduced last fall on a test basis. They Are peeled off a backing Sheet and can be applied to a letter without moisture. The Stamps Are sold in sheets of 16. They Cost $4.50 per Sheet in the United states because of higher production costs but will be sold at face value of $4 per Sheet for the service members in the Gulf officials said. Officials said the Stamps should be available by the Middle of next week