European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 21, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 21, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9 crisis in the Gulf Chain of concern links families left behind by Gulf bound gis by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Rhein main a West Germany a Lee Penman became what she Calls the a self imposed commander of her husbands unit wednesday night. Penman a Field promotion did no to rate a mention by the dignitaries gathered to Send off 50 members of the 158th aviation regt a 8th aviation in. The group led by battalion commander it. Col. John Penman will join 250 others from the Hanau based unit already deployed to operation desert shield. In his Stead Lee Penman plans to head up what she describes As the a Chain of  at the official ceremony it. Gen. George a. Joulwan the v corps commander noted the a demonstration of  he was referring primarily to members of the German Community which included Hessen minister presi Dent Walter Wallmann but it could also have applied to the group standing about 30 feet to his right. There huddled be Hind a yellow rope were 40 family members of the departing soldiers. A i just want to make sure that we watch out for everybody who a left a said Penman a soft spoken 19-year army wife. She said she also wants to ensure that those left behind Are a taken care of and that you done to have to worry that someone a going to forget  to that end the unit has distributed cards with emergency numbers to the family members. Pictures of their soldiers will be taken in saudi Arabia and mailed Back and videocassette copies of the departure ceremony will be available for those who weren table to attend Penman said. Under her command open hearts arms minds and phone lines will be mandatory. No. 2 in the Chain of concern is Betsy Dudenbostel whose husband maj. Warren Dudenbostel is the units executive officer. A you done to prepare for something like this a Dudenbostel said at the ceremony fighting tears. A you just do what you have to  she said her responsibilities include pampered Fox operators proving their value to Peers by Deedee Arrington Doke Kaiserslautern Bureau Ramstein a West Germany a Call it a desert Fox. Its Sand coloured to blend in with its new surroundings in saudi Arabia and adorned with a Small Black Palm tree. The seats recline. Most important its air conditioned a unlike its Brothers that stay behind in West Germany a to keep its users Cool As they test outside air for signs of chemical weapons. A tape deck is about the Only luxury not built into the West German made chemical reconnaissance vehicle that looks like a humvee crossed with a fire truck. A a we re pampered a admitted spec. Christopher Daly of the 69th chemical recon platoon a 1st army div unit. A people Call us Prima Donnas but Well drive past them in the desert with our Field jackets  Daly was among an unspecified number of soldiers who were to have left Ramstein a for the Middle East on thursday in three c-5 Galaxy aircraft loaded with 10 Fuchs or Fox vehicles. The 69th and the 3rd inf dives 92nd chem recon platoon both Vii corps units Are deploying to operation desert shield with the foxes. The sophisticated chemical monitoring vehicles Are on loan from West Germany. The . Soldiers recently trained for three weeks to use the foxes at the West German atomic biological and chemical school in sont Hofen in Bavaria. The intensive seven Day per week course included everything from driving the Fox to operating its Complex chemical detection equipment. West German soldiers who Are trained to use the Fox usually take at least six weeks of training on the equipment. A we were kind of rushed so it was kind of hard. But its like a Mercedes or a Large four wheel drive pickup. In a really impressed with How fast this thing goes a said pfc. Anthony Adamczyk of the 92nd. A amps qua Schuettler it. Gen. George a. Joulwan left and Hessen minister president Walter Wallmann bid Farewell to soldiers boarding a c-5 transport headed for saudi Arabia. Teaching those left behind a that they can depend on each other if they need any  Betsy Dudenbostel a career includes a 13-month separation tour while her husband was assigned in South Korea. It would be Nice to go Home to Pennsylvania for a while during desert shield she said. A but our family is Here a the other wives and the other  Penman said she personally prepared for her husbands saudi sojourn by counting on the units spending a Long time m the Middle East. A so if they come Home Early a she said a a in la be  in the meantime she has succinct advice for the units Young spouses a stick with  a key Benefit of using the Fox is the Comfort Factor. Nuclear biological and chemical Abc teams done to have to leave the vehicles to Monitor the presence of chemicals. And they done to have to Wear protective masks and gloves As they travel around possible danger zones. Standard chemical weapons monitoring equipment a just slows you Down a said pfc. Sch Toro Brinkley of the 69th chemical co. A this keeps us Able to stay  Adamczyk added a you have to operate in a time Factor in this Job. You need to do it As fast As possible and Tell the others How to get through an area As fast As possible. There a no setup. You re working in depth every second of every  the foxes have been modified to accommodate both the desert environment and the americans. Computers that previously provided information in German now spit it out in English and warning notices posted throughout the vehicle have been changed. The Comfort and increased defensive abilities Are benefits All in themselves. But operating on the cutting Edge of military technology also brings other rewards to the select few chosen to work the Fox in a crisis that could erupt into chemical warfare. Sgt. Andre Boronell at first Wasny to Happy about being deployed to desert shield because he did no to want to be away from his wife. But he soon realized that being chosen to operate the Fox was an Opportunity he  refuse. A this was a once in a lifetime Chance. It can to do anything but help my career a Boronell said. And the foxes High tech High profile Glamour and its place As an invaluable tool in fighting a Modem War enhances the Abc teams status with their military Peers army Camp at Ramstein serving desert shield troops by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau Ramstein a West Germany a Stamps doughnuts and a place to sleep Are provided free. Whiskey and Beer Are taboo. The services Are available at an army Camp set up on Ramstein a for troops heading to operation desert shield. The soldiers spend from one hour to 36 hours at the facility located in a Remote Comer of the base near the flight line. The average is about 18 hours said sgt. 1st class Ronald Wolf of the 66th Maint in Kleber Cavern. He is in charge of the passenger reception Point. Wolf said the facility has been operating since the beginning of desert shield. It gives the soldiers a place to sleep and mail letters. It provides chaplain services and transportation to the base Heaters Exchange gym and dining facilities. Conspicuously absent from that list is the base club which is off limits to these troops. These soldiers Are considered a deployed troops a said sgt. 1st class Wil Liam Carney operations non commissioned officer at the facility. As part of their deployment instructions the soldiers have been told that they May not drink alcoholic beverages. Military Airlift come officials will bar soldiers from boarding the planes if they have alcohol on their breath Carney said. Several base agencies have been routinely donating items to make life a bit More pleasant for the soldiers Wolf said. Among those Are donuts land which sends Racks of doughnuts each morning the red Cross which supplies postage Stamps and the Uso which is providing books stationery and cookies. For members of the 66th Maint in the hours have been Long Carney said. But most done to mind because a a we re doing it for the  and for the soldiers waiting is worse than the actual deployment. A a in be been waiting awhile a said staff sgt. Rickey Conner a member of the 5th so 6th Cav at Wiesbaden a which supplies Apache helicopters with ammunition. A we want to get Over there get it done and get Back  saudis wont Stop Christmas cards a a lot of people Are waking up and ing Abc o a Adamczyk realizing no Lye a a  ought to be taken serious said. A your Job Isnit Dallas up a american gis in saudi Arabia will get their Christmas cards after All. A Story in the Dallas times Herald last week raised concern that Holiday cards mailed from Home might be banned because of strict saudi customs Laws forbidding any mail offensive to the islamic Faith. The intervention of sen. David l. Boren d-okla., and the persuasion of Prince Bandar bin Sultan saudi ambassador to the United states combined to Avert a Holiday disaster. Last week. Pentagon postal service and saudi officials agreed that Christian oriented mail was contraband but could not say if the ban encompassed Christmas cards. Boren contacted Prince Bandar a personal Friend and urged him to persuade saudi officials in Riyadh to exempt Christmas cards from such restrictions. A the times Herald sure made a Good Point and i just thought they ought to be sensitive to it before a problem develops a said Boren chairman of the Senate intelligence committee. A can you imagine what the reaction would have been a a i think that the fact that the saudis have been so forthcoming and dealt with the situation immediately that its going to build even better