European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday september 25, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 3 a amps Gary Mellor 3, left and Mary Trippe Everett with son Rick 3. Maintaining a routine and writing letters Are among the strategies recommended by Mary Parker Lamm with son Jeremiah .lwl.,uci.�?zu�?z5�., wives offer advice on separations by Gary Miller Naples Bureau Gaeta Italy a four Navy wives who Are old hands at dealing with Long separations from their husbands have a Little advice for the uninitiated spouses of army and air Force personnel involved in operation desert shield. A stay Busy and keep to a routine that Sas similar As possible to the schedule you had when your husband was ome a advises Mary Parker Lamm the wife of a Navy Ensign who works in the engineering department of the guided missile Cruiser Belknap. Lamm knows what she is talking about. Her husband Hal has been on sea duty for More than six years now. Before reporting to the Belknap 18 months ago Hal served on the destroyer tender Yosemite whose Home port is Mayport Fla. While they were in Mayport Lamm experienced three of her husbands 180-Day cruises. A people had very Good marriages and that a what allowed the men to go away for so Long a Lamm said. Kim Sawyer prefers the Short periods that her husband Petty officer 1st class Barry Sawyer spends at sea on the Belknap. The Belknap the 6th Fleet flagship rarely deploys for More than a few weeks at a time from its Home port of Gaeta Italy. But a month after the couple were married Barry left on a six month deployment on another ship. Based on that experience Kim recommends that spouses Alerie Brown Kim Sawyer write lots of letters. A they appreciate getting the mail. They re out there All alone. At least you have the children and the  she would be nervous if her husband were heading for the Middle East she said. A but you can to get All excited about something when you done to even know what a going to happen. I done to worry about things that Haven to happened yet because you can to. Every time they leave you never know what a going to happen. Its their Job. Its always a risk. A you just write to them and Send them packages and let them know that you love  in Gaeta Belknap wives also support one another. A a we re family Here said Mary Trippe Everett. A the Community runs on Volant chrism. That does no to mean there Arentt Down Days or bad Days. But you just smile and keep  Everett is the wife of it. Cmdr. Jim Everett who is assigned to the command staff on the Belknap. A a Good coping strategy for dealing with separations is being involved with your neighbors and getting away from your children once in a while a she said. A you need the time to yourself and in the Long run you can Deal better with your children because of  Valerie Brown and her husband Bruce a Petty officer first class done to have children. While her husband is at sea she fills her time by volunteering for the red Cross. A keep Busy and keep positive especially in your correspondence a Brown said. A let them know that you can handle it even if you have to fake it a Little  the Belknap screw has had its own Brush with tense times. Thirteen months ago the guided missile Cruiser was sent to the Middle East after a lebanese group threatened to kill . Hostage Joseph Cicippio. The defense department diverted the Belknap from visiting the soviet port of Sevastopol to stand off the coast of  doubts Iraq will use chemical arms by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau Miessau West Germany a the Man responsible for getting chemical munitions out of West Germany thinks Saddam Hussein wont use similar weapons on . Troops supporting operation desert shield. A i think that the world has already condemned him Saddam for the aggression that he a already started a Brig in. Dennis l. Benchoff the departing 59th Ord brigade commander said during a recent interview. A it would be very foolish on his part to use chemical  the general said troops from All the countries involved in saudi Arabia Are prepared to face Saddam a chemical weapons. A the Only people who would be injured would be the ones without Protection a he said. A a you re talking civilians. I think he would be roundly condemned even More were he to use chemical weapons. A Benchoff who was relinquishing command of the brigade to Brig. Gen. George e. Friel on tuesday commanded the . Army units that moved 100,000 artillery shells filled with deadly Sarin and vex nerve agents from their secret Home at the Clausen army depot to the North sea port at no Denham this summer. Two Navy ships carrying the shells left saturday for Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean where they will be destroyed. Benchoff who was nominated this summer for a second Star is moving to the . European come Headquarters in Stuttgart As the senior staff officer responsible for logistics and Security assistance for Europe and Africa. A a in a sure ill be involved in moving equipment from Europe that a needed in desert shield a he said. One thing Benchoff is sure wont be going to desert shield is the chemical weapons that just left West Germany. A there Are no plans to use these chemical weapons a he said. A they Are destined for Johnston Island. A a in a sure  go there because they re now packaged in such away that it makes them not usable for combat. They would have to be unloaded and it would take months to put them in any kind of condition that would let them be used As  Tiv ated in the coming fiscal year probably by feb. 1. The 330th Ord co 110th my co 98th chemical co and 763rd medical det chemical Are scheduled for deactivation because the removal of the munitions has left them without a Job. All of the units Are stationed at Miinch Weiler