European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 27, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 27, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9 Over her reservists keeping it All in the family by Randy Pruitt staff writer Mannheim West Germany a the title a major dad Isnit a joke around the 314th support Center. Not to Marvin  Branham anyway. The major always grins proudly when he hears the words. So does Marvin  Branham his private first class son who a Likely to be within earshot. For the Branhamn its All in the family. Marvin  And Marvin  Branham father and son Are not Only members of the same household they belong to the same Reserve unit. Talk about coincidences. Besides having the same first names they both graduated a 20 years apart a from the same paratrooper school at fort Benning a. Now Junior has set his sights on attending Drill sergeant school. The senior Branham was a Drill sergeant when his son was bom 20 years ago at the army Hospital at fort Campbell by. A a he a following right along in his dads footsteps and of course in a proud of that a says Marvin e., 43. One Factor is evident. The younger Branham knows military life about As Well As his career army father whose career spans 27 years. The Branham family has knocked around the world doing Tours of duty in Europe the Orient the Middle East and the Caribbean. Marvin g., who also answers to the name of a Guy a graduated from High school in Guantanamo Bay Cuba in 1988. A i decided to go Back to the states and join the army reserves. That a what i always wanted to do a Marvin  Said. He remembers the Good natured bantering among his dad and army buddies during poker games. In meticulous detail he can recall father son conversations about the service the rooms they were sitting in a song that was playing on the radio. A i remember being 8 years old and he said a son one of these Days you la be doing  a he acknowledged that his father influenced his career decision. A but it Wasny to a forced thing a he added. The elder Branham confesses it Wasny to by Accident that his son got placed in his Reserve unit the newest in Germany. The first Day Marvin  Reported to duty he Learned there was an opening for a radio teletype operator. A i mentioned to lieutenant colonel Joe Mulligan the commander that i knew a Young Man and he said to bring him  he also mentioned to Mulligan that the Man was his son. Two work teams make up the unit. Since Marvin  Heads one Marvin  Was assigned to the other. A so i done to have direct supervision Over him a his father explained. A even when he does its really not a problem a Marvin  Said. A a we re both professional. I Call him a sir when in a supposed to and when we re not on duty its Back to  a when his son joined the unit he was a private 2 whose promotion to private first class had been postponed. A i was Able to sit Down and Type up his promotion papers a his father said. A and i assisted lieutenant colonel Mulligan in pinning his new stripes  when they Arentt pulling weekend duty Marvin  Works in Frankfurt As a contracting officer responsible for buying supplies and services for the government and Marvin  Is employed by the club system in Mainz. They both Call Oklahoma City Home. The younger Branham said the Best Day of his life was the last Day in jump school when a ceremony was held to recognize certain groups and graduates. A they said a All second generation paratroopers now stand and be recognized a a Marvin  Recalled. A i stood  he was the Only one. A it made me feel really  a amps l Emmott Lewis or. Pfc. Marvin  Branham and his father maj. Marvin   pays off big for Many in Europe by Randy Pruitt staff writer it. Col. Joe Mulligan Calls it the Best part time Job in West Germany. Capt. Eric Alleyne an agent for metropolitan life in Frankfurt West Germany says no insurance or investment policy can equal it. The two officers Are . Army reservists in Europe two of 810 men and women who Don fatigues one weekend a month As weekend warriors. But these men and women in Green see themselves differently As they Man rear tactical operations centers and marshalling area control groups to Back up troops in a War time scenario. A a we re relatively Young a said Dave Elliott a major and the Deputy chief of staff of personnel with the 7th army Reserve come. The command headquartered in Heidelberg was formed in 1986 to head up five Reserve units scattered across West Germany. Now 19 army units Are scattered throughout the Federal Republic two operate in Italy and one has been formed in England. Most Are aligned with Active duty component units. While there Are also air Force and Navy Reserve units in Europe the army presence is by far the largest and the Only one that operates under a command. A the difference Between the reservist and Active duty Soldier is we hold two jobs. We have a civilian occupation a whether its a paying Job or being a mom a then we re reservists a said Mulligan who is sports director for v corps and commander of the 314th support Center the newest Reserve unit in Europe. The unit is the result of an army decision that some missions could be carried out by reservists overseas. Reservists Are also cheaper than Active duty troops he said. From an economic standpoint reservists fare Well too. While working Only two Days per month volunteers get paid for four Days Elliott said. Reservists get medical benefits As Well As commissary and Exchange privileges. They also build up retirement Points they can Start using at age 60. A reservist with Only two years Active duty for example could ultimately qualify for $650 per month after earning enough Reserve Points to retire. A person with 11 years Active duty might receive $1,500 or More he said. A a it a the Only part time Job in a aware of that will provide you a retirement fund a Alleyne said. While most Reserve slots in the United states Are filled Europe is experiencing a shortage of men and women. A enlisted positions Are the hardest to fill a Elliott said. The units Are about 25 percent under strength for enlisted persons but have a 50 percent surplus of officers. Sixty percent of reservists in Europe have regular jobs with the department of defense while the rest Are employed on the local Economy Elliott said. Reservists in West Germany Are unique because about 40 percent know German he said. Unit members Are older As Well the average Soldier being about 30 years old with 5vi years on Active duty. A we get a More experienced reservist than they get in the states a he said. A i got out of the military and did no to see any sense in seven years in the military going Down the Drain a said spec. Clifford Dzioba a former tank Mechanic who is now assigned to the 314th support Center near Mannheim. As a civilian Dzioba is employed by a West German machine company in Hanau. A i got in for retirement purposes a said capt. Susan Bofferding who works As a family advocacy Counselor at Worms and is the Mother of two. Her husband capt. David Bofferding is with the 4th in 8th inf regt at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim. Elliott said a troop draw Down affecting the . Military in Europe could pose some problems for the reserves. A but we feel with the european common Market coming into being in 1992, More american companies will be coming to put roots in Here. We re hoping some of their employees Are reservists a he said