European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 28, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 3 operating a Hospital in the desert inflatable facility offers patients everything but to by Ron Jensen staff writer in the saudi arabian desert a spec. John Miller or. Was two Days removed from a Frisbee football game and a close encounter with the desert vegetation of saudi Arabia. On the Day in question he was Flat on his Back at the 28th combat support Hospital while a medic fitted his lower left leg with a cast. A i kind of tripped Over a Bush a said the Soldier who normally serves with he Btry 3rd in 41st Field arty a part of the 24th inf div Mech. Broken Bones. Cuts. Viruses. Dehydration. That a been pretty much the fare since the Hospital opened its doors sept. 10. If the desert face off turns to War however the Hospital will get a heavy share of the combat casualties staff members said. A this is the first level of definitive care where we can actually hospitalize and operate on the Soldier a said col. Michael Ball the commander of the facility which is normally stationed at fort Bragg . A Soldier wounded on a Battlefield would first be treated by a company medic then moved to a battalion Aid station. From there the Soldier would head for a Mobile Hospital a like the one on the a pm a so to show but without the laughs a Ball said a not far from the front lines. A a they re going to stabilize him and get him Back to us a the colonel said adding that a seriously wounded gigs next Stop is probably somewhere out of the country possibly West Germany. The Hospital which was the first army Hospital in country but now is one of several is a series of inflatable quonset huts air conditioned and Roomy. But dark. And in a desert environment Stuffy. The Maze of tunnels and tents has no windows and the 16 air conditioning units can to quite conquer the heat. When its completely set up the Hospital houses 200 Beds. It has three operating a  As a psf Abo Ute an fag a whip w by undcrg0cs Quot he army a 2,h combats Quot a Ort a saudi arabian desert. Seldom is the Hospital fully inflated. Most of the time its stored in warehouses at fort Bragg where its not needed because of Womack. Ball said his Hospital is from the Vietnam Era but is due for modernization in 1992. This deployment he said might hasten the improvements. The 28th�?Ts enlisted Crew spends most of its time Back Home in motor pools or warehouses keeping the tent and Metal hut 7rc Jwj a a Wui  you d find at a stateside Hospital except television. A a it a very hard to bring Walter Reed army Hospital and put it Down out Here in the desert a Ball said. But this Isnit far off. In fact the assistant chief of surgery for Walter Reed is part of balls staff. Other staff members have come from military hospitals throughout the United states a a Fitzsimons in Aurora colo., and William Beaumont in Elpaso Texas 114 a in a you Tva a Ivy Uzawa Pic Icil due it Cal i but most work at Womack army comm components ready for rapid deployment Nefy Hospital at fort Bragg . On a recent Day Ball was Host to 48 Ball will have 40 nurses and 20 to 25 patients. In All he had had to evacuate doctors when the desert Hospital is fully about six including a Snake bite victim operational. The full staff will eventually a most of the people who have been exceed 300. Evacuated should probably have never been deployed to this environment a he said. One suffered from seizures. Another had a form of cancer. But most of the patients have been like Miller. Or like sgt. Phillip Webb who was being treated for a kidney ailment. Two Days earlier Webb with cob 307th eng in 82nd airborne div noticed blood in his urine. He went to his Aid station and got bucked up to balls operation. A a it a been great a the Soldier said of life in the Hospital. Webb a problem May be a ticket West Germany for further treatment. Many of the patients have been treated for virus related illnesses which lab technician spec. Debora Heltz attributes to a amps Vinco crawly the change in climates. A i think its just a change of food a change of weather a she said. A we come from a pretty pampered  still Many of staff members Are used to hot assignments. Staff sgt. Etc Quick Martinez had just returned from a 30-Day stint in Costa Rica when he was called to saudi Arabia. Before that head spent three months in Honduras. To Martinez a 32-year-old licensed practical nurse has been in the army 12 years and spent the first three As an infantryman. He said he decided to switch duties when he got married so that he  be away from Home so often. A and Here i am a he said. Japan proposes unarmed peacekeeping Force Tokyo apr prime minister Toshiki Kaifu on news con be Rerp. Tokyo apr prime minister Toshiki Kaifu on thursday unveiled a plan to dispatch japanese military personnel overseas for the first time since world War u but without weapons. The proposal which must be approved by parliament Calls for the establishment of a . Peace cooperation it ups and civilian personnel to participate in . Peacekeeping activities. Kaifu acknowledged criticism that Japan is supplying a Umei More than Money to the  Force deployed in the Middle East to Stop further iraqi aggression. He flies on Friday to the United states were some of the harshest criticism has been voiced. A i myself thought we had to do something requiring a Little sweat a Kaifu said during a nationally televised news conference. The japanese proposal is Likely to arouse fears of renewed militarism among asian countries which Suff Reid a. From japanese aggression before and during world War ii. 6 the opposition Japan socialist party citing the country s no War Constitution also expressed opposition to the plan m a meeting with Kaifu earlier thursday Cabinet spokesman miso i Sakamoto said. That could mean the government will have difficulty winning approval for the plan when parliament meets next month because the socialist led opposition has a majority in the upper House. Kaifu described the proposal As part of Japan a Effort to define its role m the Post coid War Era. Under the proposal the corps would be under the prime minister s office and would not be allowed to use r a a a Ruiu Iii us do Owen to use or threaten Force. Activities could include non combat duties such As transportation of goods and personnel said1111111318 a medical support sources have Kaifu did not indicate How Large the Force might be Rhino a Cnorr fee Lim  j it i 4 us l indicate How Large the Force might be although sources have said it could include 1,000 to 2, u00 people. Although there has been debate within the government whether the corps members could carry pistols Kaifu said they would be unarmed. A i know there Are Many opinions about their role but my position is i done to want them to go to places where they have to have weapons a he said