European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Oil workers throw Beach parties for gis by Vince Crawley b by Vince Crawley staff writer with the . Forces saudi Arabia a some gis Are partying in the desert thanks to roving bands of american Oil workers. These self styled Goodwill ambassadors visit Remote outposts to show support for the . Troops in the Gulf. They put on barbecues Ana bring soft drinks newspapers cigarettes and ice to gis at the far end of those Long slow moving military Supply lines. They answered one Call for help by supplying 300 Flyswatter to insect plagued soldiers from the 24th inf div Mech. A without them wed be hurting a one division Soldier said. A they help a lot. Its unbelievable How much they help a added pfc. Jeffrey j. Jump a 23-year-old helicopter crewman from Toledo Ohio. A a they re also real Good about calling our families a said spec. Phillip Matthews 23, a cavalry scout from Wynne Wood okla. For Oil worker Mark Barbee there a nothing fancy about what he a doing. A a it a time to pay our dues to patriotism a said the 43-year-old chemical Engineer from Escondido Calif., who a lived in saudi Arabia for 12 years. Like Many Oil workers Barbee sent his family Home to the United states shortly after the invasion of Kuwait a move that was a very strongly recommended by the saudi Oil companies Barbee said. Many families returned after the multinational troop presence calmed the crisis Barbee said. But his wife is still Back Home. A a we re suddenly a Bunch of Amateur bachelors a he said. And so they use their spare time to help the soldiers. The 24th inf div and the units attached to it Are assigned to the army a most Remote outposts in the Gulf Region and thus Are a popular Stop on the Oil workers circuit. The Oil workers also pay frequent visits to the Marine combat troops who a Marine gets a taste of Home As Oil worker Bill Scott 32, serves up desert style hamburgers during a party. Dave Tarrant Are dug in at equally Bleak locations far from the air bases and ports. A they had to have brought at least five ice chests sodas books. They were just driving around and stopped when they saw us a said Lance Cpl. John Little 22, a welder with the 1st in 7th Marine regt. He a from Toad suck Ark. Really. Cpl. Terry Mcclain 22, a tank Driver from the 3rd Marine tank in said the visits Are a a Beach party without the  a number of marines have been Able to enjoy Brief stays in the Homes of Aramco Oil workers. Several marines will go out with a family Early in the morning and return in the evening. During the Day they can take a Shower eat a Home cooked meal Call Home catch up on news and just relax said Tony Duchinsky 58, of Chester 111. A it really helps them out a Duchinsky said. A i had two fellas Here who both called Home for their mothers birthday. A the first thing we try to let them do is relax a Duchinsky said. A we Wash their  a a it a one of the Best things in be done since in be been Here a said Cpl. Darryl Jones 23, of Carson Calif.  troops get Long awaited orders to go out and play in Sandbox a amps Dave Tarrant a Marine camouflage hat and jacket 9-year-old George Reed left of Cheshire England rides atop the shoulders of Cpl. Paul Stringer 21, of Azusa Calif., at a desert party with Oil workers and their families. By Dave Tarrant staff writer with the . Forces saudi Arabia warrant officer Don Froman arced the softball softly toward Home. At the plate Cpl. Greg Eichel waited for the pitch As eagerly As for a Home cooked meal. He swung hard and smacked the Ball up the Middle where Froman stopped it a with his Kneecap. A a what a your  Corporal a Froman yelled pretending to be angry with Eichel who had safely reached first on the play. It was classic sandlot softball Friday served up in the great Central arabian desert Between officers and enlisted marines taking a Long delayed Day off. The Only order heard All Day was when col. Alex Powell commander of the direct support group 1 yelled a play Ball a a sign outside this Camp read a afield of dreams. The Bob Hope bowl with Paula  neither the Veteran comedian nor the Young pop Star showed up. But with a Little ingenuity and some help from american employees of Aramco the saudi Arabia based Oil company there was softball volleyball horseshoes burgers a plenty of sizzling burgers a and cold soda to Wash it All Down. A a it a our first Day off in almost three months and for some of you its the first Day off in five months because of other previous deployments a it. Col. Rick Kelly commander of the combat service support det-111, told a formation of marines before the party started. A this Day off comes just in time. We be been working some Long hours a said Cpl. James Murray 24, of Wrens a. For at least a week the unit worked a Little extra to prepare for the party. A construction battalion folded a rough dimpled acre of Sand into a decent looking softball Field. Engineers put together a makeshift scoreboard out of a couple of sheets of Wood and used some leftover White paint and Felt tip markers to make the letters and numbers. The Backstop was built with a couple of 2-by-4s and some camouflage netting. A works just As Good As any you see in the United states a said gunnery sgt. Leon Guerrero 32, of Guam. The marines wasted Little time getting Down to business or play. The softball tournament went on simultaneously with a 20-team volleyball championship. Others pitched horseshoes or tossed footballs. A this is the Best thing in be had to eat in two months a said pfc. Michael Gutierrez 19, of Albuquerque n.m., Between mouthfuls from a plate piled with burgers hot dogs baked Beans and potato salad. A this is excellent compared to the res. A you can get burned out real Quick from All the work we be been doing a he said. A a in a real Young and this is the first time in be been out of the  Lance Cpl. Robert Orozco did no to share the others enthusiasm for the food. A a it Sall right. I prefer res. This stuff can get contaminated out Here. But i guess its Good for  Froman the softball Pitcher is also the morale welfare and recreation officer for the support unit which originally thought of having the Chow Hall prepare a picnic for the marines. When that did no to work someone suggested the Aramco Oil workers who have helped the marines in the past. The Oil workers enthusiastically accepted. So the marines took up a collection to help pay for food and the rest was donated by the Oil workers. A a it a Nice that we re getting the time to visit with these Guys. Its a pleasure for us a said de Horton an Oil worker from Phoenix