European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday novembers 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 3crisis in the to Brothers split by Sand and Saddam by Vince Crawley staff writer with the . Marines saudi Arabia a Paul Rodriguez was a guard at the american embassy in Kuwait when Iraq evaded on aug. 2. Now the Marine Corporal is one of Saddam Hussers uninvited  the week before the invasion the 23-Vear-old had called his older brother Marine sgt. Randy Rodriguez Back at Camp Pendleton Calif. A the asked me if anything in the news was about the iraqi buildup on the Border of Kuwait a said Randy who told Paul that he Hadnot heard about any buildup. The two finished their conversation by discussing family news a next week a Randy said a there was the  on aug. 2, Randy was involved in unit training that lasted several Days. When the 27-year-old fuel handler returned to his apartment in Vista Calif., he found a message on his answering machine from Paul. The Corporal Hadnot been Able to reach their parents in Orlando fla., and had called Randy a just to let people know he was All right a just saying he was All right. He should be Home in a few  now 90 Days have passed. Randy Rodriguez assigned to the 7th engr support in arrived in saudi Arabia in late August and dug in with a combat service support unit. A i had no idea that it would Ever get to this scale a he said of the multinational troop buildup. A neither did anyone  on the first monday of november Randy sat on a plywood crate under some camouflage netting balanced his Rifle Between his Knees and told what it was like to have a brother held hostage. He was relaxed and optimistic. Everyone in his family is a devout Christian he said and that was carrying them through. A a it a Tough but with the Power of god anything a  when Randy arrived Paul was still in Kuwait City. Then Randy found out from newspapers that some of the embassy people had been moved by Road Convoy to Baghdad. He  reach his parents to find out if they were still hearing from Paul. In late september Gen. Alfred m. Gray jr., the Marine corps commandant visited Rodriguez a position and gave the now famous remarks that marines done to need ramp a. When the general finished he opened up the floor for questions. Randy told Gray that his brother had been a Marine guard at the embassy and asked whether he was among the people moved out by Convoy. Yes Gray answered if he was a Security guard he was in Baghdad. Since then Randy has had a Chance to phone his parents and has Learned that Paul is still calling Home. A the Calls Back to the states quite frequently. At least once a week a he said. A the keeps them i. Assured that he Soke guest is an a a inappropriate word to describe his brother a status the sergeant said. A a they re classified As hostage detainees a he said. A but they re not bound and tied up. They can Call it guest if they want but they Are restrained from  he added a i think its Barbaric. And its pretty Low. In a concerned but not  he feels that Way because his brother As an embassy guard is a thoroughly trained for anything that May arise. As a Man he san outstanding Marine. He can hold his own As a brother he can hold his  and Baghdad is probably a better place these Days than the looted remnants of Kuwait City. A in Baghdad right now a Randy said a i  think there Sas much fighting As in  he said members of his Church the new venture Christian Fellowship in Oceanside Calif., Pray for them both. A i hear from a lot of people Back there a he said. A i know there Are a lot of prayer warriors Back  their father George Rodriguez is a pastor at the Spanish Church of god in Orlando. Their Mother Lupe and sister Gloria 15, live there too. Randy said that he and Paul were typical Brothers. A we were constantly fighting but we were  Paul started High school in Mcallen Texas in 1981, just As Randy graduated and joined the marines. Randy said he did no to try to influence his younger brother a a i told him to do what he wanted to do a but some patterns did emerge. Randy played trumpet in the High school marching band. Paul took up the clarinet. And after graduation Paul followed his older brother into the marines elite embassy guard. Paul told Randy of his decision to join the corps while visiting him at his embassy Post in the United Arab emirates just a few Hundred Miles from Randy a present base Camp in the saudi desert. Last october it was Randy a turn to visit his brother at an embassy outpost a in Kenya where Paul was finishing his tour. Not Long after Randy left Paul was reassigned to Kuwait City. The two Brothers last saw each other in june when Paul visited California on leave. Because he believes in both god and the Marine corps Randy was Calm about his brother a Fate As a hostage. A a he a earning his paycheck a he said. A a that a about  he said Paul probably even has More creature comforts living in a Large City than out in the saudi base Camp. A a it a a More austere environment Here than what he a going through right now a Randy said. A the does no to have Sand. Does no to have tents. Does no to have this cot. Does no to have flies. In a sure he a got some kind of  then he added almost with a chuckle a i done to know whether he a got air  he downplayed his personal feelings about the Gulf crisis but said a was far As the inhumanity that a taken place All my feelings Are against this. In a not a politician. I done to know anything about solving a political situation. All i know is that what he Saddam did is not right and for him to get an agreement on something is not  like so Many others Randy does no to know whether the crisis will turn into conflict a it could go either Way right now. Either Way. We re prepared for either Way diplomatic or  aggression could mean that his younger brother might be killed. A if it happens it happens. If we Light up Baghdad we ring i again. A in heaven a he added if nowhere else. Desert crawls with troops the Gritty desert Sand provides the daily training ground for gear Laden soldiers from the 20th engr brigade from fort Bragg n.c., As they practice live demolitions in saudi  limits Speed of saudi bound gifts by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington a the wheels Are in motion to transport a wide Range of donated items from the United states to service members in operation desert shield. But the wheels Are moving slowly. The hefty shipments Are being sent at a crawl by sea transport. A air transport is very expensive so just about everything will go by sea which is cheaper but much slower a said it. Col. Henry Wyatt a defense logistics Agency spokesman. The Agency a donation hot line has been averaging about 135 Calls a Day from individuals or companies offering a wide Range of items to make life a Little easier m the desert Wyatt said. Of the 680 donation offers received 339 have been accepted and Are in the process of beg shipped. Service members can expect from three to four weeks for delivery and then should add time for the items to be doled out to individual Sites he said. When the donations Start arriving troops May be surprised by the variety. Take for instance the donation of 1,152 sets of juggling balls Complete with 24 sets of clubs by the juggle Bug in Edmonds Wash. Also thousands of pounds of exercise equipment donated by Arnold Schwarzenegger chairman of the presidents Council on fitness and sports should give troops an Opportunity to sweat from something other than the saudi Sun. For those seeking less strenuous relaxation four publishers have donated hundreds of thousands of comic books including mad Magazine. Many donations have the Holiday spirit in mind. For example a couple pallets of artificial Christmas Trees have been donated from individuals and companies. And to place under those Trees 10,000 Christmas gifts from operation yellow ribbon at Robins fab a. The gifts Are not to be opened until dec. 25. And so service members can Mark time during the new year 213,0001991 calenders Are in route thanks to Joe Forgiano of Sidney n.y., and columbian Art works in Milwaukee. The huge number of donation offers is handled by eight Agency employees who take All the phone Calls. Items that Are difficult to ship and maintain in a desert environment Are being turned Down such As lobsters chocolate and swimming pools. Also before a donation is accepted the Agency assures that it would not violate saudi morals. Political material and sexually explicit books and magazines have been turned Down