European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 13, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday november 13, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 3 Marine troops told of possible offensive by James Lemoyne in saudi Arabia not one of the most senior . Military commanders Here told his troops Over the weekend that it now is possible that they would launch an offensive against Iraq in the months ahead. The statement by marines maj. Gen. Robert m. Johnston a leading member of the . Central come in saudi Arabia was repeated by other senior officers saturday As they reacted to president Bush a decision to Send at least 150,000 reinforcements to saudi Arabia a to provide an adequate offensive military options if economic sanctions against Iraq Are deemed insufficient. Speaking on the 215th anniversary of the founding of the Marine corps Johnston said the presidents decision to Send additional units and not to permit any rotation of the 230,000 . Military personnel already Here meant that now we May indeed have to concern our selves with an offensive options against Iraq. It appeared to be the first explicit acknowledgement by a . Officer that the former limited goal of defending saudi Arabia was giving Way to a new imperative to prepare a possible attack. Since they first arrived Here in August . Commanders have denied making any offensive preparations. Addressing the assembled ranks of the 1st Marine dives Headquarters unit Johnston warned his troops that they faced a a whole new ballgame and that a War in this Region could be More difficult than the War in Vietnam. A the Prospect of offensive combat is going to be the greatest Challenge that marines have seen in Many decades a he said. A we Are going to need everything we army discharges reservist who refused to go to Gulf have if we go to War against the  under military rules the precise numbers and locations of . Units cannot be reported. But the Marine forces visited saturday Are among the most Forward deployed combat units in the saudi desert. Johnston and other senior officers said they had not yet fully informed . Troops Here of the decision not to permit any units to rotate Home As reinforcements come in. A we just got the message last night a said another Marine commander Brig. Gen. James Myatt. A i think its going to have a sobering  Louisville by. A an Illinois army reservist was discharged and excused from duty in the persian Gulf after saying she was a conscientious objector officials said. Spec. Stephanie Atkinson a is the first reservist that a been placed on Active duty who has refused to report a said her attorney Tod Ensign director of new York based citizen Soldier. Atkinson who had been interned since nov. 2, was released from House arrest at fort l6iox on saturday said master sgt. Ken Distler a base spokesman. Atom songs Mother picked up her daughter and they left he said. Military authorities on Friday approved atkinsons discharge under a other than honorable conditions a the most Adverse of the three possible discharges in such circumstances said fort Knox spokeswoman Laurie Viggiano. The army however does not recognize Atkinson As a conscientious objector. Instead they allowed her to be discharged in order to avoid a lengthy and costly court martial the spokeswoman said. The 23-year-old Murphysboro 111., resident was a postal clerk with the 300th adjutant general postal co. The unit got notice oct. 15 that it was to go on Active duty but Atkinson was not with the group when it left for the persian Gulf on oct. 30. She said she thought the . Military was in the persian Gulf solely for economic reasons. The army formally charged Atkinson earlier Friday with desertion and missing movement to an overseas assignment Viggiano said. In order to avoid a lengthy proceeding Atkinson requested a a discharge for the Good of the  if she had been convicted at a court martial Atkinson could have faced a dishonourable discharge a five year prison sentence or demotion to the army lowest rank. Atkinsons Case is similar to one in Hawaii in which a Marine is awaiting court martial for refusing to go to saudi Arabia. Cpl. Jeffery Paterson is seeking conscientious objector status and has been charged with unauthorized absence and disobeying orders. He has been restricted. To the Kaneohe Marine corps air station since a Federal judge ordered him released from the Brig on sept. 21. Temporary lodgings service members from National guard and Reserve transportation units Start a new Day in a warehouse used to stage troops arriving in saudi  to the Gulf Here s your desert guide from Page 1 and gis spend much of their time cleaning it out of their weapons. Some people Are issued a desert camouflaged cover designed to fit Over their Darker Green Rucksacks and Many of them wrap their weapons in this to keep out the Sand. Most units concentrate on night fighting and finding their Way around in the dark. The biggest peacetime desert dangers according to Accident reports Are night helicopter flights and driving humvee off Cliffs of Sand. The wind blows monotonously from the North and in places creates towering Crescent shaped dunes. The North East and West sides of the dunes slope gently up to a Ridge but the Dune suddenly drops off on the Leeward Side a the Southern Edge of the Crescent. At least one humvee Driver has died when he drove headfirst Over one of these edges in the dark. When in doubt Drivers warn done to drive due South. However much of the terrain in american locations is made up of Bleak Flat Plains of gravel and Sand. In some places the flatness is broken by 100-foot mesas that remind people of Western Texas. To the far North particularly along the approaches to Iraq the desert unfolds into a completely Flat plane broken by Rivers that flow Only a few Days out of the year. / weather and water daytime temperatures in mid november Are in the High 80s and Low 90s. At night it drops to the Low 60s along the coast and the 50s further Inland. By january expect highs in the 70s, lows in the 30s and 40s. If they end ii staying until next summer troops can look Forward to August highs above 120 and lows in the 80s and 90s. The big temperature drop at night makes it seem colder than it really is. Before Sunrise in september gis were shivering while the thermometer read 80. Dew and patches of dense fog Are formed when occasional winds blow Inland from the Gulf. December is the Middle of the rain and sandstorm season. It might rain Only once or twice but it does so with a vengeance. One american major who spent time in Lebanon a few years ago said he once saw 4 Viz inches fall in two hours. Saudis say to expect the same Here. Sandstorms can blow with equal intensity without the rain. Few soldiers Ever drank the claimed 6 to 7 Gallons of water Back in August. More often it was 6 to 7 quarts. Now in the fall months they drink the same amounts they would during a summer in the states. Not All the water tastes Good though and Kool Aid packages help. Mail it takes a few weeks for mail and newspapers to a a and a newly arrived unit. Afterwards it flows regularly a More or less. Delivery times vary but it takes roughly two weeks for letters to get Here from the states and about half that Long from Europe. Many people Seal their mail in plastic bags. The stars and stripes is delivered daily except to Many ships. The papers Are printed in Germany Ana flown out each morning. Papers Are distributed through the postal system and it can take three or four Days sometimes a week before troops in the farthest outposts see a copy. The Arab news is a popular English language daily. It carries the bigger stories from the states plus a lot of up to Date news on the Gulf crisis. Armed forces radio stations broadcast on pm to most troop Sites. Gis up North can also tune into radio Baghdad which has Good music and bad propaganda. Desert creatures great and Small camels Are cute but mean. Some marines got bit when they tried taking pictures of themselves kissing the beasts. They can also kick you from any direction they smell bad and they make an unhappy vomiting sound when upset. Camel spiders look like anorexic tarantulas. They re supposedly harmless and Many Are kept As pets. Scorpions Are kept As pets too. Their bites Are Seldom fatal but they Are painful and can require Quick medical attention. Sand vipers Are sidewinders that come out at night. Their bites Are poisonous and can be fatal. Gis kill them whenever they see them sometimes at the rate of three or four a night in a company sized area. At least one Soldier was evacuated to Germany for a Viper bite. The Best weapon against them is to never walk around with your boots off or your Pant legs a tucked. Gis hate dung beetles and often kill them on sight. Flies can to be gotten rid of and mosquitoes Are said to come out after a rainstorm. Lizards roam about. They Range from the size of your thumb to As big As your forearm. Most Are harmless and make popular pets. Civvies and ramp a civilian clothes Are up to the unit commander. Most combat troops done to have them a lot of rear area support people do. Claiming Security reasons desert shield officials frown on people wearing uniforms into town. There Are malls fast food restaurants and other places where gis like to hang out. Gold watches and arabian handicrafts Are popular souvenirs. Some units organize bus and shopping trips but the front line troops usually have to Settle for a Shower a warm Field ration and maybe a Var movie inside a Dusty tent somewhere in saudi Arabia