European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes i military lawyers hang shingles in Gulf by David Tarrant staff writer saudi Arabia a americans largest Law firm has set up practice at operation desert shield Ana its clients Are the More than 200,000 . Troops deployed to saudi Arabia. Hundreds of military lawyers Are among the thousands of troops in saudi Arabia and their jobs Range from providing simple Legal assistance to advising military commanders on the legality of various combat operations. But right now the most common Legal tasks performed at desert shield include straightening out Bank accounts or handling family problems. Quot my greatest contribution is to relieve anxieties of soldiers about their own Legal problems or their family so said it. Col. William Hagan the staff judge advocate or ranking officer of army Central support come in saudi Arabia. Quot ill Tell you that covers a wide Range. Because if they re worrying about Back Home about a problem that a gnawing at them whether that a a landlord tenant Issue or a financial Issue. Then that soldiers not  the fact that the army has what Hagan called a Branch offices at army bases All Over the world makes it simple to resolve problems. One recent example involved a Soldier deployed to desert shield whose husband in the United states was unable to gain Access to the family Bank account even though she had Given him Power of attorney said it. Col. Kevin Murphy Deputy judge advocate general for the support command. Quot the Bank  accept it a Murphy said. A they Cut him off from any Access to those accounts. We instructed him to go to the local jag office the local Branch and have the Power of attorney fixed so it would be accepted by the  the desert shield jag offices also handle a multitude of family issues. For example a divorced Soldier gave custody of her child to her Mother when she deployed to saudi Arabia. But her a husband filed in court to have custody transferred to him. The Legal office in saudi Arabia was Able to arrange that the Legal proceedings be delayed until the deployed Soldier returned to the United states Murphy said. One of the most important tools available to military Legal officers when soldiers Are deployed is the soldiers sailors Relief act. Among other things the act allows trials to be postponed while a Soldier is deployed overseas. It also is especially helpful to reservists who May run arabian Chic up excessive debt As a result of the lower pay they receive while on Active duty Murphy said. A Many of the troops Here Are incurring substantial hardship As a result of receiving a lower pay in the service that a not being made up elsewhere a he said. A we Are Able to almost instantaneously get them a reduction of their interest rates a maybe Down from 18 percent to 6 percent a on virtually any debt that they have such As mortgages automobiles a any debt that they incurred that was based on their prior Standard of  the reduction continues throughout the time the reservists Are on Active duty. When they revert to reserves the interest rate goes Back up Murphy said. One pleasant Surprise for the lawyers is that there seems to be fewer violations of military code in the desert shield theater. A a we be been doing very very Little military Justice a Hagan said. A from what i hear with my partners in the other units indiscipline is Down military Justice business is Down. There just Isnit the  one reason is that commanders whenever possible Are taking into account the harsh conditions of the desert. A i think that soldiers Are working Vety hard As a disciplined Force a Hagan said. A there Isnit much going wrong and when there is they take into account As Thev should the hot weather the hard wort the conditions and All those things that ought to be taken into  a military trials will be handled to the desert shield theater the same was Thev Are handled in other areas Hagan said a there Are no differences Between trying a Case Here and trying a Case at lets Sav fort Stewart Gay h one aspect of military Law that is coming into play More frequently is operational Law which includes such things As advising commanders on rules of engagement. A foyer the last several years if there is anything that has changed dramatically about the practice of Law in the United states army it is operational Law a a he said. Commanders in charge of military operations no longer look at lawyers As being in the Way a but they look on us As helpers in terms of targeting a he said. Lawyers look Over plans to see How the Type of munitions used in an operation would affect adjacent areas. A it might cause disproportionate damage to a civilian area. A lot of people Are involved in making sure that we obtain military objectives without a disproportionate loss of  Kevlar helmet $103 helmet cover $2.65 desert hat $5.30 2-quart canteen $5.35 canteen cover $8.15 Brown undershirt $2.65 m-15 Rifle with ammunition $475 drawer $1.60 listed is the Cost of outfitting a Soldier for desert shield. Field pack $38.50 suspenders $7.50 fragmentation Vest $243.45 Utility Belt $6.60 desert Blu trousers $14.40 desert Blu coat $15.48 Parka night $19.50 Parka liner night $26.50 trousers night $23.30 chemical coat $75.85 and trousers chemical protective $3.80 helmet cover Vinyl overshoes $8.70 gloves $7.30 Detector kit $49.07 average Are packet $4.25 neckerchief $4.60 sleeping bag $68.05 Waist Pouch $11.30 shoulder straps $2.85 socks $1.65 Small arms Case $4.65 pick shovel $2.00 first Aid Pouch $3.35 pack Frame $25.40 body Armor cover $26.55 hot weather Bools $36.80total $1523.20 Gas mask with Hood $177.55 nerve Gas antidote kit $10.55 source Pentagon a amps Susan . Seeks urgent Aid from allies Brussels Belgium apr the United states made an a a urgent Appeal Friday to its nato allies to help ship and Fly additional . Troops and Materiel to the persian Gulf. Officials said William h. Taft in the . Envoy to nato made the Appeal at a meeting with his counterparts at the alliances Headquarters Here. It was the second such request and stemmed from a your decision to move additional troops to the persian Gulf a a . Official who asked not to be named said. The first issued on sept. 10, resulted in most of americans nato allies making cargo planes and ships available at either commercial charter rates or for free a european nato official said. A most nations have provided assistance a said the official. A we have now made a second and urgent Appeal to take american personnel to the Gulf Region from both the United states and Europe a said the . Source. There Are some 230,000 . Troops in the persian Gulf Region As part of a multinational Force facing Iraq. Under a decision announced nov. 9, an additional 200,000 Are to go there Over the next several weeks half of them from Europe. The United states turned to its allies for additional help in transporting troops As president Bush said in Cairo Egypt that he was a very very close to gaining . Approval for the use of Force against Iraq. Equipment from . Units in Europe such As tanks and armoured vehicles Are now moving to the Gulf Region through various european  Friday Taft did not outline the size of the sea and air transport capacity the Blush administration was seeking from the allies but he stressed the need for passenger aircraft. A we have not earlier made a request for passenger aircraft a the . Source said. Nato officials declined to specify the contribution to Date of each nato nation saying that providing such a breakdown was bound to generate friction within the Alliance