European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Jimi Jones education writer a Al s children filed out of Themy auditorium,9-year-Oldjuaquin aia Roussel made his Way to the front a of the room where chief warrant officer 3 Gary Bennett perched on the Edge of the stage. Juaquin told Bennett about his anxiousness he was waiting to hear whether or not is father would be sent to the persian Gulf. When words failed Bennett reached out took Juaquin in his arms and gave the child a hug. W Bennett had just answered questions about saudi Arabia posed by children at Aukamp elementary school in Wiesbaden Germany. About 40 percent of the students have or will have parents deployed there and Bennett s talk was an Avenue to Calm some of the children s fears for their parents safety. He spent two months in the desert before returning to retire. The children Are afraid. They wonder what life is like for the fathers and mothers who make up the Quot dese Ishield Quot they worry about who will shield the families left behind in Europe. Quot if there is a War when do you think it will happen Quot Quot do the saudi arabian people believe in god Quot Quot do they celebrate thanksgiving Quot Quot How do you handle missing your loved ones besides letters Quot Quot do you think what Hussein is doing is similar to what hitter did quo the upheaval has prompted a department of  schools to form Many different support groups also school officials in Germany and in the United states Are preparing a handbook for schools Touse to establish support programs. Quot the kids seem to be quite emotional and More concerned about life and death. They Are in their own Little world at times thinking about their fathers and How they would make it if they Don t return Quot said Lovely Thornton a Counselor who supervises a support group at Span Dahlem elementary school in Germany Myrn Pifer a Counselor at Aukamp said the situation affects not just the children but the whole Community to started to become More and More obvious that we needed something because of All the parents leaving. Your heart just goes out to them Quot she said. Students at Aukamp said the deployment is disrupting their lives. Quot All our stuff is going to have to go to different places and in a Gonna have to live at my mom s Friend s House Lor a while Quot _ said David Smith 11, son of maj Clyde Quot Turner and sgt. 1 St class Davida Lee. Turner both headed to saudi Arabia. Quot both my grandparents Are kind of angry with my parents Quot Pavid said. Quot my grandparents want me to come Back to the states and my parents Are trying to explain that if i move it s Gonna interrupt my school year Quot and David worries about soldiers in Ujj desert a a ,. Quot i m afraid a lot of Soldier a Are Gonna get Hurt and very afraid that my Mother and father might get Hurt Quot. Janice Melendez a fifth grader said her mom Mayra has More work to do since her father. Staff sgt Joel Melendez \ shipped out. A. A a a j a a v l Al. Re l. A a a a Pfluf Juaquin Roussel 9, gets a hug from Schlaf warrant off tear 3 Gary Bennett who Hadjat returned from saudi Arabia Bennett talked to Ehll Dran at Aukamp elementary school in Wiesbaden Germany about Ovaert Ehlend. A a it Sok but kind of depressing because he a gone dinner is the worst part Quot Janice said. Quot he missed my brother a birthday and my Rhomb a and he s Gonna miss Quot a Christmas and their anniversary it May be kind of hard on their anniversary but we re Stilt going to make it and that s All that counts Quot the Young girl said. A Counselor said some children resent the departure of their parents some j misbehave and neglect their studies and some withdraw. A a couple of parents have contacted me saying they Are having problems with siblings they fight More get frustrated even at their parents Quot Thornton said. Quot some actually blame their mom for their dads not being Here. Some Haven t put it into the proper  since Matt Bat Fanco s dad has been in uhe desert Quot my brother s a pain Quot he  does it because my dad is not there and my mom is not Home a lot. Dad would get no Quot Matt a fourth grader participates in one a of Thornton s groups that meet on fridays to talk about parents being away in the Gulf he said his dad Calls Home and Quot sometimes on the phone i cry. I just Hope his boots done to a rift when he a  Nicholas Caro a fourth grader at Span Dahlem elementary said there is More fighting around his household. Quot my brother talks Back to my  but Nick said he s not too worried about his dad s safety. Quot i know my dad win come Home in one piece because he took god with him none year Oid Emily Seabaugh wonders Quot Why my brother is so mean to me. He a in the Middle school now and he thinks he can Boss me around. When i m real sad i just go upstairs arid let myself  the fourth grader is Quot mad at the people who told him her dad to go. They told him two Days before he left he had just gotten promoted. Quot i wonder where he is and How he s doing. I know he s very Cobb to Hussein and if they Call War in a going to cry Quot the 9-year-old said near . Thornton said  Counselor try to dispel rumours and give children a realistic View of the desert situation the children in her group said they find Relief by talking to Peers who can relate to their a situation and they like the group because they can express whatever emotion they might be feeling. Parents have been invited to attend Thornton s sessions. A i hate Saddam he Swan. I hate him Quot cried one Young member of the weekly group. Others were thrilled when their. Fathers sent them Sand from the desert at Aukamp David Smith said he worries about his Cousin Gary who is in saudi. Quot i have nightmares sometimes that he s fixing a tank and All of a sudden the tank starts up on him and crushes him Quot Counselor try to help students understand the grief process and reassure them that the sadness wih pass. They also try to build the children s self esteem and help them to manage stress. Joe Ballard who conducts a group for younger children said that up to first Grade the perception is simply daddy a away  Quot but my second Grade group brought this whole thing Home to me Quot Ballard said. Quot one Little boy said when my father left he cried another said. A i Hope my daddy does t get killed Quot a. To further ease their pain and fear children at Aukamp Hava decorated a bulletin Board with snapshots of their parents. The snapshots have yellow ribbons around them and Are used As a _ ornaments for a tree shaped figure on the Board. A1�q, a big yellow Bow hangs above each classroom. Every c a at Aukamp has children with parents participating in the desert operation. Some classes have As Many As eight. Another bulletin Board shows the process a letter written to saudi goes through and How it ends up in the hands of a Soldier. Schools also do Book and cookie drives and letter writing projects. During her group sessions at Aukamp a Pifer said children can Quot bring things out Quot a a most of their waking hours Are spent _ continued on Page 14 saturday december 1, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13