European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Spec. Gordon Gilchrist a Bomar roller operator from fort Bragg ., mounts his 10ton Quot dirt mixer. A Story amp photos by Ken George staff photographer b Piid a Road in the saudi arabian desert  Sand dunes May mask its existence. Within hours just ask col. Bob Flowers commander of the 20th engr. Brigade from fort Bragg  Y a a we  Road went Over it with. Y Quot graders and bulldozers.  Day we a cleared it for a Convoy to pass  the Convoy got there it was tuned Over. We had to again Clear it  despite such Odds 6,000 . Combat engineers have built nearly 500 Miles of a new roads and repaired about the same amount of Miles of Little used roads in. Eastern saudi Arabia since september. It a a had to be done so that trucks bearing fuel ammunition water and other supplies can. Move quickly through the desert in Case of. Armed conflict. A. / a Marl a Limestone like material native to a saudi  played a major role in the Road building projects. It s free and is a readily available mixed with water it v becomes almost like Cement. _ a if you see a Rise in the desert and you go and dig Down a Little bit chances Are you la find material that s very Good for Road construction Quot Flowers said. Quot it makes our Job that much easier. Without Marl we have to Purchase commercial material ,. And the Cost would be astronomical Quot. Y a a a Flowers Road builders also picked up a few tips from the past to pave the Way for. Their work in saudi Arabia. They studied reports from nazi Field marshal Erwin a a a Rommel on his troops exploits through a a similar terrain in North Africa during world Warll. A a m even if the combat engineers Handiwork in t needed for War this time around appreciative Consumers already. Use the finished product  saudis leave their camels at Home now and easily a travel1 new routes in their pickup trucks says spec. Gordon Gilchrist a Bomar a roller operator with the 52nd engr in fort Carson col now assigned with the 20th engr brigade Quot we put the Road Down one Day and the locals use it the next the saudis really like Iti before you d Seldom see a vehicle out Here. Now there Are quite a few. They take advantage of the roads i guess we be made a few  a troops from the 20th engr brigade of fort Bragg ., live like nomads in the desert. Once a Section of Road is Complete they move their tents background in photo and equipment to a new location. Yak a i x a v. R -1 a a v 1� a a a a a e \ a i e a a a a to. 1 a r i. It Quot a it a a a. A. A  a a a a a a. A a a. A. A ? a a it Fly. V shortly after a Section of Road was a eared blowing Sand Quot tuned it Over a Quot a. Re n 1 saturday december 29, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13