European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday wednesday january 1/2,1991 the stars and Stripe crisis in the Gulf a a Quot. V v kit Vsev a it x \ a so is s 4 a Vul l 1 a amps Kon Clauson kuwaiti army recruits practice hand to hand combat As they learn to make the jump from civilian life at their spartan Basic training Camp in Eastern saudi  volunteers training to take country Back by Ken Clauson a Middle East Bureau i Eastern saudi Arabia As a Drill sergeant barked orders a Cluster of uniformed men stepped out on  Dusty unbaked Parade Field to practice military a marching Maneu vers. _ like new soldiers in any army some started on the wrong foot and shuffled quickly to catch up while others turned the wrong Way and bumped into their buddies drawing snickers and muttered criticism from fellow recruits. At the Edge of the Parade ground about 50 men practice hand to hand combat moves called out by a portly instructor. Nearby another dozen men rehearsed jabbing the Sand with infantry rifles slashing and bashing imaginary iraqi soldiers. O the spartan compound in the Eastern province of saudi Arabia is Home to 1,200 kuwaiti volunteers trying to make the leap from civilian to military life As their exiled government attempts to rebuild its army. Kuwait a ministry of defense now in taif saudi Arabia said the pre invasion army included 30,000 men organized into two divisions. The ministry estimates that 700 kuwaiti soldiers were killed during the invasion and another 12,000 taken prisoner there Are now 15,000 kuwaiti soldiers organized in three brigades deployed in saudi Arabia according to the ministry. And another 7,000 kuwaiti men have volunteered for military service since Iraq invaded their Quot country. Of those 800 have graduated from Basic training and another 1,200 Are to graduate Jan. 5. The next training Cycle is to include 1,500 men. A a government spokesman said Kuwait officials initially called for volunteers aged 21 to 35, but the restrictions were soon lifted because Many kuwaitis of All Ages. Were clamouring to join up a recruit at the training Camp said kuwaitis still show up at the Gate begging to a sign up but they Are told to wait their turn. The volunteers in the current training class Range from Boyish 18-Ycar-Olds to potbellied bearded Middle aged men. They live in targe Dusty White Canvas tents lined with brightly coloured fabrics. In one tent nine cots were covered with Wool army blankets and coloured quilts. Traditional. Arab garments called Thebes were hanging from the electrical wire to the single Bare Light bulb _ _ _ one group of Young recruits invited a visitor into their tent for a a Ood kuwaiti Tea a which was actually strongly brewed from Lipton Tea bags heavily sugared and served in tiny Glass cups. They said they were eager to Complete their training and willing to die to liberate. Their country from the iraqis. A Why would we Volunteer if we. Weren to a 22-year old  j they All have family and friends in Kuwait so they preferred  give their names. _ _ another 22 car old said he had been a University student in Lebanon when Kuwait was invaded but flew to saudi Arabia in october to join the army. When he talked to his family in Baghdad by Telephone recently he told them he is still a University student fearing they would suffer if the iraqis found out he had entered the military. Several recruits said getting out of Kuwait after the invasion was easy. They merely bribed their Way past kuwaiti tank Crew members display the Gas masks that came with their new yugoslav made tanks. A amps Kori Clauson iraqi Border guards a you just give them Money Yousik _ watch your car anything a one Man said. An 18-year-old, nicknamed Michael Jackson because of his striking resemblance to the pop Singer proudly _ pulled a tattered arabic Eri Glish phrase Book from under his cot. He said its important to learn English because of the number of foreigners in his  talked earnestly about liberating their country and How they Are ready to do if immediately. Quot we need our country Back by any solution but today not tomorrow a one said _ v _. _  outside the tent a 36-year-old sergeant lamented the Lack of training equipment As he cleaned a saudi manufactured Rifle a German designed g3 infantry weapon. He said there Are Only about 100 rifles and a few machine guns for the 1,200 men. He blamed the Lack of a equipment arid training facilities partly on saudi restrictions and partly on his own government. The four week Basic training program is a crash course in military discipline physical fitness weapon maintenance and a few Days of Basic marksmanship. The volunteers train from 5 . To 5 . And have evenings off to visit their families in the area. A parking lot outside the Vire fenced compound was full of Large american cars. An older Volunteer with previous military experience said the emphasis is on taking orders learning teamwork and becoming familiar with Small arms. He admitted that the training program has its limitations but insisted it is sufficient to turn out motivated troops capable of front line  y the officer in charge of All kuwaiti Volunteer training in saudi Arabia discounts complaints about the Lack of equipment. Col. Saad faleh Al Shamari said the soldiers greedy fast. It for knowledge and want to learn too much arc too he said he had been the commander of the army training Center in Kuwait where soldiers received three to six months of training. He would prefer to have that much time now but said the monthlong orientation in the Basic Camp combined with the advanced training is sufficient for line soldiers. _ a _ _ _ before the invasion a Kuwait ordered 200 main Battle tanks from Yugoslavia. The tanks Are now being delivered to the kuwaitis in saudi Arabia and All 200 arc expected to arrive before the Jan. 15 deadline imposed by the United nations a government spokesman said. About a dozen yugoslav technicians Are in saudi Arabia training the kuwaitis on the yugoslav version of the soviett-72. _. _ 4. _. The technicians said the tanks feature computerized targeting systems that Are More advanced than those on the soviets top of the Tine t-80 tanks and have double the first round kill probability of the t-72s. Kuwait a defense ministry said the  has 200 British tanks brought from Kuwait soviet Bmp-2 infantry fighting vehicles and american mlf3armored personnel carriers some with 81mm mortars Quot _ the Armor training site is on a Bleak featureless Plain in Northern saudi Arabia. The Headquarters area is a Cluster of bedouin style tents with one dive Green tent in the Corner housing. American advisers who refused to speak to visitors. The Kura Iti soldiers receiving Armor training also vary greatly in age. Some Wear full beards anti seem confused when asked if they plan to shave before a chemical attack. One Soldier insisted his As mask would Seal properly Over his full grading Beard