European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and stripes monday january 28, 1991 in the Gulf by Steve Taylor Munich Bureau a ground War in the Middle East could drag hundreds of civilian employees into combat says an army employee recently Back in Germany from saudi Arabia. Quot they re stuck. They be even started issuing them weapons a said Michael Canova a communications and electronics specialist. A v. A a a. A a a a v a not All civilians have accepted weapons and Many were angered by the news that they might get caught in the Cross fire the 42-year-old army technician said. To compound the problem Many civilians Are not trained or qualified to be on a Battlefield he said. Chemical warfare we should t be involved in a shooting match. Will i be classified As a Soldier a spy a paid mercenary a Michael Canova Cia lists from the 93rd signal brigade at Heilbronn who were sent to support vi1 corps communications systems. Canova said a a multitude of civilians supports the forces in the desert including missile vehicle maintenance and armament command units. The two Safe civilians work in aircraft maintenance and freight movement and warehousing said Safe spokesman Doug Moore. A Usa eur spokesman would not say what types of jobs usar eur civilians hold in the Middle East. Most civilian employees in saudi Arabia volunteered to be there but about 1,000 did not said a defense department civilian personnel official. Those who did not step Forward signed a statement agreeing to deploy during War As a condition of employment the personnel official said 1 hats what Canova did. He considers being sent to saudi Arabia a part of the but now with a ground War looming Canova said civilians who work for the army will be stuck along front lines not in rear support areas. Canova an army employee of 22 years who spent a stint in the Navy on River patrol boats in Vietnam criticized the army Tor allowing that possibility to develop. Quot in Vietnam he said civilians were brought up to the front Only if they were training for example has been minimal. A you done to practice like the military does a Canova said. A he was among nearly 2,300 department of defense civilian employees in the persian Gulf area. Of these the army has 1,100, the Navy 900, the air Force 200 and the Marine corps fewer than 50, a defense department official said. The Pentagon official could not give a breakdown for the major commands in Europe in Heidelberg Germany . Army Europe officials would not say How Many of the command s civilian employees had gone to the Gulf. A spokesman for . Air forces Europe said Friday that command officials knew of Only two civilians deployed to the Gulf from Safe units. Canova spent a month living out of a tent with Vii corps soldiers about 70 Miles from the kuwaiti Bordet. He left saudi Arabia on Jam 16 after injuring his knee in a humvee Accident. Canova who is recuperating in Heilbronn Germany expects to return to the Region in about two weeks. He was part of a team of electronic Spe needed to work on equipment. They returned to the rear once the Job was done he added. According to a Jan. 3 department of army message when civilians Are assigned temporarily or permanently in areas of hostility commanders Are supposed to outfit them with adequate equipment and Protection and not give them missions that involve a unreasonable risk of death or serious a was far As practicable and consistent with the needs of the military Mission civilian employees should be temporarily relocated away from the area of immediate hostilities until hostilities subside a the statement said. It is up to in Heater commanders to define a unreasonable risk and a adequate Protection a the message said the commanders also make the Call on precisely How far Forward civilians can work. Canova said the Only recourse for those civilians unhappy with the risk is to quit their jobs. But if they do they Are no longer eligible for free military flights out of saudi Arabia. The department of defense official confirmed that employees May leave if they desire but they would have to pay air fare. Fin Hunt a a a a a a a. R a amps Jinde sheirr expects to a Cir "i1110111 0115 an it Lect sonics specialist for the army to the Gulf after recuperating in Germany from a knee injury. Abc Abc answer kids a a we re not going to leave any Ameri can citizen Over there who does no to want to be there she said. According to the Pentagon official the Geneva conventions classify civilians As non combatants and they Carty cards identifying them As such. But when facing an enemy suspected of violating the Geneva accords on treating prisoners of War m uan l e no Assur since that the cards will be honoured. Nir Nim Ahmay my Stafie a sued month however presents a More ominous picture of civilians roles. A because personnel shortages have forced the army to hire civilians to fill technical positions they have become a do Facto substitutes for military personnel who would be combatants a the Arm message said. A was such civilians Are Al risk of direct attack injury incidental to that attack or despite myriad explanations civilians working in saudi Arabia remain confused about their status in a Battle zone Canova said. A. It. A a we be involved in a shooting match a he said. A will i be classified As a Soldier a spy a paid mercenary a contributing to Thea report Abaft writers Janet How eds tier Rte in Washington Rosemary Sawyer in Darmstadt Germany and Deedee Arrington Doke in Kaiserslautern Germany.,. New York a Abc and Abc preempted their saturday morning cartoon shows to let children ask questions about the War with Iraq. Abc led with a 90-minute a War in the Gulf answering children a quest ions a staged on its giant map set. Host and Anchor Peter Jennings greeted a children a to studio a a it a a Little different front what you re accustomed to seeing on saturday morning and you done to have to Wake your parents up. But if they d like to join you wed like to see them a he said. Jennings strolling about the map showed the children the War theater and positions of the armies. He a then went straight to the questions. And children Ever asked very Good questions. A a a Cai Saddam Hussein bomb us a asked Allison in a Call trom Texas. A Jennings was More than ready. 1. Niv Way div Whyou kids understand that Saddam Hussein can do a lot of bad things,.but he cannot bomb us m 11,e United slides. Mis missiles Cun t a Here. And his aircraft can to get Here. Who could t Quot he get Here to the United states its too far a trip a Abc in a two hour version of its a a today show with n Lllan for in Letky a i William originally planned a 30-Minutc children s Call in segment. Warta a Cas was so exceptional and Thi Tom i is were 50 that the producers made Thi _ a p decision to go to an hour a said Abc spoke Swo a Lynn Appelhaus. Abc took 29 Calls from children m to states. Al it with children Sart. And i thin a 1trn ,n8 about the War including i i a so incl in the. Gulf children in Jordan n11 Amer can children of Arab descent. Vast say Charren of the Cambridge Nurto is in s television gave the networks Higl their efforts. �?o1 think they re doing a Good Job a Charren said
