European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 04, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 6 the stars and stripes. Monday february 4,1991 War in the Gulf Gas chemical Protection in doubt Dhahran saudi Arabia up a the . Military responding to reports that some soldiers fear their chemical suits have lost their effectiveness said sunday that replacements would be delivered to the troops soon. A report from the Pentagon controlled Media Pool cleared sunday by . Military censors Sawi some army divisions were awaiting replacements for suits first used Jan. 18 when Iraq began firing scud missiles at saudi Arabia. Soldiers of 1 St army div said they were told before the War that their suits would begin to lose their effectiveness within two weeks after removal from their packages. A a a a a a a a a a a v a a a. But the soldiers stationed in the front lines near the saudi kuwaiti Border said that with replacement chemical suits yet to be delivered they were being told the suits Are effective Fos up to 30 Days. Air Force Gap Ray Martell a . Central come spokesman in the saudi capital of Riyadh said sunday that he could not confirm whether All . Troops have received replacement suits. But he said that the suits arc effective for at least 22 Days and that a a we re prepared to replace them after that 22-Day period.�?�. Martell also said the 22-Day period was a a worst Case scenario a in which the suit is a worn a lot and in bad weather and in combat under a Battlefield  he declined to say How Long the suits could last under More favourable conditions but said a a we re prepared to replace them after that 22-Day  some  troops have been wearing their chemical suits since Iraq launched its first scud missile at saudi Arabia on Jan. 18, to protect them against chemical warheads. A Iraq has fired nearly 30 scud missiles at saudi Arabia since then forcing troops in targeted areas to repeatedly take precautions. Troops near he front lines have also been forced to Wear their suits when under artillery fire that could include shells loaded with chemicals. None of the iraqi scud missiles or other ordnance used so far has contained Poison Gas chemical or biological agents however Iraq has used such weapons in the past and has  use them in the Gulf conflict. Big picture does t interest troops hut going Home Doe captured colors Medio Pool the Captain of the Navy a guided missile frigate Curts cmdr. Clafli Montgomery left and chief warrant officer 2 Lew Wolf display a captured iraqi naval Flag on the deck of. The ship. Wolf took the Flag from an iraqi mine laying vessel in the persian Gulf alter the Navy attacked the ship last week and captured Crew members. By Douglas Jehl the los Angeles times _ with the 3rd inf div saudi Arabia a almost every morning now capt. Charlie Arp shuffles through his notebook and tries to Tell the men of co a that theirs Are historic times. Its part of an Effort throughout the 1st army div task Force to explain what a going on in the War so that soldiers do it in in the Foxholes and tank turrets can understand where they fit in. So far it has t been Loo successful Arp said. One Day Arp told of a massive b-52 attack in which a score of american bombers hit iraqi troops for hours on end. Another time he spoke of the sheer size of the american buildup division upon division poised for an Overland attack. A a they re not really grasping it yet a the resident of Blue Ridge Gay a said last week As he climbed aboard his my a.1 tank. A it hey re just dying to go out and mix it up. They done to realize How big this whole thing is. For them its Alpha company versus  a arps outfit is with the 3rd brigade of the 3rd inf div which is attached to the 1st army div task Force. The troops View of the War remains confined to Small patches of uncontested saudi Quot Sand while their commanders keep talking to them about the Quot big. Historic picture. For their part the soldiers just want to keep talking about fighting fast and going Home soon. A maybe 10 years from now ill figure out that this was the biggest War since world War ii Quot said spec. Michael Trelfa 2it of Oslo Minn. A they might even Call it world War Iii. But right now i just want it lobe  speeches about history Are becoming a regular re Trainin the still peaceful parts of the desert. A a _ a this is something you ought to be writing to yourself and writing Home about a maj Gen. Ronald h. Griffith commander of the Germany based 1st army div by s. Lynne Walker the san Diego Union a with the 3rd army div saudi Arabia a in the cold still desert nights army sgt. Jeffrey. Miller closes his eyes and thinks of Home. He sees his 5-year-old songs face Light up when he discovers a brightly coloured Leaf in the Pennsylvania Countryside. He hears his 18-month-old daughter squeal with Delight and clap her Small soft hands just As she Usu in the photograph he carries in his worn Wallet. He remembers the sunday drives he and his family took to witness the autumn a surrender to Winter. Then he opens his eyes and sees the frightened Young men a not much older than kids themselves a who Are counting on him to Lead them through Battle so they too can go Home again. Thoughts of his family of his son crying and his daughter growing up without him ing about families helps soldiers urged hoarsely to soldiers standing stiffly at attention in a tank battalion ceremony the other Day. A a it a unprecedented. And its  earlier the battalions sergeant major offered a More Down to Earth assessment. A when you re sitting in a bar 20 years from now and you hear some dirt Ball talk about this time you re going to snicker a command sgt. Maj. Juan Mendez 38, shouted to the soldiers. A a you la know that you were  a a his voiced continued in a deep Roar across the Sand. A a it a a proud time. Its a proud time to be an american  a /. One of the troops pfc. Theodore Sirianni Fluur Douf that he a one person out of half a million. Quot a in the history books i know there la be a big chapter about Saddam Hussein a said Sirianni 19, of Cumberland wis. A i think Well just be a few words a experienced officers said they Arentt surprised by the troops Lack of response especially in an organization like the army where soldiers have to focus on the narrowest tasks. _ a a grunts world is his Field of fire a said sgt. 1st class Calvin Thomas 36, of Baltimore. A anything that comes a there he shoots. But most of the time he does no to care about a or even want to know about a any Loti  nevertheless a few soldiers said they be Begu heed ing the advice. Staff sgt. Wilmer Hill 30, from Las vegas said he a begun scrawling notes on pieces of paper and saving them in his Duffel bag a a Ivl is us something you never want to forget a said Hill a gunner on a Bradley fighting vehicle. A it will always have a place in your mind. And hopefully ill be Able to Tell my Gran kids about it a he paused before adding a then if they Tell me they w?.nojo,n the army-1 can kick them in the  Jehl is with a Pentagon combat Media Pool on the scene used to haunt Miller. _ a but then i realized its not going to be fruitful Tor me to be out Here worried about my family when i have these kids to worry about a he said. A i have their lives in my  7. Like Miller the men in the 1st brigade of the Germany based 3rd army div who will drive tanks against enemy forces and iraqi minefields Are wondering whether they will see their families again. Indeed As the Start of the ground War draws nearer the men s thoughts turn More and More to their families. A i think about my family every waking moment a said 1st it. Paul Tyroll 27, of Tempe Ariz. A every Day we look at our watches and talk about what our families Are doing.�?�. Tyrell is the. Execute officer of a an my a1 tank company. In of pocket of his flak jacket the one closest to his heart he carries the Only letter that s reached him from his wife and their 3-year-old child. He also taped pictures of the Young family in the gun Turret of his tank. When he looks at the photographs Tyrell said he thinks of the second child he and his wife Are expecting in june he Hopes its a girl. But More than anything he Hopes he 11 be there for the birth a Samantha Bryn a he said sighing. 1 be already got the name picked  thinking about family helps the men survive their Tough duty a because you know what you be got to look Forward to a a he said. A you get a Little feeling in the pit of your stomach but you can handle that. In this desert a place Barren of life and emotional warmth the soldiers crave the intensity of personal relationships. Even a nagging wife would be Welcome some said in this desolate place a my wife can beat me. She can scream. She can make me Wash the dishes. And i u be right there a said capt. Larty Jackson 31, a company commander from Abbeville , a a we re going to have to fight Oil Way Home. We All know that. I just can to wait until we get  for now they have time on their hands As they wait to be sent into Battle. Sometimes they pass the time by making plans for what  do after the  has already decided he a going to a fishing Village in Baja California where he plans to kick Back drink Beer and eat lobster. In acc p Nln to .-3  ill it his wife Back to a place w Here they vacationed before the War a Quot Beautiful Little Lake in the German Countryside. My sgt. Gerry bog Hun 23, of Buffalo n.y., writes Home every night telling his w Ife and their Young daughter that sooner or later this will All be Over. A i Tell them that god watches Over All of us a bog Hun said. A and that ill be Home  Walker la a Pentagon combat Pool reporter on Titi a Cone with the 3rd army div