European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday March 4, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 5 in the Gulf women s roles expanded in War military s men Only rules under study spec. Adrienne l. Mitchell by Dana priest the Washington Post a Washington a women in the persian Gulf War performed a wider array of assignments Side by Side with their male colleagues than in any other conflict according to the defense department. Women in operation desert storm routinely piloted troop and Supply transport aircraft a Chinook and Huey helicopters and c-130.c-141 and c-5 planes. Sometimes they flew into Iraq in areas that Allied combat troops were in the process of securing. They helped operate Patriot missile systems and Mobile communications networks. They worked As aircraft tank and truck mechanics As Crew chiefs launching aircraft from the ground and As military police guarding prisoners of War. They also suffered like their male counterparts. Spec. Christine Mayes 22, spec. Beverly Clark 23, and spec. Adrienne l. Mitchell 20, were killed when an iraqi scud missile hit their Barracks in Dhah ran. Spec Melissa Rathbun Nealy 20, is believed to be the first american female prisoner of War since world War ii when 88 women were imprisoned in Japan Germany and the Philippines military officials and advocates of expanded opportunities for military women say the jobs women performed in the War and the Type of Long reach technology used by both sides blurred the line Between supposedly safer non combat assignments open to women and the combat jobs that Are not. The Pentagon has asked its military historians to document women a role in the War so that the information May be used to re evaluate whether certain jobs that Are closed to them should be open and others that Are open closed. A. Quot they were deployed As an integral file spec. Christine Mayes spec. Melissa Rathbun Nealy file part of the Overall desert storm Effort in every facet of combat support a said it. Col. Michael Karpicus an assistant director in the Pentagon a personnel division. A that has not happened  six percent or 32,340, of the 539,000 troops in the Gulf were women. They received the same $ 110 a month extra in a a imminent danger pay As As did men in the operational theater. For the first time in any War women As a matter of policy were deployed with weapons that they had been trained to use. Their presence seeped into the Public discourse about the War. From president Bush to demonstrators in front of the White House from politicians and military officials from the civilian commentators who made up the nearly round the clock televised War coverage came the phrase a your men and women in the Gulf their presence also provoked a debate about whether single parents or both parents should be deployed leaving children at Home in the care of relatives and friends. In a new York times lbs poll in january 72 percent of americans said women should be allowed to serve in combat units. \ Quot in 1948, Congress passed Laws prohibiting women in the Navy from being assigned to vessels engaged in combat and banned women on aircraft engaged in combat missions. The army in which women perform the greatest variety of jobs has no Law restricting women but has created policies that prohibit the Mirom direct combat roles. Last year after women a role in the invasion of Panama came to Light the House subcommittee on military personnel and compensation re examined the question of combat roles. Rep. Patricia Schroeder d-colo., introduced legislation requiring the Pentagon to conduct experiments to judge the arguments that have Long surrounded the restrictions. 1 he Subco Mantee killed the proposal. Because the  Panama and Grenada involved relatively Little combat the sustained involvement of women in the array of operations it takes to carry out a War was not fully tested military officials said. Some women in Panama working in support units engaged in fire fights in Panama and one cant. Linda l. Bray led her platoon into what was believed to be a deserted dog Kennel Only to encounter hostile fire. The arguments against allowing women in combat have been that women should be protected from harms Way that their presence in con Bat units would destroy unit co Hsion that they Lack the necessary physical strength that men will act inappropriately in their presence during combat a either to show off or to protect them a and that the country is riot ready to see women come Home in body bags. A i think there a a difference Between hand to hand combat and other jobs said subcommittee chairwoman Beverly b. Byron d-md., �?o1 just done to think the country is ready to put women in those  a proponents argue that women Are already in harms Way in combat support positions and that men and women have proven they can work Well together they say strength requirements will limit jobs to those physically qualified and that the body bag argument is specious Given the level of Domestic and other violence against women in the United states and the number of hazardous jobs they perform As civilians. A i find it very difficult to separate this from others jobs where women arc at risk on police and fire departments As truck Drivers a said retired air Force Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught. Darlene Mayes who Learned last week that her daughter was one of three women reservists known to have been killed m a scud missile attack on Dharan saudi Arabia thinks the question is irrelevant. A i done to trunk people  whether they Are men or women m live service Mayes said m an interview from her Home m Rochester Mills a Quot i just  they re a  in the stars and stripes saudis to help families of miss troops Jackson miss. A families of Mississippi servicemen serving in operation desert storm will be getting financial help from the saudi arabian government. A rep. G.v.montgomeryd-miss., announced in Washington that a saudi Check for s100.000 will be handed to Brig. Gen. Denver Bra keen special assistant to gov. Ray Mabus Tor military affairs. State officials and the 10 National guard and Reserve family support groups will decide when and How the funds w ill be distributed based on need. Montgomery wrote saudi ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan a Friend and a racquetball partner in january and asked him to consider financial help for family members of Mississippi soldiers called to Active duty. A _ Quot these people called to Active duty Are Young and hard working. They left their Waves and families and some Are having some financial hardships a Montgomery said. The Check was delivered to Montgomery a office in Washington on thursday afternoon. 10 year Sago March 4,1981. A Navy Secretary John Lehman said the Reagan administration has adopted a major Quot change in naval strategy aimed at countering soviet threats in All key oceans and jettisoning the Carter administration s focus on defending the sea lanes to Western Europe. To achieve this shift Lehman said the . Fleet must be increased in size from the present 456 ships and submarines to about 600. 20 year Sago March 4,1971 a an army major credited with uncovering evidence of corruption at servicemen s clubs on military bases in Vietnam testified that he was threatened with physical harm and was Tolof of rumours that there was Quot a Price on my  30 year Sago March 4,1961 Twenty two miners died in an explosion in a Coal mine near Terre haute ind. Mine officials said they had no idea what caused the explosion. _ 40 years ago March 4,1951�? . Representative to the United nations Frank Nash said the United states is willing to agree to a  of the world s armed forces to counter soviet claims that the West has twice As Many men under arms As the soviet Union