European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday april. 6, 1991 the stars and stripes. A Page 3 in the Gulf town Center offers Calm after storm by John Millar Middle East Bureau King Khalid military City saudi Arabia a first army div soldiers living in the no frills fifth environment of Southern Iraq will find an Oasis waiting for them when they begin returning to saudi Arabia Riet week. Its a collection of Bright White fest tents and Mobile Home Type trailers that stand in Stark contrast to the Barren desert of Northern saudi Arabia members of the 54th engr in and other division soldiers built the Small City dubbed town Center to offer troops a Chance to relax after desert storm. A a it a like a Garrison environment where troops can come in and relax a said staff sgt. Rick Cassell who helped build the Center. The facility is located in the Middle of Camp Kasserine in the saudi army a King Khalid military City in Northern saudi Arabia. Division soldiers will use Kasse Rinc As a staging area As they redeploy to Germany in the coming weeks. The Center boasts the largest military Exchange store in saudi Arabia according to sgt. Maj. Mckeithan Smith jr., who oversees the centers operations. There san air conditioned Dopie at the Center in which soldiers Cam watch any of five movies being shown. An Arcade features video games and card tables. Also on hand Are a Baskin Robbins and a my gunner the divisions version of Mcdon aids. In the Middle of it All is an elaborate Patio made of steel plating and shaded by a giant screen that division soldiers made by weaving together some 70 camouflage nets. Under the nets Are picnic tables and a Large stage for performances by the division band. Behind the bandstand Are three basketball courts. Soldiers can turn to the centers staff for More than ramp a Cassell said. A a it a not just for pleasure its to solve soldiers problems too a army chaplains have set up shop for soldiers spiritual needs. Wills Powers of attorney and other Legal help Are available from the staff judge advocate office. The Center also boasts a red Cross office and finance and military personnel operations. Facilities have been set up for medical and dental services and a Post office. Smith whose Job is similar to that of a mayor said the Center was built in just 14 Days. A a the Center is now open from 10 . To 10 p.m., but the staff plans to make it an around the clock operation As division troops move South from Iraq. The Center is designed to accommodate the 17,500 troops in the division but Smith said other units would not be barred from using it a we would t turn any Soldier away a he said Ltd among the attractions at town Center Are cards foreground and video games. A \ a a a \. A a a. A. A. A a a a i think its happening a said pvt. 2-do-/ 48th \ Minic genes a 48th Maint co Soldier from Wil Flecken Germany who was spending his first Day off in two months at the facility. A a it a like a Calm Nice staff sgt. James Lockett of co a 141st signal in also had Praise Tor the Center but said it lacked one important thing a Beer whereas my Beer a he asked. A it s not the same without another co c Soldier pvt. 2 Christopher Allen complimented town Center but noted that it replace a flight out of the Middle Hast. A a in a just ready to go Home a he said. A i think it la be a real Nice place for the people who come in behind us when we go Smith said that a lot of troop cd fort went into building the Center and that he Hopes it will be passed on to other units when the division returns to Germany. Although Smith say How Long the division would stay at Camp Kasse Rine before heading Home he said the elaborate work that went into building town Center should not be viewed As an Omen of a Long stay. A even if we Only stay Here two Days a he said Quot it la have been to Fri a amps John Millar a a a a. A Quot. A a a. A amps John Millar the endless desert forms a backdrop As 1st army div soldiers shoot a few baskets. Were a in War by Luke Britt Middle East Bureau. Riyadh saudi Arabia a the saudi arabian government gave the United states two checks before the War with Iraq one to make up for the Cost of the first weeks of the deployment and another to cover future a second Check was Blank. A a Man walked into my office on a thursday in october and handed me a Check for $7b0 million a said maj. Gen. Dane Starling the director of logistics for . Central come. A it was the strangest thing id Ever seen in my _ that Check was payment for what the United states estimated it had spent on operation desert shield before reaching a support agreement with saudi Arabia. What followed the mid october signing of that agreement a was More than we had Ever hoped for a Starling said. A the Blank Check was actually a commitment by the saudi government to handle Many of the future Bills. Saudi Arabia has Given american troops All the food water and shelter the military has asked for Starling said. And More important in a strategic sense saudi Arabia supplied Allied forces with every drop of fuel they needed. V a saudi spokesman said that by the end of the War his government had committed nearjy_550 billion in support of Allied forces with $13.5 billion of that set aside especially for the Central come. A we came Here thinking we would have to provide our own fuel our own water a Starling said. A we really underestimated the willingness to provide All these at the height of the air Campaign against Iraq the . Air Force was using More than 20 million Quot Gallons of Jet fuel a Day. A and the saudis provided All of that a Starling said. _ Halfway through the War a fire at saudi arabians largest refinery Cut its ability to provide Jet fuel by 50 percent Starling said. Instead of reneging on its commitment saudi Arabia purchased fuel from other countries for use by the allies. Saudi Arabia has also provided apartment complexes for . Troops in cities where forces Are massing for transportation out of the theater Starling the figure was much higher during the War Starling said the saudi arabian government is still spending nearly is billion a month to feed and House . Troops. A. There is evidence however that the Blank Check theory May be about to Bounce. A spokesman for. The saudi arabian monetary Agency said that saudi Arabia recently asked International Banks including some in the United states for More than $3 billion in emergency Loans. And there Are plans to ask for an additional $7 billion in credit this year. A the kingdom is Rich Quot a former . Government official told reporters last everyone s got Starling said that the country is not putting any pressure on Central come to move out a but they would probably like to see us a a As soon As mossime a
