European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse No sets his sights on airborne lifeline to kurdish refugees sunday May 12, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 3 by Ron Jensen staff writer Cuk Urga Turkey. A More. Thun once a Load of supplies dropped from a c-,130 aircraft fell on and killed the very people it was to save at this kurdish refugee Camp. But that was before air Force tech sgt. Mike Ramos arrived. A we put More than 1,500 tons in Here since in be been Here a a he said. A and we had one Load hit a tent a but it was. a a. A. A a a Ramos Job since he arrived Here april 19 has been air traffic control. He tells the pilots where to put the supplies. It was not the fault of the pilots that some of those Early loads landed on people said Ramos a combat control team member based at Rhein main a Germany. A they were doing the Best they could a he said but a they were using a los to try to find a drop before Ramos arrived the a-10 tank Quot killer planes would swoop Over the Camp in front of the 130s and try to locate a suitable drop zone. It was imperfect As the results attest. After Ramos arrived he began making a la hour morning walk mostly Uphill to Perch on a Rock Angling out Over the Valley where 128,000 kurd found Refuge from Saddam Hussein. From there he would direct the incoming aircraft after first getting their attention with a signal of sunlight reflected from a Mirror. A see that Orange a on the left Side of the Valley a he would ask the Crew of the aircraft. That was the drop area he had targeted far enough away from the kurd to land with no harm yet easily accessible by foot. He was also Able to Tell them what the. Winds were like in the Valley since they were often different from the winds 1,000 feet above the ground where the air plane was the operations Peak Ramos was directing eight to 10 flights a Day of three or four aircraft in each flight. On april 23, he guided 31 aircraft into the Valley that dropped a total of 440 tons to the starving kurd. A a Ramos is with det 2, 1721st combat control so at Rhein main. A few Days after he arrived he was joined by two others including staff sgt. Lloyd Clay born of det 1, 1723rd special tactics so also at Rhein main. When the Airdrop by 130s stopped the two of them were left to handle the Many helicopter flights that replaced the cargo planes. It is not uncommon to see Ramos or Clayborn juggling two or three radios at one time directing incoming choppers to various Landing Sites around the sprawling Camp. A i think this is a real Good Mission a a said Clayborn who has been a combat control team member for 11 years. The control teams Are used to pinpoint the targets for the Airdrop Clayborn said and assess the Success of the drops for the aircrews afterwards. The teams Are often used for Relief efforts following natural disasters such As floods arid earthquakes. Military operations also rely on the teams Ramos was involved in april 1985 when the . Mil itary moved into Bolivia to help that government wrestle with drug cartels. Clayborn was with operation Golden pheasant in Honduras in 1987. A More often than not we get involved in stuff like this a Ramos said. Basically the teams arc used to pros amps Ron Jemmy tech. Sgt. Mike Ramos stands near the drop zone with Mirror and radio in hand. Ramos directs pilots air dropping supplies for kurdish refugees. Vide air traffic control in a austere non permissive environments a Ramos said. A something like this a he said As he looked at the Steep Mountain Walls and Rocky slopes that surrounded him. Ramos is thinking of retiring from the team however. He has a wife and two children at Home he does no to get to see very often. A a it a a lot of fun and a lot of adventure Type stuff a he said. A but i m going to be 30 this month. My legs won t last but if this is his final team Mission Ramos will end his career on a positive note. A this is real world stuff a he said. A these people really need us weekend warriors Given Praise after 4 months guarding shape by David Tarrant staff writer / chevres a Belgium a one is a student another a trash collector. One dreams of be Corning an architect another of spending time with his daughter again. Together they Are part of a 35-member Missouri National guard platoon that spent the persian Gulf War guarding natos shape Community in Belgium. Before january they had been so called a weekend warriors a training on weekends and summer holidays while holding Down full time civilian jobs. But with the Start of the War the 3rd platoon of the 3175th military police co was activated and deployed to Belgium. The shape Community As Well As Many of its High ranking officials was considered a potential target of terrorists during the War because it is the political and military Headquarters of the 16-nation Western Alliance. Many members of the platoon said they suspected they were going to saudi Arabia when the unit activated. Some had not even heard of Belgium. Browne their assignments never made the daily Pentagon news briefings Riding school buses patrolling military facilities and standing guard. But As they prepare to return to the United states this week after completing a four month assignment the shape Community has been showing their appreciation in ways that Range from formal awards ceremonies to informal barbecues. A this platoon is made up of civilians from All walks of life a maj. Gen. John p. Herrlin the . Military Community commander for shape said during a recent awards ceremony. A on just a few Days notice they left their family and friends in a time of War to help spec. Richard Browne of Catawissa to was working As a trash collector when he got the Call that his unit had been activated. A i volunteered to go to saudi Arabia a Browne said. But when told the unit was going to Belgium he said he a did no to have the slightest idea where it Browne 34, said he Wasny to disappointed with the assignment. A i was just glad i could be involved in the he spent most of his time in Brussels Riding school buses or walking around schoolyards. But he a looking Forward to getting Back to collecting trash. �?o1 love my Job a Browne said. A i have my own truck. 1 know my routes. In a my own pfc. Cher Modglin of via Trenton mo., was getting ready to study architecture in College when she suddenly found herself cooking for the platoon in Belgium. A i Learned How to Cook ome lets for 50 people a she noted. Modglin 19, had just finished Basic training at fort Dix n.j., and admits to having been a Little stared on the flight to Belgium. But she soon settled into a routine and even managed to write each of her 111 Sisters and Brothers Back Home. As things turned out. Modglin the deployment also gave her an Opportunity to see some of Europe a Best architecture. Sgt. Tony Marquardt was working a a research technician for Purina Mills the animal food company when the unit is As activated. His Only wish now is to get Back As quickly As possible to his wife. Michelle and 6-year-old daughter. Brittany who he said he missed Quot every Dav. Man. Every a a it. John Intravia the platoon Leader said he was proud of the Way the unit pulled together w Hile in say funds from kurd Aid can t be split London up a organizers of a kurd Aid Benefit concert rebuffed efforts saturday by musicians sting. Sinead of Connor and Peter Gabriel to share the proceeds with famine victims in Ethiopia and typhoon survivors in Bangladesh. I he pop stars headline the Charils concert scheduled sunday. They urged that some of the Relief funds raised by the show should be Given to help the starving africans and disa Ter stricken Bangladesh As Well As kurdish refugees from Iraq. But Charity Laws mean that the proceeds earmarked for the kurd cannot be divided concert promoter Harvey Cio a Mith said citing Lecul practical and humanitarian reason organi or Jeffrey Archer said the tars were told that the concert could raise Money for Only the named cause. Kurd Aid. And that other charities Are tree to concentrate on Ethiopia and Bangladesh r More than 125. People have perished m Bangladesh since april 3-u. When a cd clone hit the in prove shed nation followed k three tornadoes and flood ing
