European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday october 16, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 3 airmen from the 20th aircraft general so at Raf upper Heyford England catch some rays at in Ciurlik Abs old tent City. From left Are Staft sgt. Robert Rule senior airman Gary Bowers staff sgt. Merlin Lavergne sgt. Don Eschenbach and staff sgt. Ron Jones. A amps photos j. King Cruger staff sgt. Lee Bilcik left an ammo specialist from the 48th fighter Wing at Raf Lakenheath England volunteers his time at in Ciurlik a to help sgt. Greg Mauthner a Carpenter deployed from the 36th civil engr so at Blob org All Germany build wooden floors for tents going up in the new tent  City ii not quite All the comforts of Home by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau Adana Turkey a racing against the approaching rain and cold military construction Crews arc erecting temporary housing in a new tent City for troops at in Ciurlik a. Several Days of heavy Rains in Early october turned the dust bowl of the bases old tent City which houses troops supporting kurdish Relief efforts into a quagmire. A a we re at the leading Edge of the Rainy season with three or four thunderstorms expected in october a said it. Col. Jake Tweedy 40, the bases Deputy director of operation provide Comfort ii. The main concern now he said is those troops living on dirt floors. It would have been better he said if the redeployment from support bases at Batman and silo i to in Ciurlik had been completed before the Rains began. November usually is the Rai Niest month of the year at in Ciurlik which is near Adana in Southern Turkey. A a november a Rains will make tent living uncomfortable. The temperatures wont be a problem it will be the rain a said it. Col. Bill Lake vice commander of incur like a 39th tac group. A we Are frantically putting Down 40 truckloads of gravel a Day where the new tent City is going up. Once it gets Muddy in tent City there is no getting rid of it. The soil is like Clay Here and people track the mud everywhere a said Lake 43, of Toms River . A living in tent City gets  the old tent City was erected last fall to House personnel supporting operations desert shield and Den we had just torn tent City Down when we had to build it Back up again coi. Bill Lake Sert storm. It was taken Down at wars end. A we had just torn tent City Down when we had to build it Back up again a Lake said. That was in april As the base became a Center Point for the kurdish Relief Effort. Last weeks closure of the support base at silo i Means that tent City folks at in Ciurlik will have better living conditions Lake said. Shipments of equipment from silo i including much needed air Force Harvest Falcon kits began arriving at in Ciurlik two weeks ago. The kits contain Large temperature controlled troop tents hooked up to individual heating and air conditioning units plus latrine and Shower tents. Currently in Ciurlik has space in the old tent City for 2,700 troops. More than that Are now on temporary duty at the base. Lake said with 900 of them in permanent billets. A permanent billets Are now double and triple stuffed a Lake said. New permanent quarters totalling 300 rooms for both officers and enlisted troops Are expected to open in a couple of months and the increased billeting will take some of the pressure off the base Lake said. Once the new tent City is completed Lake said he expects no More than 1,000 people to spend the Winter in Canvas quarters. The old tent City will be torn Down again. A High terrorist threat in the Region of Turkey where in Ciurlik is located precludes billeting troops off base in the City of Adana said it. Col. Steve Arrington Deputy commander of the 39th combat support so. A tent City is never going to be like Home Quot said Arrington 40. Of Charleston . While it May not be Home residents of the current tent City do their Best to make it Homey while waiting for the new Canvas City to be erected on a site next to the existing facility. Troops have built High Rise Sun decks elaborate patios and wading pools. A snack bar with a very limited menu is open but most troops such s sgt. Bobby Coleman 35, and spec. Carnell Bush 21, both army truck Drivers do their own Messing. The Comfort inn is the heart and soul of old tent City. It is where troops Are assigned billets and where they can pick up free Hygiene items. Airman Heidi Lake 20, deployed since july from Raf Lakenheath England to provide Comfort ii works in the Comfort inn and knows what the troops want most. A they want air conditioning Quot said Lake of Nashua . A but most of All they want to go  rows of temperature controlled tents which already have flooring await hoisting a hopefully before the fall Rainy season hits full Force a in the new tent City at in Ciurlik a