European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes saturday december 28, 1991kimmitt adapting to changing times . Ambassador to Germany says flexibility is key by David Tarrant staff writer Bonn Germany a shortly after returning from Vietnam in 1971, Robert m. Kimmitt a unit the 173rd airborne brigade a sky soldiers disbanded. Twenty years later after rising to the rank of ambassador to Germany Kimmitt recalled those turbulent times in Light of the current draw Down of . Forces in Europe. A there was a lot of uncertainty during those times but i like to think that the military if nothing else trains you to be flexible Quot Kimmitt said in an interview said. A but the fact is that we be helped raise a generation of professional soldiers a men and women a who i think have shown a remarkable ability to adapt to  but Kimmitt also believes that some changes  be carried too far. For instance the military far from having completed its Mission in Europe continues to carry a major role in Europe where changes Are occurring at a dizzying Pace. A quite a number of germans recently have expressed to me the importance of maintaining a Force that is truly capable it we Are looking for a transition in the soviet Union that is peaceful and democratic and we Hope to avoid the violence and factionalism that we saw in Yugoslavia i think a Strong Alliance with an american based presence in Germany and elsewhere in Europe is very important a Robert m. Kimmitt . Ambassador to Germany with the stars and stripes this week. As a Soldier lawyer and Diplomat Kimmitt has shown flexibility in his own career. Kimmitt 44, finds such flexibility useful these Days at the . Embassy where change practically has become a Way of life. In the four months since taking Over the Post in Bonn from Vernon Walters Kimmitt has quickly Learned the need to adapt after witnessing Many major events the freeing of the Western hostages held in Lebanon the disintegration of the soviet Union the forging of new democracies in Eastern Europe and the disbanding of venerable . Fighting units in Germany. A a in a not saying flexibility is easy a he and not merely symbolic. Because of this overwhelming unprecedented change taking place in the soviet Union people realize now that the greatest threat that we face is not a massive soviet intervention but rather the uncertainty these times represent a he said. A if we Are looking for a transition in the soviet Union that is peaceful and democratic and we Hope to avoid the violence and factionalism that we saw in Yugoslavia i think a Strong Alliance with an american based presence in Germany and elsewhere in Europe is very  Kimmitt has More than just professional interest in the . Forces stationed in Europe. Kimmitt lived in Germany from 1960 to 1964, when his father was stationed in Heidelberg and Baum older with the army. A 1969 graduate of the . Military Academy at West Point n.y., Kimmitt also spent 13 years in the military including the tour in Vietnam where he earned three Bronze stars a purple heart the air medal and the vietnamese Cross of gallantly. He is a colonel in the army Reserve. These military ties will make it easier for him to take a Strong personal interest in Quality of life issues for service Mem ers in Europe when High level talks resume in january aimed at revising the supplement to the nato status of forces agreement. The agreement details 83 areas regulating everyday life of the Allied forces in Germany including taxes vehicle registration gasoline prices and training. A we have made Clear to the germans that our soldiers who remain have to be Able to train effectively. That we want a Good Quality of life for our servicemen women and their families and that we All have to be mindful of costs in a difficult budget environment. I done to think the germans have any problem with trying to reach an agreement consistent with those  Kimmitt also said he understands the need for europeans to adapt to the Post cold War Era by looking at new ways to establish a stronger Security identity for themselves. But Kimmitt discounted the possibility that this Effort might Lead the europeans to ask american forces to leave the continent or to form a military establishment separate from nato. A i done to see anything the europeans Are doing right now that will do anything other than strengthen the Alliance for the roles that it must fulfil in the future a he said. A those roles will have to be significantly transformed to adapt to the changing circumstances a ranging from human Sas Jim dub Tim Robert m. Kimmitt italian efforts to military operations. A i see this As an Effort on the part of europeans to strengthen themselves. And thereby the  the changes in Germany and Europe will ultimately affect the . Embassy in Bonn. After the German parliament voted several months ago to make Berlin the seat of the government As Well As the capital of Germany the americans said they would also move to Berlin. Although it might not happen for several years Kimmitt said one of his jobs is to be prepared to move the embassy As soon As the top officials of the German government move to Berlin. But since the German government voted to keep almost two thirds of its employees in several ministries that will remain in Bonn the . Embassy also plans to keep a sizable work Force in Bonn. A even in the diplomatic world we too Deal with uncertainty. Although like the military we plan for various  to halt Oil spill Gratifying to Crew by Amy Geiszler Jones . Bureau Raf Lakenheath England it was one of the More unusual air strikes of the persian Gulf War. Rather than wreaking havoc on a military target the Mission sought to bring an end to the environmental destruction wrought by Saddam Hussein. The Mission took place months ago and was recalled recently during a news conference featuring two key participants. Soon after the strike Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf commander of operation desert storm had briefed the press on the missions details. A most of our Job involves destruction a so this Mission a was one of the most Gratifying a of the War said capt. Mike Russell one of the Pilot involved. Four f-111f aardvark fighter bombers operating from taif saudi Arabia were sent Jan. 26 to halt iraqis dumping of crude Oil from the sea Island terminal Oil facility. That dumping helped create the worlds largest Oil Slick off the kuwaiti coast. During peacetime the planes Are stationed at Raf Lakenheath. The sortie was dubbed the a save the Duck Mission a because television footage of the Oil Slick always seemed to include Oil covered fowl. At the news conference Russell and his weapons systems officer capt. Brad Sei Pel talked about the bombing. The two were in the f-111f that guided air fore 8taff sgt i guano capt. Brad Seipel left and capt. Mike Russell helped carry out the airs Trike that halted the dumping of crude Oil into the Gulf during operation desert storm. Two 2,000-Pound into a Complex of pipes linking kuwaiti Oil Fields with the offshore loading buoy for tankers near a1 Ahmadi. The plan called for the bombs to be delivered by two of Lulfs leading the four plane sortie. The bombs were to be guided by Crews aboard the two trailing aircraft. Russell and Seipel were aboard one of the trailing aircraft. Central come officials chose to employ four aircraft to allow the Lead pair to leave the area quickly in Case of attack. The precaution paid off when one of the attacking planes was targeted by a surface to air missile. But the aircraft was Able to Dodge the attack. The bombs had Steerable fins attached to the rear and infrared cameras located in the nose. After the bomb was released the camera sent a picture via a data link to a trailing f-111f so that a weapons systems officer could guide it to the target. A a it a like the ultimate video game Quot said Seipel 35. Quot however instead of costing a Quarter it costs More than a Quarter of a million  Seipel was forced to guide both bombs when the Crew aboard the second trailing full was unable to track one of the bombs because of faulty reception Seipel said. Russell from Bradenton fla., found the Mission the most Gratifying of his 30 missions because a one of my hobbies is scuba diving so in Man environmentalist As far As the Ocean  the 34-year-old Pilot is a former paratrooper and former helicopter Pilot with the army a 82nd airborne div. Seipel and Russell enjoyed a High Success rate during operation desert storm hitting 19 tanks out of 20 tries As Well As destroying Saddam a summer Palace at Cikrit. Following the War the two along with another f-111f Crew members from Lakenheath were sent to Brief top Pentagon officials about the Wing s successes. Seipel left Lakenheath sunday for a new assignment at Cannon fab . Russell remains at Lakenheath