European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 18, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday january 18, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 38th inf div raises 1st army div Fla unit declared Well suited for Mission by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau bad Kreuz Nach Germany a with the 8th inf div changing flags to become the 1st army div the a units location in bad Kreuz Nach will no longer be considered a on the wrong Side of the Rhine River a said maj. Gen. John p. Otjen the last commander of the 8th inf div. A we Are located near Good training areas major airfields a said Otjen in an interview the last Day the 8th inf div existed. A this division is Well suited for its current Mission and its on the right Side of the  the a wrong Side description referred to the fact that the former East West Border could Only be reached if the infantry division crossed the Rhine River. And Otjen said that the description held up a if you did no to look at it the division As a Reserve or attack Force that could go  with the current political climate in Europe Otjen said a i done to think we need to reinforce what was formerly the Border by Forward stationing  Otjen described the new divisions Mission in terms of training. A its singular most important Mission is to maintain itself in a trained and ready posture a he said. A highly trained Able to deploy either on the european continent or elsewhere and to demonstrate expertise in doing that so that it is indeed a credible Force anywhere in the  Otjen said that in selecting bad Kreuz Nach As the site for 1st army dives new Headquarters officials with the . Army in Europe followed several guidelines. A a we re Usa eur going to keep our Best facilities we re going to keep our Best training areas near our Best facilities and we re going to locate in areas where German american relationships Are solid and  he said. Otjen has been stationed in Europe since july 1982, from bad Kreuz Nach to Baum older. Ansbach and Heidelberg then Back to Baum older and bad Kreuz Nach. During those years Otjen said a the Tempo of training has increased. A the division feels better because it has new equipment. The division feels that its. Been part of a great Victory in the cold  Otjen feels that the division has trained to such a level that a nobody dare take us on. When our forces went to Iraq it became abundantly Clear that this was a Premier  the 8th inf div formally became the 1st army div in ceremonies at Baum older on Friday. The 1st army div had been headquartered in Ansbach Germany before moving to bad Kreuz Nach. For some soldiers the change will have Little effect. For others the re flagging Means moving elsewhere in Europe Back to the states or getting out of the military. Referring to soldiers previously assigned to the division headquartered in Ansbach Otjen said that a a there a significant changes in the forces. The soldiers and families who lived in Many of the posts and caverns in Northern Bavaria Are being drawn Down and  Sas Peggy Davidson maj. Gen. John p. Often. A on the right Side of the Rhine Quot but he said changes would be few for the soldiers already based in Rheinland Pfalz. Former 8th inf soldiers will become 1st army soldiers. The most noticeable change for them will be the arrival of a new commander maj. Gen. William m. Boice. Otjen has been assigned to the Pentagon As the Deputy inspector general for inspections training and  division feels that it been part of a great Victory in the cold War a maj. Gen John p. Otje Farewell ceremony is bittersweet event by Effie Bathen Niernberg Bureau Ansbach Germany a Jutta Gmeinder watched thursdays 1st army div Farewell ceremony at Hindenburg Cavern with what she called a one sad Eye and one Happy  like Many other longtime residents of this peaceful bavarian town she came to wish her american friends Well. Based in Ansbach the army a most Eastern Forward division in Germany included major troop concentrations throughout the area including Niernberg Bamberg Erlanger and Birndorf. Of an original 17,000 soldiers stationed in Northern Bavaria 9,500 troops have been reassigned most of them to the 3rd inf div. Most of the remaining 7,500 troops have left As part of the european draw Down and realignment. The old Ironsides division which had belonged to Vii corps unfurled its Flag Over v corps 8th inf div troops based in bad Kreuz Nach on Friday. Gmeinder said that after 12 years of socializing with americans in the Ansbach military Community she kept telling herself not to get too close because it Hurt to see them leave. A just when i think they  be any nicer someone new would come a she said adding that she would be losing her favorite Tennis partner. A now i must say  Karl Talle who worked for american express in Niernberg for 29 years also said he Felt a very badly to see Many old friends leave. It will mean a loss of jobs and millions of Marks for the communities where the soldiers were stationed he said. A i know the wives of everyone a said Hanne Korner. Thirty years ago an american neighbor brought her to a German american club meeting. She worked As an officer on the clubs Board since. A i have a map of the United states at Home with 25 Little flags where the people i know live a she said. She Hopes to spend about three months touring the United states visiting 1st army div friends whom she has met Over the years. A i know ill always have a place to Park my camper Quot she said. Still Korner wondered what would become of her a Little Tea group of German and american women. Only two of the american women remain along with six germans All of whom were on her mind As the ceremony Drew to a close. Saddam admits Saddam Hussein War defeat denounces bombing Nicosia Cyprus apr Saddam Hussein publicly admitted Friday that Iraq was militarily Defeated in the persian Gulf War and accused the allies of pulverizing his country with nearly 110,000 tons of bombs. Until now the iraqi Leader has never said flatly that iraqis vaunted military was Defeated in the 43-Day War which he. Had promised would be a the Mother of All  iraqis military was seriously battered in the fight to oust Baghdad from Kuwait although postwar Allied assessments indicate that the military losses were considerably less than initially claimed. A from a conventional and material standpoint. The gathering of the faithful was Defeated and the gathering of infidelity vice and corruption triumphed a Saddam said in a speech marking the first anniversary of the Start of the War. But he claimed at least a moral Victory saying a a Miracle was attained in this showdown. Faith triumphed Over atheism and right triumphed Over  Saddam appeared to be seeking to whip up anti Western sentiment among iraqis 17 million people who Are suffering worsening hardship because of a 17-month-old . Trade embargo imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait aug. 2, 1990. The iraqi news Agency said in a separate report that at first Light Friday Battle cries of a Falla he Akbar a or god is great rung out in memory of the wars victims while Church Bells pealed in Christian areas. The Agency said pro Saddam demonstrations were held in Baghdad through the night. It said that in the largest thousands of demonstrators rallied outside the information ministry and denounced president Bush and his allies. Washington recently has been urging iraqis to topple Saddam to bring the embargo to an end. Saddam remains defiantly in Power but Many analysts believe his Days Are numbered. In his speech Saddam said the coalition forces carried out 114,000 air raids during the War and dropped 108,000 tons of explosives on the country. The allies said they hew 109,876 sorties and dropped 88,500 tons of bombs during the fighting 93 percent of which were non precision a Iron  Saddam made Only a Brief mention of the economic catastrophe caused by the War and aggravated by the . Trade sanctions imposed five Days after Iraq invaded Kuwait aug. 2, 1990. But iraqis newspapers All tightly controlled by the government carried front Page reports on the worsening shortages suffered by the iraqis and demanded the blockade be lifted