European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 29, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes military if you like John Wayne life on Cruiser s for you by Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau aboard the Cruiser Dale in the Mediterranean a Cruiser sailors Are a Breed apart from other men and even other sailors Bill Wooten told a recent visitor to his ship. A Guys who ride these kinds of ships Are real sailors the kind of men you see in the John Wayne movies on the late late shows a said Wooten the command master chief Petty officer of the guided missile Cruiser Dale. A this ships designers made it a War machine first and when they finished that they went around and figured out where they could put bunks a Wooten said of the 28-year-old vessel. Designed to provide air defense for a Battle group we have Long work hours and hardly Ever get to see the Light of Day a Rick Harper boiler technician the Dale recently operated for nearly seven months in the Mediterranean with the aircraft Carrier Forrestal and its other escort ships. It returned to its Home port Mayport fla., shortly before Christmas. Since being commissioned in 1963, the cruisers systems have been upgraded to improve its effectiveness and As much As possible its habitability. But Only so much can be done in a ship where 28 men must share a bathroom that consists of two showers two toilets and a urinal. A sanitation is a constant concern a Wooten said. A people spend a lot of time when they re not on watch keeping the ship As clean As  standing watches doing their regular jobs and keeping the ship clean Means that sleep usually comes in stints of four hours or less for most Dale Crew members Wooten said. For people in such specialities As engineering working in the cruisers hot steamy innards also Means losing track of time according to Petty officer 3rd class Rick Harper. A we have Long work hours and hardly Ever get to see the Light of Day said the boiler technician. As he spoke Harper sat at a table in the ships dining facility. It was Between meals and spread before him was paperwork instead of Chow. A nobody has an office a Wooten said. The ships dining areas double As offices for All but the fortunate few who actually have desks to Call their own. Since the ship also has no doctor the 400-Man Crew relies on two Independent duty Hospital corpsmen for their medical care. Both Are specially trained to handle a variety of medical emergencies including several situations that might require surgery. A it gets particularly dangerous on a ship this size during rough weather a Wooten said. A a that a when just walking Down Steps or through a door can be  in heavy seas the Bow of the Cruiser can come 6 feet out of the water and slam Back Down. To explain some of the other challenges of life on the Dale Wooten pointed to a 22-step instruction Sheet created by a group of Navy wives who humorously entitled the list a How to simulate shipboard life at  according to the first step sailors loved ones should lock All friends and family members out of their Homes and communicate with them through letters. But a neighbor must hold All correspondence for two weeks before delivering it and lose every fifth letter. A sometimes it takes 30 to 45 Days for a Sailor to write a letters amps Gary Miller a helicopter from the Carrier Forrestal delivers mail to the Cruiser Dale the copters must hover while making deliveries because the ship has no flight deck. To his wife and get a response from her a Wooten said. But no matter How Many letters sailors write Home during a cruise some marriages wont survive and even Strong relationships will be strained by the Long separation said the Dales chaplain it. Ron Craddock. But difficulties aside Dales sailors carry on because of their Pride. A this ship and the Forrestal have the distinction of being the older ships in the Battle group and these Guys keep the Dale going a Craddock said. A a they be done their country  planners at Izmir honoured Izmir turkeys amps a the Art of moving people and supplies from place to place in the military is challenging under the Best circumstances. During the past year however the logistics planners at Izmir air station proved what they could do during a War. For their performance during the War with Iraq operation provide Comfort and several other contingencies Izmir a logistics plans division was named the 16th air forces Best for 1991. The divisions master sgt Katherine c. Allen was also honoured As the 16th air forces Best military logistics plans supervisor of the year. Gulf veterans eligible for saudi medal Washington a the government of saudi Arabia has offered the Kuwait liberation medal to members of the . Military who directly participated in operation desert storm the army news service says. To qualify service members must have served or flown into the War zone last year Between Jan. 17, the Start of the air War and feb. 28, when offensive operations ended. The War zone incorporates the total area of Iraq Kuwait saudi Arabia Oman Bahrain Qatar and the United Arab emirates. At sea the War zone is the persian Gulf the red sea the Gulf of Oman the Gulf of Aden and portions of the arabian sea. According to preliminary guidance released earlier this month by the department of defense service members qualify for the medal if they a were attached to or regularly served for at least one Day with organizations participating in ground or Shore operations or aboard ships directly supporting military operations. A participated As Crew members in at least one Aerial Mission directly supporting military operations within the War zone. A were on temporary duty and served for at least 30 consecutive Days during the War. Specific eligibility requirements and implementing instructions will be published soon by the respective service secretaries. The medal is suspended from a Green ribbon with red Black and White stripes representing the flags of saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The medal depicts a Palm tree with crossed sabers the Emblem of saudi Arabia superimposed on a Sunburst which symbolizes the Light of Freedom that once again shines Over Kuwait. Inside the Sun Emblem is a Globe with a map of the arabian  Sale planned in Sohren Hahn a Germany a the defense re utilization and marketing office will hold a Cash and carry Sale at the housing Supply warehouse in Sohren on Friday. The Sale is open from 9 . Until 1 . For id card holders Only. Items for Sale include Kitchen cabinets hutches buffets easy chairs Davenport two seater sofas dining chairs with and without arms Kitchen tables bookcases desks Coffee tables wardrobes mirrors washers and dryers. All purchases must be paid for in Cash dollars Only. Items must be removed by 3 30 . The Day of the Sale. More information can be obtained by calling ets 450-7516.. Honors belgian officer Brussels Belgium a amps a a belgian army colonel has received an army meritorious service medal for his work in planning Host nation support of the deployment of Vii corps units to the Middle East. It. Gen. William s. Flynn commander of the 21st theater army area come presented the medal to col. Jan Leysens in a ceremony Friday at the . Ambassadors residence. In his three years As chief of the Host nation support Section of the belgian forces of the Interior Leysens developed seven joint implementation plans outlining requirements for receiving housing feeding and Onward movement of . Forces passing through Belgium during contingencies. Leysens experience including planning support for reformer exercises led to the successful wartime deployment Flynn said. Flynn especially praised Leysens for his foresight. A in a typical american fashion we were planning by the seat of our pants a the general said. But Leysens had already come up with a plan called a Sandy cocktail and was Able to say a no problem when approached by . Commanders about the monumental task of moving troops from Europe to the persian Gulf Flynn explained adding a within 10 Days they were ready to  ambassador Bruce s. Gelb said Leysens was not just a a one time Brilliant performer a citing his work planning the evacuation of . Citizens from Zaire last  unit gets award for maintenance Raf Lakenheath England the 48th component repair so has earned the . Air Force maintenance effectiveness award for Superior front line intermediate and depot level maintenance for 1991. The Squadron maintained the wings 20-year-old f-111f aardvark fighter bombers said the base Public affairs office. It added that the Squadron also helped double the Normal daily sortie rate to 60 per night during operation desert storm. The award covered fiscal 1991. Commanders change at Izmir Izmir Turkey a air Force col. David r. Poli relinquished command monday of the 7241st air base group to col. James c. Lesseig in ceremonies at Izmir air station. Poli will report to the defense intelligence Agency in Washington. Lesseig was previously assigned to the . Logistics group in Ankara Turkey