European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 military b the stars and stripes wednesday february 5, 1992simulating is stimulating warriors say by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Friedberg Germany a the 1st army div spent five Days testing its ability to wage War last week during exercise Ironside Victory a but no shots were fired. In a prelude to the return of forces to Germany exercise this september a which army officials project will be 90 percent simulation a Ironside Victory was a computer simulated Battle with relatively few troops and no tanks. The exercise was an evaluation of the divisions brigade staffs without the expense of having thousands of soldiers and their equipment in the Field a v corps official said. A clearly in an Era of constrained resources constrained training space just the reduced Opportunity to put Large units in the Field simulations offer you one of the Best chances to conduct training a said col. Tony Koren commander of 2nd brigade 1st army div from Baum older Germany. Koren and elements of his combat support and service support staffs a about 10 percent of his 3,500 troops a spent their portion of the Battle deployed in a camouflaged tactical operations Center on Ayers Cavern in Kirch Gons Germany. E Korens brigade reported their around the clock simulated movements to the exercise control Center at Ray Barracks in Friedberg. From there the information was relayed by computer to fort Leavenworth kan., where the world class opposing Force a about 60 soldiers who fight similar computer Battles against . Army units around the world a moved and counter moved against the 1st army div. A a we re doing the same things wed be doing if the entire brigade was out Here a said maj. Steve Britton the 2nd brigades assistant operations officer. But there Are some limitations to the realism. A computer simulated exercise is always just a Little bit cleaner than it would be on the Battlefield a Koren said. A a there a not the fog and friction of troops actually moving around on the ground. A a that a not to take away from the fact that its a tremendous training exercise and it stresses the staff. It army honors German for autobahn Rescue by the stars and stripes a former German Soldier was awarded the . Army a highest peacetime medal last week in a ceremony in a rinsing Germany near Munich. Stephan Panzer received the soldiers medal for the attempted Rescue of two american women after an Accident on the autobahn near Munich on nov. 5, 1990, according to the Public affairs office of the area support team in Garmisch. Only one of the women survived. Panzer was injured during the Rescue attempt. He was a private with the 234th Mountain inf in when he noticed a car sitting in the Middle of autobahn 95 near Turnau. The car driven by Marcia Lee Griggs had skidded on the icy Highway and bounced off both guardrails before stopping. Panzer removed Griggs from the wreckage and returned to remove the passenger Betty Severino when the women a car was struck by a vehicle. That crash broke panzers Collarbone but he managed to free Severino and administer life saving techniques until an ambulance arrived. All three were taken to the emergency Hospital but Severino was dead on arrival. She was employed at Camp Darby  of general to head multiple sclerosis society new York a former air Force chief of staff Gen. Michael a a Mike j. Dugan was named president elect of the National multiple sclerosis society on Jan. 20. In mid june Dugan will succeed vice adm. Thor Hanson a retired 11.s. Navy officer As president and chief executive officer of the society. S&8 Michael Abrams at the Friedberg control Center spec. Wayne Hall of 4th in 12th inf enters Battle recourse figures into a computer. Stresses what we Call the Battle operating systems a Koren said. A it challenges your ability to do staff planning synchronization and execution which Are the essence of Good command and control and being Able to Man Euver and support forces on the  in recent years the army has used fewer soldiers and less for training outside designated training areas such As Grafe Wohr and Hohenfels. Since exercise caravan guard in 1989, v corps first major exercise using computer simulation the numbers have decreased dramatically. About 40,000 soldiers participated in caravan guard compared with 6,000 in Ironside Victory. The 326 helicopters and 231 tanks from caravan guard were replaced by 20 helicopters and no tanks were used. A a it a a Good exercise realistic a Koren said adding that simulation a can never match putting troops and actually mane vering in the Field a Little league of computers a far cry from super bowl by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Friedberg Germany a soldiers Are coming to grips with the army a increased emphasis on computer simulation to hone fighting skills. But they quickly Point out that there is no substitution for the real thing. Ask the soldiers from 4th in 67th Armor 1st army div who did not directly participate but provided life support for three consecutive v corps simulated exercises that began in Early december and ended last Friday. Support is an unlikely role for the soldiers from the Friedberg based battalion desert storm veterans who spent six months in the persian Gulf and made up the last ground combat unit to leave Kuwait. A you were in the super bowl one Day but now you re in the Little league a said staff sgt. Donald Bing an m1a1 Abrams tank commander with co a 4th in 67th Armor. Nonetheless the soldiers applied the same enthusiasm to their supporting role As they did in the persian Gulf War. They also gained some insight into computer simulation. Bing was in charge of supplying soldiers to guard the living areas for 2,200 of the soldiers who participated in Ironside Victory last week. Support is important whether its a tanks Beans or bullets a said the 28-year-old fort Myers fla., native. Bing expressed concern that too much Reliance on simulation Over Long periods could cause soldiers to a close the ability to face the elements. A i think there May be a time not in my career when soldiers wont have to go to the Field to train a the 10-year Veteran said. Until that time a if you want to teach me my Job take me to the  sgt. Daniel Treash a tank commander with cob 4th in 67th Armor believes that the majority of train ing will eventually become computerized. A but there Are Basic Soldier skills that  be forgotten a said Treash 26, of Joplin mo., whose role during the exercises was a stopping off Heaters and generators with diesel fuel. Soldiers must understand the intentions of simulated exercises a like Ironside Victory a that focus on training brigade division and corps staffs according to capt. David Seitz commander of co a 4th in 67th Armor. A a there a a definite division Between what leaders Are doing and what Field personnel Are doing a said Seitz 28, of Cascade Iowa. Battalions and companies will fire their guns and Man Euver in training areas such As Hohenfels and Grafe Wohr Seitz said but soldiers need to keep Pace with the training changes a even from the sidelines. A the Days Are Over when old sgt. Crusty was out there tearing up the Sweet potato Fields in his tank a Seitz said