European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Spec. Russell Eyer a Mechanic with the 42nd engr co in Berlin works on the differential of a humvee. Berlin brigade looks to the end of an eras amps photos by Dave Didi Oby de Reavis staff writer the Berlin brigade s Days Are numbered and the troops know it everywhere they turn Are the signs of the new world order. Troop draw Downs changing missions a vanishing soviet presence an open City. Quot unification has changed Berlin Quot said pfc. Kevin Schuler a Driver for the 42nd engineers. Quot when the Wall came Down younger troops Felt like they were leftovers. We did t feel that Way when it was under the terms of the International treaty on the sovereignty of Germany All foreign troops must leave the City by 1994. Since the ratification of that agreement change has become the common word heard among the american military in the German capital. Quot not Only has the City changed but our Mission As Well Quot said capt. Andrew Smith press spokesman for the Berlin brigade. Quot we were City fighters now we re training to fight wherever needed not just sitting around waiting for the draw Down to take affect. In practice that Means a considerable increase of training in the Quot we train in Grafe Wohr Hohenfels and Wil Flecken for deployment anywhere the government wants to use us. Our two Light infantry battalions get to train with tanks and mechanized units and get to work with a moving Force. Training that proved invaluable for the 3rd army division in the Gulf War Quot Smith said. The men who keep the brigade moving the mechanics and Drivers seem to have Good feelings about the work and the new Mission but feel a bit of anxiety about the manpower reductions. Capt. Brendan j. Powers runs the 6th in 40th army Berlin be motor Pool at Mcnair Barracks a one of three in the brigade Quot morale is Good. Soldiers Here still feel the Berlin brigade is the Best of the Best. But there s frustration about the draw Down and How it will affect them. They worry about when it will hit them where they Are going and the future of their careers Quot Powers said. The Captain said the work Load has increased because of the attrition but Hasni to reached the critical Point. Quot we still receive the Best equipment. More than 20 percent of it is Brand new Quot Power s mechanics work on 300 motor vehicles 80 tracked vehicles and More than 1,000 trailers and other pieces of equipment. Quot we even have the newest truck with the self deflating and inflating tires used to Cope with desert Sand for example Quot Powers said. The Berlin brigade has always had a special relationship with the German government and that includes financial links. A the army pays us and issues our equipment. The germans pay for Upkeep and for the facilities we us Quot said Powers. Quot we Purchase much of our needs in Berlin a that s the requirement a Wall lockers furniture computers and so the brigade s distance from the military training areas it now uses creates some problems. Quot our vehicles Are on the Road for 10 hours to the training areas turn around and Roll Back for 10 hours and be ready to deploy. Our equipment is still in Good condition. Our men maintain those vehicles at a 90 percent plus readiness Quot Powers said. One of those men is spec. Todd Duck d co 6th in 502nd inf a Driver also training to be a Mechanic because he enjoys working with his hands. But Duck said he intends to get out of the army soon. Quot in be been around the army too Long a 23 years. I was an army kid my dad retired As a chief warrant officer. A Quot i was in Berlin when i was 5 years old. I married and was glad to come Back Here with my wife. Quot after the Wall came Down the City changed but i still think the germans Are Nice people Quot Duck said. Schuler the Driver with the 42nd engineers said that working for the brigade is great training. Quot the mechanics Here Are tops and they show us How to Best service a vehicle when we run into trouble. The Only complaint i have is that there Arentt enough tools Quot Schuler said he found it hard to keep what he called a Quot focus Quot when he has to worry about his future in the army. But there Are some advantages to the draw Down noted pfc. Patrick Barracks situation is a lot better since men Aren t being Page 14 a the stars and stripes pfc. David Lewis works on an m-35 cargo truck. Pfc. Kevin Schuler worries about the draw Down. Pfc. Greg Loftness left and spec. David Gyp tech. Sgt. Jack Wilson monitors the screens at the Berlin air route traffic control Center. Air Force trains its replacements the final Mission for the air Force in Berlin is to help the germans get established in the air traffic control business. Col. Edward Birkett commander of the 7350 communications Squadron at templehof a said the German government has asked Allied forces air controllers to remain on the Job until they can train replacements. And the germans need three years to train an air traffic controller. Birkett s unit controls not Only the air space Over Berlin but also the skies deep into the neighbouring Eastern states. Before the Wall came Down the allies had just three 20-mile-wide corridors with 300 Quot operations Quot a Day to control. Now the same staff must coordinate 800 operations each Day. An operation includes a Landing a Takeoff an overflight or any other communication or tracking of an aircraft. Birkett said that despite the workload there has been no Compromise in air safety. Quot the Berlin air traffic control Center is run by 65 americans nine British and nine French air controllers. The agreement with the German also includes our infrastructure and our training personnel. The treaty runs out in dec. 1992 but it could be extended. The traffic flow is about 60 flights and they have about 22 landings a Day Quot Birkett said. Birkett called control Center equipment adequate but not near state of the Art available in the United states. The americans will be missed by de Reavis staff writer Berlin and the allies Berlin and the brigade Berlin and Tempelhof Airport a inseparable terms until German unification. It was not possible to live in the divided City without being aware of the politics or the dynamics of the Allied forces stationed in the City. Without the allies the City would have been just another Gray communist capital. Quot the americans Quot were the code words berliners used for the Allied Powers and the Berlin brigade the Means of keeping the soviet Bear from gobbling up the rest of the City. And when push came to shove Tempelhof and the historic Airlift were proof and Promise that a lifeline would always exist. When you mention the ongoing american withdrawal from Berlin to berliners or to american service members there s usually a slight pause in the conversation a nod of the head and an expression of uncertainty. Germans look at you As if to say we re not ungrateful we re not kicking you out. Its Quot i can t imagine not having americans Here Quot said the woman at the desk at templehof s Columbia House hotel. Quot in be worked so Long with the air Force i feel like part of the family. I m afraid the City won t be As pleasant when the americans that already appears to be the Case. The Wall is gone and the City reunited at least on paper if not totally in the hearts and minds of its inhabitants who have some Petty grudges to work out. The City is going the Way of other Western capitals a it s become a lot More grungy and snarling plagued by rising crime and violence. Even the soldiers have Felt the change. Quot we Tell our men to keep a Low profile downtown Quot said capt. Bendan j. Powers of the 6th in 40th armoured Berlin brigade. Quot there have been attacks on groups of soldiers by gangs of skinheads and turks on the Kurfus Stendal Quot Berlin s most famous Street Powers said a City official though was optimistic Quot As a City we re going through some ugly growing pains but i m certain As soon As the allies leave Here there will be a reassessment about their having been Here. Well be overwhelmed by a nostalgia for the Days of the american presence Quot at a dinner party in the soviet army officers club m Potsdam Given by the red army for the americans British and germans who organized three convoys of humanitarian Aid for Russia three germans sitting across the table agreed there will be great cultural loss if civilian americans Don t flock to the City after the military leaves March 4, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 15
