European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday March 9, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3 women marines blazing trails pair Are first to join . Embassy unit in Moscow by Randy Pruitt staff writer Moscow a at first glance it resembles a lounge at an american College. Young people laugh together Over a comedy video. Nearby Are Pool tables a bar and a shelf filled with paperbacks. This neat cozy place is by no Means a Center of education. Yet the men and women Are learning something. They re learning to work together. For the first time women marines have invaded Moscow and muscled their Way into one of the last All male bastions the Marine detachment that guards the . Embassy. Cps. Heather Noland and Michelle Hunch both 20, were assigned to Moscow on dec. 24 after graduating from the Marine Security guard school at Quanti co a. They joined 24 fellow marines at a Post that attracts the Cream of the crop from the Security guard school. Their presence has evoked mixed reactions. A some of the Guys Are having a hard time now Quot Uhrich said. A after a while i think  get used to the fact that women Are Here. Maybe they never had experience working with females or they did and those particular females May or May not have made a Good impression on  a Noland from Hastings minn., joined the marines 2vi years ago. She previously served at Camp Hansen in Okinawa. Uhrich from Geneva neb., arrived from Camp Pendelton Calif. A a they re breaking new ground in Moscow a said gunnery sgt. Robert Hughes who is in charge of the Marine contingent at the embassy. Moscow he said is the first designated country meaning former communist nations in Eastern Europe or politically unstable nations where women have been assigned. A with the environment and stress its a very demanding Job a he said. Marines cannot leave the embassy unless accompanied by another Marine Orthey re breaking new ground in Moscow a gunnery sgt. Robert Hughes a amps Ken Georgo cps. Michelle Uhrich left and Heather Noland scan a Logbook at a guard Shack. Someone cleared by the . Government. A department of state employees Are allowed to interact with the people Here russian citizen Sand we Arentt Quot Noland said. A that makes it hard. Our friends in the embassy can bring russians to their houses but if you re in that House you be either got to leave or totally not talk to them. You re kind of isolated. A rules aside the women find they must also Battle for acceptance from their Peers. A it Hasni to happened yet but i fear the rules May be Bent for them a said Cpl. Mike Jordan whose previous Post assignment was at Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. But so far he said Noland and Uhrich Are working out. Cpl. Chris Britland a Rhode Island native formerly assigned to the . Embassy in new Delhi India agreed that the women arc working out but added a i done to think women belong  a a they re no different from any other Marine who son this program and they May be capable of handling anything but i get upset personally seeing the preferential treatment they get a said Cpl. Brian Friestman 20, of san Antonio. He came to Moscow four months ago from Okinawa. A everything that happens is kind of specialized for them. They say we should treat them the same As any other Marine but they done to get treated the same As any other Marine a Friestman said. Embassy personnel he said make a fuss Over the women. A it seems to be a question that comes up quite a bit a Friestman said. A How Are the women marines adjusting How do you like the women marines How do they like it if it was some other Marine no one would be asking  sgt. Michael Rodrigues 23, of Fullerton Calif., said the introduction of women into the Moscow Complex makes life More difficult. A because its such a closed Community Here there a supposed to be a special bonding a he said. A but its easier to go out with a male Marine. It makes it harder for them the women to res amps Ken George Marine cps. Heather Noland left and Michelle Uhrich walk to the . Embassy in Moscow. Laic with other  Friestman said a if i go out with a woman Marine five nights a week they re not just going to say a they re just Good  in a sense they the women May be alienated for that but from a professional standpoint they get All the respect they  Hughes the gunnery sergeant said the women a presence will take some getting used to. A once a female comes into the realm of that which was predominantly male there a some newness there and Basic gender things you have to get Over a he said. But the women will be treated no differently he said. �?o1 done to think it comes Down to male or female. Just do your Job a he said. The marines agreed that while a Moscow assignment May be frosting on their careers its no piece of cake. Unlike most Security Post assignments that last 15 months marines spend Only 12 months in Moscow. None of the marines can relate cloak and Dagger talks of being approached by russians but they realize they Are potential targets. A your haircuts give us away in a heartbeat a Britland said. They look at us and say a american.  a that sat least one problem the women wont have to Deal with. Ferry collides with Tanker killing at least 87 is Racha Thailand a a ferry rations were to resume today. Co had been Humma China / is Racha Thailand a a ferry jammed with religious pilgrims collided with a Small Oil Tanker off Thailand a Southeastern coast Early sunday and at least 87 people drowned Marine police officers said. Maj. Gen. Sathit Chalerm Suk said that another 23 were saved before Rescue operations were called off at Nightfall. It was the worst ferry disaster in recent thai history. Earlier Channel 7 thai television quoted the ministry of Interior As saying 130 bodies had been recovered but the ministry later revised the number to 87. Survivors said the ferry was split in half and Sank while Many of the passengers were asleep. They said a Large number of passengers were trapped in the Glass enclosed lower deck of the two deck ferry. Chalerm Suk estimated the ferry May have carried 140 passengers. Rescue operations were to resume today police said the ferry Cut directly in front of the tankers Bow and was struck broadside by the vessel which was carrying Oil from a refinery in is Racha to Bangkok. Divers helicopters and More than 10 thai Navy and Marine police vessels joined in Rescue operations in the Gulf of Thailand. Survivors were being treated at hospitals in is Racha while bodies retrieved from the Gulf were taken to a Buddhist Temple. Police said the collision occurred at 6 20 . Saturday but earlier reported that the ferry was travelling from the Island to the Mainland at the time. Is Racha is about about Ivi Miles from the Island of is Chang and 50 Miles Southeast of Bangkok. The ferry owned by the Nava Prathip co., had been chartered by the tourists and was not on a regular run. The boat was making an Early run to the Island because Large numbers of pilgrims were expected there sunday. Preecha Petchul the thai Captain of the thai owned Tanker was detained by police for questioning and barred from meeting with reporters. Marine police said the ferry Captain was missing. A thai reporter in is Racha quoted a survivor As saying that the Tanker flashed several lights to warn of its approach but that the ferry did not respond. Periodic ferry accidents occur in thai coastal Waters where ferries Are a common form of transport. I Erries to offshore resort islands Are popular with thai and foreign tourists. In the past authorities have charged that some ferry operators were overloading their vessels running risks of accidents. Thailand \ Vietnam Philippines Indian Ocean is Chang. Stand \ site of ferry sinking Mal Ayala Indonesia aps amps