European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes wednesday april 15, 1992 military Soldier gets hero s medal for apprehending gunman by Ron Mckinney staff writer an army sergeant at Wiesbaden a Germany has been awarded the soldiers medal for disarming a gunman at a train station. Sgt. William pastor Cotto an air traffic control electronics technician with the 3rd in 58th aviation regt received the medal last month. The medal is the highest peacetime award for soldiers and is Given to those who voluntarily risk their lives. Pastor Cotto 29, went to the Wiesbaden train station about 10 . Or nov. 9, 1990, to pick up his sister in Law. He was accompanied by a Friend sgt. Victor Rodriguez. While waiting for her the soldiers were approached by a Man whom they believed asked them for Money. They told him they had none. About 10 minutes later pastor Cotto saw two women who appeared to be upset with the Man. The women walked away from him toward a train. Pastor Cotto the Man standing about two Yards from pastor Cotto pulled a pistol. After fumbling with the Magazine he pointed the gun at the women and cocked the safety. A we both looked at each other. You know that look a that look was to a get ready because this is going to get Nasty a a said Rodriguez 24, a computer repairman with the 14th Maint co at Camp Pieri in Wiesbaden. A a it a not like i planned exactly what i was going to do so the first thing i did was go towards him a pastor Cotto said. A i moved pretty Quick because i guess i was scared. It was All pure  pastor Cotto who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds said he twisted the smaller gunman a wrist and then flipped him. The 10-year army Veteran pulled the Many sarm up his Back and held Nim on the ground As the gunman struggled to free himself a after i took him Down he knew what was going on and he wanted to get up a pastor Cotto said. While pastor Cotto was wrestling the gunman Rodriguez disarmed him. A this happened fast a three five seconds a said Rodriguez. A the germans got scared. Everyone in the Bohnhof train station just started running away. Some people even screamed. Holding the gun and Magazine separately Rodriguez ran to the Tram stations police station. He then led German police to where pastor Cotto was holding the Man. A when the Polisei police came they were going to cuff me a pastor Cotto said. A i said a no no the other Guy a Quot pastor Cotto said they found out later that the Man had robbed someone earlier that Day at another train station. The two americans received a letter of thanks from the railway police desk sergeant that read in part a due to the courageous interference of these two . Soldiers a crime was prevented and a criminal offender was  the commander of Rodriguez a unit has submitted a request to have him awarded a soldiers medal too. Pastor Cotto never found his sister in Law at the train station. She had apparently arrived on an earlier train and was at Home with pastor Cottons wife. When they walked into the apartment the sister in Law asked where they had been and told them they had better have a Good Story. Pastor Cotto and Rodriguez looked at each other and chuckled. Specialist s talents fill friends with laughter cuban cuisine by Kevin Robinson staff writer Darmstadt Germany a Tony Fajardo wants to be his generations next talk show phenom a a future Arsenio Hall or Johnny Carson. Of course with this cuban americans talents he could probably be called the laughing gourmet. Army spec. Fajardo 22, is an administrative specialist assigned to a Btry 10th air defense arty brigade at Ernst Ludwig Cavern in Darmstadt. But in Between Leto making people laugh. I like giving people a Good moment in their Day a spec. Tony Fajardo defense arty brigade a a he a funny. He does it All the Lime imitating people a said pfc. Jane Talbott. A a great sense of humor. He a Happy go Lucky a said sgt. Mark Byrd. A fun Loving. Very funny a said spec. Michael Bell. Fajardo began his performing career doing to commercial voice overs while working for an acting Agency in his native Miami. Later he did a few stand up comedy routines in Miami clubs. A the owner of one of the clubs told me that for my first time on stage 1 was one of the Best head Ever seen a Fajardo said. Around his unit Fajardo also has a reputation for cooking up tasty cuban cuisine. His top dishes Are fricas6 de polio Chicken fricassee and Vaca Frita Fried beef with Rice and Green bananas. Quot i started cooking when i was 15, because my Mother worked in the evening a Fajardo said. �?o1 would get so hungry that id Call her at work get the recipe of a dish Over the phone and have it ready by the time she came Home from  Fajardo a cooking talents earned him $100 last december when he finished second in a Turkey cooking contest held at Ernst Ludwig Cavern. But being a chef does no to figure into Fajardo a future. When he leaves the army in november 1993, he wants to go to College in Miami and become a broadcaster. A a in a like to do broadcast news like Ted Koppel or Tom Brokaw a he said a and later have my own talk  Fajardo admires comedians Robin Williams because of Williams rapid fire humor and Eddie Murphy because Murphy and he both came from poor neighbourhoods. Fajardo said he joined the army 2 i years ago to earn Money for College. He tried to keep his jokes to himself but the punch lines started Early. A when i was in and Fajardo Vance training at fort Jackson s.c., i was in the audience at a Talent show a Fajardo said. A my friends had volunteered me As a contestant without me knowing it. My name was announced and i had to perform. From that Day my Drill sergeants always had people and cracking jokes. A i like making people laugh a he said. �?o1 like giving people a Good moment in their Day.�?�8 cos inducted into sgt. Morales in Mediterranean Vicenza Italy a six non commissioned officers from the Southern european task Force were inducted into usage urn a sgt. Morales club at a ceremony at Caserma Ederle. Two others stationed in Mediterranean countries were also inducted into the club. The sgt. Morales club was established in 1973 by it. Gen. George s. Blanchard then Vii corps commander to recognize non commissioned officers who demonstrate the highest Quality of leadership professionalism and regard for the welfare of their soldiers. The clubs first selection Board convened nov. 19, 1973. The . Army Europe adopted the program throughout the command in 1975. Those inducted Are staff sgt. Marye. Bell staff sgt. Anthony e. Carter sgt. Jeffery d. Mack staff sgt. Craig d. Osblom sgt. Jesus m. Ruiz sgt. Ulah c. Sent staff sgt. Steven 0. Sheets sgt. 1st class Shelby Watson . Army element joint Galson det Izmir Turkey 19th army Field arty det 558th army arty group pert Volaski Greece 167th signal co Vicenza 69th ordnance det Longare Italy b co 3/25 airborne combat in team Vicenza b co., 3/25 airborne combat in team Vicenza t2th army Field arty det 559th army arty group Derzo Italy 6th aviation det Vicenza me imitating officers to be considered for new acquisition corps Washington a an army personnel Board will begin reviewing the records of All majors and captains holding jobs in contract and Industrial management. The Board Aims to convert some officers to the acquisition corps which will be instituted at a later Date. Board members intend to conduct proceedings from monday to wednesday next week. Board members will review officer record briefs for experience military and civilian education and projected and current assignments. Officers should review their records and Send corrections to president fa97 ivc Board attn tape Ope 200 Stoval st., Alexandria a. 22332-0411. Letters must arrive by monday. Those who done to want to be in the new corps should write to sap Rescom attn tape Ope at the same address. Board results will be mailed to eligible officers. Appeals to negative decisions must be received by june 5. Promo table majors through colonels in functional area 97 were boarded in March. Their appeals must reach the army personnel come by  commander in charge of Airlift group at Ramstein Ramstein a Germany a col. William d. Cummings has assumed command of the 608th military Airlift group at Ramstein a. Cummings replaced col. James Murphy following a ceremony april 2. Murphy has been reassigned to Scott fab 111. Cummings took command of the 608th a Day after the inactivation the 322nd Airlift div. Cummings had been the 322nd�?Ts vice commander since his arrival at Ramstein a year ago. The group s new commander is a career Pilot and a Veteran of the Vietnam War. Cummings has worked at air Force Headquarters As a program staff officer and at military Airlift come Headquarters at Scott fab where most recently he was the assistant Deputy chief of staff. The 608th�?Ts responsibilities have grown As Well. The 608thynow oversees the 628th military Airlift support so at in Ciurlik a  of broadcaster named Kelly fab Texas a a broadcaster in Vicenza Italy is the 1991 air Force broadcast journalist of the year according to the air Force news service. Senior airman Lori a. Singer is the music director for the Southern european broadcast services radio station Power 106. In addition to plaques from the air Force the noncommissioned officers association and the armed forces broadcast association Singer received $100, the Book wings a $100 savings Bond a pen and one year memberships in the air Force sergeants association and the armed forces broadcasters association