European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pentagon chief operator has heard it All m or a a a. In a a ii. Quot a Marian Bailey has pushed Dod buttons for five decades by Charles w. Hall the Washington Post Marian Bailey has been married if you will to her Pentagon Job for 50 years. She thought the courtship would be a Brief one when she arrived in Washington from her Nebraska Home in Early 1942, ready to do her bit to help her country in time of War. But she stayed on one anniversary fading into another until she became the chief Button Pusher on the Pentagon s switchboard. Defense department operator no. 1. In february Bailey was pinned by Secretary of the army . Stone commemorating her 50 years of service. Quot he said my wife and i just celebrated our 40th anniversary a Quot Bailey recalled. Quot i said the had my 50th anniversary with a five sided building Quot in truth the building Wasny to even finished when Bailey took up her calling. And now of the Pentagon a 24,000 employees she is the Only one who was there from the get go. A i guess its just kind of unusual to stay in one place so Long Quot the 70-year-old Riverdale md., resident said. Quot the Pentagon is just part of me. In be never had any  Quot she takes a lot of Pride that she came Here so Many years ago Quot said Michael Newton director of the defense telecommunications service s Washington division which oversees the Pentagon switchboard. Quot this has been her life. And the people she works with those Are her  Bailey went to Washington figuring to stay less than a year but she caught Potomac fever. Before 1942 was Over her Mother and her sister moved there too and the three of them bought the House where Bailey still lives. Quot we just never thought of going Back Quot she  action line Here a the latest word on Gulf War medals it my questions involve awards ribbons medals Etc for participation in operations desert shield storm. In my Case i served with the 24th inf dives fort Stewart a 3rd in 41st Field arty in saudi Arabia and Iraq from August 1990 to March 1991.1 know we have been awarded the National defense medal and Southwest Asia service medal with two Bronze service stars. Now we have been authorized the Quot liberation of Kuwait Quot medal. Are orders required or is it awarded based on time served there what additional awards have been made rumours Are of the following armed forces achievement medal armed forces expeditionary medal humanitarian services medal multinational forces observers medal. There is also Quot talk Quot about a saudi government medal similar to Kuwait a medal. Can you give us the Quot real Deal Quot on what is authorized also How would i officially be notified that my last unit May or May not have been awarded a unit award in a sure i am not the Only Soldier interested in this topic. It would be Nice to the have the class a uniform squared away and my official records too. Sgt. Michael q. High Hanau Germany be Jeff Welty action officer office of the Deputy chief of staff personnel rep Lea Happy to provide you a summary of military awards authorized for operations in Southwest Asia. The National defense service medal was re instituted for All . Military personnel serving on Active duty after aug. 2, 1990, whether or not they served in Southwest Asia. No termination Date for the medal has yet been approved. On the other hand the Southwest Asia service medal is awarded to Only those . Military personnel who when Bailey arrived in town living at a women a boarding House the Pentagon was being built around the clock one Section at a time. There were no sidewalks so employees walked on boards to keep their feet dry As they entered and left the building. They were known As Quot Plank walkers Quot according to Alfred Goldberg historian for the office of the Secretary of defense. And the Pentagon situated in a Remote marshy area reached by a new and confusing Road system was known by Many As the  Quot we had to show the bus Drivers How to get there. They did no to know where it was Quot Bailey recalled. In the Spring of 1942 she and other employees began training the first of 300 Telephone operators on what was then Quot the largest switchboard in the largest office building in the world. I was so Busy i did no to even see the Capitol building for three  when the switchboard opened in september 1942, Quot it really was the eighth wonder of the world Quot recalled Bailey who wears a Pentagon shaped ring on her left hand. Dignitaries were brought in to tour the facility and Secretary of War Henry l. Stimson often dropped by. Time and technology have reduced the operation s scope. Where operators once had to put through every Call personally today most Calls Are dialled directly through computers. Bailey supervises a staff of about 60, who mostly provide directory assistance. But she remains a Well known and visible presence at the Pentagon. An avid golfer she wheels through the ringed corridors in a Golf cart. She has two one of which has been customized with flags and a Siren. Bailey s office is a museum of on the Job changes she has witnessed. Quot i have every Headset Ever used in this office Quot she said and seven working telephones representing different eras in Telephone history. Through it All the switchboard has never gone a staffed. In the 1950s, when a civil defense Drill required a near Complete evacuation of the Pentagon Quot a few of my supervisors and i stayed and we kept it  during blizzards Bailey has crossed the 14th Street Bridge Over served in Southwest Asia. Up to three Bronze service stars can be worn on the service ribbon for each Campaign in which the service member served in Southwest Asia. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff has designated three campaigns. The first is the Quot defense of saudi Arabia Quot aug. 2,1990, to Jan. 16, 1991 the second is Quot liberation and defense of Kuwait Quot Jan. 17,1991, to april 11,1991 the third and final Campaign titled Quot Southwest Asia cease fire Quot commenced april 12,1991, and continues to the Date of a presidential proclamation terminating the persian Gulf conflict. Personnel who served in operation provide Comfort after april 12,1991, Are eligible for one Campaign Star third Campaign. In regard to your questions about the Kuwait liberation medal the department of defense recently accepted an offer from the government of saudi Arabia to award its Kuwait liberation medal to men and women of the . Armed forces who directly participated in operation desert storm. To qualify personnel must have been in the War zone Between Jan. 17,1991, and feb. 28,1991. The Kuwait liberation medal is a foreign award and orders Are not required. A similar medal from the government of Kuwait is pending at departmental level. I have no information about an armed forces achievement medal. There is an army achievement medal. But this medal is not awarded for combat related activities in the theater of operations since it is a peacetime award. Neither the armed forces expeditionary medal nor the multinational Force observers medal Are authorized for operations desert shield desert storm or provide Comfort. The department of defense approved the humanitarian service medal for . Military personnel who directly participated in operation provide Comfort from april 5, 1991, to june 14, 1991. Other recommendations for the humanitarian service medal were submitted to recognize personnel who provided humanitarian assistance to refugees in Kuwait and Iraq when offensive operations ended there. However the recommendations were not favourably considered at major command level because they would duplicate the recognition provided by another Campaign Southwest in Gljo the Washington Post Marian Baujay Tours tha Pentagon in a Golf cart. The Potomac River on foot to get to her Post. She had chances to leave for other jobs including an Opportunity to Start the switchboard at the Central intelligence Agency she said. But she never had a hankering to move and said she still does t. Any retirement plans Are on hold. Quot its kept me awful Busy. I have sex employees the world Over Quot she said. Quot i have retired Many Many people and worked for six directors. It s just been a very interesting  Asia cease fire Campaign recently established by the chairman of the joint chiefs 6f staff for the Southwest Asia service medal. You say that your last unit May have been awarded a unit decoration and asked How Are you notified about the award. We talked to department of the army officials and they said they have no record of your last unit 3rd in 41 St Field arty receiving an award. Unit commanders usually notify personnel in their unit when they Are entitled to Wear the insignia or Emblem for the unit decoration. But it is difficult to notify the personnel who depart the unit for other assignments before the award is presented. The Best Way to find out if your last unit received an award is to Contact someone in the unit. If the unit was presented an award ask for a copy of the orders and citation. If the unit inactivated documentation might be found in the unit s organizational history file. You need this documentation before your personnel officer can make a unit award entry on your personnel record. We congratulate you and All the men and women who served in Southwest Asia and contributed to the Victory in the persian Gulf War. Many of you have also been recommended for other wartime awards a for example air medals Bronze stars purple hearts Silver stars and army commendation medals. For More information about awards of All types whether for valor service or achievement i recommend you Contact your personnel  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about Fife overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit29480, Apo a 09211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes Friday May 8, 1992