European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 18, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Boselager la the regiments european Swan song. For 2d car remnants of draw Down depleted regiment pull together for a final Mission by Ron Jensen Nurnberg Bureau these should be Gravy Days for the 2nd army Cav regt. These Are the Days when the regiment packs its bags turns off the lights and prepares to say Quot auf Wiede Sehen Quot to Europe. The regiment which has been on continuous duty in Germany since 1944, is to pull out in a few weeks. Lower the Flag one last time give a final Salute and then Board a plane in july bound for fort Lewis Wash. Most of the soldiers already Are doing just that caverns used for years by the regiment Are emptying out quickly As soldiers move on to new assignments with now units but a handful Are still doing what cavalry soldiers do. Recently they were doing it at the training area near Wil Flecken Germany preparing for an International Competition of cavalry soldiers called Boselager. Two Bradley fighting vehicle Crews will represent the . Army in the Competition this week in August Dorf Germany. The regiment was preparing for its pullout late last year when word came Down that the 2nd army Cav regt would be the american entry in the every other year Competition. In the Middle of the draw Down came a new Mission Quot normally they a have hundreds of people show up to try out for this thing Quot says capt. Brick Miller the team chief. Quot we had. What Twenty six Quot Miller interviewed the volunteers accepting those who impressed him and sending the others Back to continue the draw Down shuffle a smoke bomb took the place of a real threat when the 2d army Cav rat trained for the ads eager Competition. Quot it was just a shot in the dark Quot he says. He was looking for intelligent soldiers with High test scores and physically fit soldiers with Good Marks on physical tests. Any history of disciplinary problems meant disqualification. Quot we did no to care what their mos was Quot he says referring to a soldiers military occupational specially. So Miller has quartermaster soldiers Drivers a communication specialist and even a cobra platoon Leader. There also is a russian linguist in the Back of one of those Bradley spec. William Adams. Quot i like to do a lot of different things Quot says Adams of the 502nd military Intel co. Quot i get bored after about a year and this is something m l. Guys Don t get to do too often. Quot my exposure to tactical combat units is almost none this gives me an Opportunity to see what front line troops do Quot Miller Points out that Boselager training Means moving to Merrell Barracks the regiments Headquarters in Nurnberg putting the personal move on hold and if married saying Farewell to the spouse for a few months. Quot this is for All intents and purposes another separation. We Tram six Days a week Quot says Miller. Quot you had to really want to do this to come out and do this Quot he says Quot we re always  one member of the support team is Chi. Jude Loupe who is in charge of communications Supply and Quot anything else they can think  he has orders for fort Hood Texas. 2d it. John Elliott left goal Over the Day s Mission while perched on the rear door of his Bradley at the Wil Flecken training area. All eyes Are on the map during a Boselager strategy session. Quot i had a transportation appointment last week Quot he says. Quot my wife is sitting in an empty apartment with a to and a Var. Quot she hates this. But she knows what i like to do. She backs me 100 percent. She s a Strong woman. Ii she was t so Strong i would t have  his reason for volunteering he wanted to help the regiment bid a Farewell to Europe by Quot going out with a  this is no easy assignment no soft respite from the Drudgery of cleaning Barracks and packing household goods Miller says physical training began in january with eight mile runs three Days a week. On three other Days the soldiers spent three hours in the weight room Quot we just started pushing them it every Day. For hours Quot he says. It is All to Tram them for a grueling week Long Competition in which they we compete in seven categories against Cav units from other nato countries. Each learn competes in mounted reconnaissance Aerial reconnaissance skill driving obstacle course Maneu vers night orienteering identification of enemy troops vehicles and weapons and marksmanship with m16s some of that is quite demanding. For example the night orienteering requires soldiers to move from Point a to Point b Lmh Only a map fragment to guide them. Quot they re doing great. They re doing so  better than before Quot says Miller. That a the fun thing for me it s almost Mitless the things hey can  while All this is going on the regiment facing a july 15 deadline to be out of a Many i he Boselager team has the last four idlers in the  says it col. This Bradley fighting vehicle on the Range at Wil Flecken Germany is one of Only four left in the regiment. The unit moves to the states in july. 2nd it. John Elliott a Bradley Crew Leader searches for potential threats. Roger Jones. The rest have been put in storage or handed Over to other units. Two Days after the team returns from Competition those Bradley will be cleaned and passed along. A this is the last training Mission of the regiment Quot says Jones. Quot the boys Are fired up. Their intent is to win the last training Competition for the regiment the is our last cavalry  for 2nd it John Elliott the training gives him a Chance to Trade his seat aboard a cobra helicopter for one on a Bradley where he is a patrol Leader Quot the branches can hit you in the face in this one Quot he says comparing a cobra and a Bradley. As the Competition approaches Elliott expressed Confidence in the 2nd army Cav regt s chances to win Quot each country will have people there who can do  he says Quot but you be gut to do  capt. Brick Miller la chief of the regiment s a Dallager team. Spec. William Adame med to jump from a window to escape a birthday spanking but was dragged Back. A amps photos by Ron Jensen Page 14 b the stars and stripes monday May 18, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 15