European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Kurdish refugees seek More Comfort on eve of Winter s Winter approaches Northern Iraq threatening 750,000 displaced kurd operation provide Comfort members continue monitoring the refugees re settlement and patrolling the sky Over head to assure their Security. The operation has evolved from survival to Suste Nance to resettlement . Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Pilkington said. Pilkington s Headquarters is at in Ciurlik a outside Adana in South Central Turkey where most of the operation s 1,700 personnel Are based. Provide Comfort a coalition Effort that Pilkington co commands began april 5,1991, when iraqi kurd fearing retaliation after a failed rebellion against Saddam Hussein fled to the mountains of Southern Turkey. The operation s first phase consisted of Airdrop Ping food and supplies to the More than half million refugees. By june 1991, coalition troops had returned virtually nil the refugees to Iraq. Since then provide Comfort s efforts have been concentrated on operations intended to ensure Security and stability for the people of Northern Iraq and enforcing a no Fly zone North of the 36th parallel. The combined task Force is the executive Agency for funds designated by Congress for humanitarian Relief said . Air Force col. Martin Dooley pro vide Comfort s logistics director. In anticipation of Winter members of the opera Tion s combined task Force arc helping charitable organizations operating in Northern Iraq to acquire and store such supplies As fuel for heating and Cook ing wheat sugar and legumes Dooley said. As the weather becomes colder housing will be increasingly important. The task Force provided funds to the organization Caritas and assisted in obtaining building materials for the construction of about 10,000 new Homes for refugees. Protecting the people of Northern Iraq while they rebuild their lives Are More than 70 ., British French and turkish aircraft that routinely deploy to 1 s4s Gary Mitler to reach Avene in Northern Iraq coordination enter members have to use a log Bridge. Inc Riik. The aircraft Fly several do in armed recon Naissance missions in the no Fly zone daily. Even though Hussein s air Force flies about the same number of missions his pilots avoid crossing the 36th parallel said the task Force s intelligence director . Air Force col. David Piirto. Art iraqi Jet fighter tested coalition resolve to enforce the no Fly zone Jan. 17 when it flew two Miles North of the parallel. A . F-16 shot it Down. Rules of engagement for coalition aircraft Are Clear Cut said Pilkington who explained that iraqi arc Sion is met with Swift retaliation. Gary Miller and sue Palumbo Giuseppe la Bella a couple of airmen provide soccer help too even though the United states will hos the 1994 world cup soccer known everywhere else on the planet As football is hardly America s National pastime. And the rest of the world knows it. That s Why turks at in Ciurlik a were hesitant when two . Airmen assigned to operation pro vide Comfort asked to play on their teams. American people like their football said Bahri Oak anon sponsor and Goa lie of the team that first invited the two sergeants to play. We were surprised that they can play our football too said of Skanen who also owns a Frame and pos Ter shop at in Ciurlik Village just outside the air base. Acceptance replaced sur prise when tech. Sgt. Giu Seppe la Bella and staff sgt. Kenneth Hack prove they could keep up with of Kancen and his  look at us totally different now. If we play soc cer we re family la Bella said of the turkish play ers. I enjoy playing and being part of the  their teammates have invited them to their Homes for dinner and shown la Bella and Hack the High lights of the area. Local teams such As Oak anon a consist of five players and a goalie who play on half sized Fields. There Are about 40 such Fjeld dispersed through out Adana Turkey s fourth largest City. Adana is Les than 10 Miles from in Ciurlik a. La Bella is chief of morale welfare and recreation for the provide Comfort tent City at in Ciurlik. Hack Isth mar operations sergeant. Both grew up playing soccer. La Bella s family is sicilian. His first 12 years were in Caracas Venezuela. Then he moved to the United states. He was a member of the soccer team at Raf Ben Waters England. He reported for Tempo Rary duty at in Ciurlik from his permanent duty station Raf Mildenhall. England. Hack is at in Ciurlik on temporary duty from Ramstein a Germany. His father spent 33 years in the air Force and his Mother is from Barcelona Spain. He was a member of the1987 All air Force soccer team. Joe la Bella is a Good stopper. Ken has a Good left foot and his technique is really Good said of Skanen who added that there Are plenty of local players he could invite to play with his team. Since the two airmen joined of Skanen s team three other teams have also Kenneth Hacks a Gary Miller this Home destroyed by iraqi troops looks Good compared to most razed by Saddam Hussein s soldiers. Invited them to play. Their nationality however caused concern with one team. We had to sit Down and have a interview with one of the team s sponsors la Bella said. The sponsor. Hack explained asked the two serv in members such questions As where they had played before what positions and if they could dribble with both feet. As soon As i said my Mother s from Barcelona i was in said Hack who explained it would be the same for a Turk trying to play basketball in  Gary Miller Page 6 sunday november 14, 1993