European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 23, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Real food for thought in this army life Eal men do cat quiche. Real men eat what they re Given says 21-year old spec. Christopher Ger big who stands 6 feet 4 inches and tops Zio pounds. The army taught him that. Along with discipline selflessness and honesty doing what he is told is the lesson he has Learned since he joined three years ago. Honestly yeah i had a lot of second thoughts said Gerbig a 1st army div gunner in Baum older Germany. When he hit Basic training at fort Ben Ning ga., he realized that he had regrets. Going from his Mexico n.y., High school to working with what he called military professionals was a big jump. " he counts himself among Many other privates they re coming straight out of the House where mom took care of Gerbig echoing the View of Many recruits said Basic discipline i think is what i was missing a Little bit and it was kind of hard letting it soak his platoon sergeant taught him How. I basically hated him for quite a while. He was hard and strict. But he taught me How to make things easier for myself by just doing my Job doing what i was told taking a Little extra step and doing things to the Best of my ability. He set me on the straight path. I kind of had a negative attitude he conceded. It followed him to his first duty station at fort Polk la. No official reprimands but he remembers a lot of extra worker training. In his Case it equated room cleaning everything from baseboards to pipes under sinks. I was t the Model Soldier said Gerbig. The scrubbing taught him attention to detail something that could mean not Only his safety but also the Safe of Fifik Fiat affix spec. Christopher Gerbig in Baum older Germany where he says of Battle that s exactly what my Job to of those around him. Now when he fits his Man sized Frame into his Bradley fighting vehicle it is his responsibility to see that All is in order. Inspections. Maintenance. Checklists. The army has been Good for him he says. I be got a family now pay s not bad and i be been Able to there s nothing like it said Gerbig an 11-Mike gunner who admits the Job he liked Best was 11 Bravo the army code for the infantryman the sol Dier s Soldier who walks in the muck and sometimes into the line of fire. Is Battle a part of his Job that s exactly what my Job is he says without hesitation. But he flinches at the word Warrior which he associates with pillage and Burn types. His View sol Diers Are not warriors. They Are skilled and trained professionals who Are just As Likely to be called upon to perform a humanitarian Mission. That could be in the mountains of former Yugoslavia in the deserts of Africa or along the flooded riverbanks of Ger Many. "-.-. For now his goal is to hit wooden cutouts on the army s firing ranges at Grafen Wihr Germany tar gets at better than 2,500 Yards in the dark. Said Gerbig we re ready to do what we re Effi Bathen fulfilled As a real dad by sue Palumbo Mediterranean Bureau today s real Man is a family Man Accord ing to sgt. 1st class Leland Woerner theman of the 90s should be Strong willed honest caring disciplined and possess common sense. He says the True measure of a real Man is his children. The most important thing to me is making sure my children grow up to stand on their own using common sense and a healthy sense of respect Woerner says. I do be Lieve respect goes both living up to those expectations in t easy Woerner says because parents no longer have carte Blanche on How to bring up their own children. Be sides competing with the to image of wha life should be parents Are also easy targets for every welfare Agency or do gooder looking to make a name for himself. When i was growing up it Only took once for my Mother to Tell me to go out Back and get a switch from the Willow tree Woerner says. Now All you have to do is threaten and children Are running to someone saying they Are being mistreated. Discipline is something that should be taught when a child is Young. I would never have dreamed of talking to my parents the Way kids do a former military Drill sergeant Woerner is stationed with the army element of the Allied forces Southern Europe he at Naples Italy. He spends a lot of time with his children helping them with schoolwork and going with them on school trips. He says those Are things his father did t have As much time to do. It was different then. Dad worked and mom took care of the House and anything to do with kids you knew he was there if you needed him but you did t spend the time with him that parents need to today. Of course he did t have 50 channels on Cable to compete with Woerner does t believe the old stereotypes Over the Man s role and woman s role. He says it is just As important for his two daughters to learn to stand up for themselves and believe in what they can do As itis for his son. He says did t even flinch when his son played barbies with his Sisters adding of course hell grow out of Woerner who regularly takes his family camping and to play sports acknowledges he likes to spend time with the he is an avid softball player and admits he is More obnoxious loud and even rude out on the Field. It s a break from the stress and tension of the Day Woerner says. You get out there on the Field and there is nothing but you and the stress you and the other Guys put on Page 6 sunday january 23,1994
