European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Up cd s t \ Way trapped a civilians a evacuated from dynamic Impact fighting a Marine stands guard at the evacuation Camp during the first Day of the exercise. By sue Palumbo Mediterranean Bureau t he Quot evacuees Quot were dropped off in the Middle of nowhere and told to Quot walk  backpacks and duffle bags Slung Over their. Shoulders some walked for Miles others for a few Yards before reaching the nearest nato Safe Haven. They represented most of the 11 countries participating in nato s first joint non combatant evacuation operation exercise the operation was part of the dynamic Impact 94 exercise held at an italian military base at Capo Eulada on the Island of Sardinia. A. Quot in this Region the most probable Mission is an evacuation operation a Neo Quot said it. Col. Butch Preston executive officer of the 24th Marine expeditionary unit. Quot it is important that we get All of our procedures Down in a unified Effort with ail the other countries so if we do go into a country with lots of different populations at least procedurally we get everyone processed and into a Safe area without Tumoine into each . A. In the most recent example ., French and belgians amps photos by sue Palumbo military evacuated several Hundred foreigners from Rwanda last month during heavy fighting there. Many nations have been doing civilian evacuation drills for years Preston explained but with the heightened involvement of the United nations and nato dynamic Impact 94 officials wanted to develop a Standar evacuation procedure. The scenario called for nato representatives to go into the troubled area of Capo Eulada and Rescue the Quot multinational population Quot a played by mainly nato personnel a from the Quot aggressor Brown  Quot this kind of thing is happening All Over Quot said Chi Patrick Smith of the 24tfi expeditionary unit which was the last group of marines to leave Somalia. Quot things Are going in the Crapper All Over the world and they the United nations needs people like us to go in arid help people get out. We  Marines have this Down Pat but it s different when you re working with other countries who May have different  armed with fake passports and a sketchy script some evacuees walked to the evacuation stations while others had to be found. Evacuees with a myriad problems were scattered throughout the group. Some were injured a few were married to someone of a different nationality and others were less than cooperative. Exercise planners also inserted a few of the Quot enemy Quot among the evacuees. Rescuers and evacuees tried speaking but often resorted to Pant miming to communicate. One frustrated Frenchman unable to find his country s station trudged from group to group until he gave up and began flagging Down civilians on a nearby Road. . Marines arrived hours Lateran gathered him into their fold along with about 30 others from the United kingdom Ireland Italy and Spain. None of the evacuees who made it to the  And Spanish station had american passports. /. A after the american and Spanish processors took names and searched their guests each was Given a meal on the. . Military. One slightly disgruntled but hungry irishman said he was surprised the american Field rations were worse than his own. At least he had hot Tea he said. An italian who had been issued a pet dog a paper bag with a rope tied around it asked in halting English if his rations were meant for his companion. But most were just Happy to have food and shelter. In other Camps some refugees were moved several times. Through the night and a few found their accommodations less than comfortable. Camping equipment was not the same at ail Camps. Some had cots and huge tents others had to do with barely adequate tents Only. Quot i was sure glad i ended up in the american Camp Quot said British evacuee Kathy Hodges who had been issued a Pillow and told to pretend she was pregnant. Quot they still weren t quite sure what to do with me but at least i could understand  a a a. \ a Hodges who was transported everywhere on a a Stretcher was one of the first to be flown out to a nearby ship. After they were processed at the first evacuation station evacuees went on to the main processing Point where they were sent to the waiting ships. Planners did their Best to hit rescuers with every conceivable problem they might encounter during a real Neo but Many of the surprises weren t planned. Scorching heat the first Day and drenching rain the next took its toll on everybody. Some countries found their communications equipment was t compatible others had to revamp their entire evacuation procedures. Officials called the operation a Success a not in spite of its problems but because of them. Planners said their main goal was to expose everyone to the potential problems and show them How to work through them. Quot there were parts of this exercise that were a setup said Marine staff sgt. John Costa Quot we usually just go in and get pm evacuees out without All this extra. Putting up tents. In the real thing we d have flown All night. But if a situation like this Ever came up the Guys would know How to handle it and look Good  marines prepare for arrival of evacuees by setting up tents and cots. Below an Uncertain civilian examines part of his mean ready to eat. Aji "injured7 civilian can barely hide his smile As he is carried into Camp. A Marine keeps watch Over an evacuee As he awaits medical help. The Battle for Capo Eulada f.0 Costa standing Middle outlines plans Tor the civilians portraying evacuees. They landed at Dawn. Barely visible through the Early morning Mist  And Spanish ships sent wave after wave of marines tanks and heavy equipment to take the tiny Beach. Helicopters buzzed overhead while several ships were anchored ominously a few Miles offshore. A mile away similar beaches were being taken by military forces from Italy France Greece and United kingdom there was no one there to Greet them but the berating Blue forces knew the enemy Lay in wait close by. For three Days the multinational Blue and Brown forces would play cat and mouse throughout the training Camp at Capo Eulada Sardinia As the nato sponsored exercise dynamic Impact 94 completed its final phase earlier this month. The terrain is Ideal for us although we Are going to be overwhelmed Quot said capt. Mike Grant chief of staff of the United kingdom s 5th airborne brigade. Quot it gives us a great Chance to operate at the platoon Section company level and do some actual Low Tevel terrain tactics. The terrain is certainly in our advantage. The combat part is  rangers and the italian armoured battalion of the 1st regt of Capo Eulada made up the rest of the Brown forces. A. The exercise scenario called for the Blue team to conduct amphibious assaults simultaneously on several beaches against the Brown. Most of the friendlies had the stars and stripes been evacuated the Day before by the Blue team. In an uncharacteristic move the  Marines waited while the Spanish marines hit the Beach first. The americans followed with huge tanks and quickly moved out across the Island. A few stayed behind to set up a base Camp for the three Day operation. A Quot it s real Quot said Marine staff sgt. Matt Hayes from he 24th Marine expeditionary unit Quot every time we go in we do it like we re going to . Gunfire a Blanks a could be heard from the Hills As the Blue forces made their first contacts with the Brown. Men in White armbands kept close to both teams to determine which had the Victory. Three  Marines were declared Quot dead Quot and sent Back to Camp after Brown forces surrounded them and opened fire. Unwilling to give up the three tried to convince exercise judges that bide helicopters had taken out their attackers earlier in the Day. Despite this temporary setback the blues relentlessly pushed the Browns Back until they had to admit defeat. Quot coordination is what s important Quot said Marine staff sgt. John Costa. Quot everything we do now is with other nato countries so we have to train together. We learn their equipment they learn ours. Even our mines have nato symbols. The Way things Are today we can t afford not  a sue Palumbo wednesday a 25, 1994 the stars and stripes