European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 18, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 3 at mom s eases of Croatia duly a Story and photos by Wayne v. Hall staff writer Troger Croatia a service members serving in foreign countries in times of crisis have always sought ways to make themselves feel closer to Home. And that a True for a dozen . Airmen supporting . Humanitarian Airlift operations at the International Airport in split they be been taken under the Wing of a mom a their croatian Hotelier in nearby Troger. American service members have been staying at a pm oms a place a As they affectionately Call it on and off for nearly 20 months. A the first group of americans came Here dec. 24, 1992,�?� said mom a k a Ivanka Vukman. A they stayed Here for about five months and then went to Zagreb. About three months later the americans returned from Zagreb but it was a different group. The new group came Here to live after hearing about us from the previous group a the 4th Mobile Aerial port so out of Rhein main a Germany was the first contingent of . Airmen to work at the split Airport said capt. Scott Harbula who previously was assigned to that unit and who is in charge of the current team from the 438th Aerial port mobility flight at Mcguire fab . Initially the United nations put the . Contingent in a hotel Harbula said of his first tour in Croatia. A during our stay there about $1,000 Worth of equipment was stolen from some of the  some members of the group went out and found momus Harbula said. Groups rotate in and out but momus has become the Home of record for the air mobility teams. Vukman estimates that about 80 americans have been her sons the past few months. A i am a very Rich Mother a Vukman said. A i have no daughters but in a a Rich Mother a. / a a a a  a. A when they service members first came to the hotel they heard me Call her a Momy members or the 438th Aerial port mobility flight from Mcguire fab nj., relax with a game of dominoes while a pm oms a croatian Hotelier Ivanka Vukman background puts finishing touches on dinner at her establishment in Troger. And they picked up on it As Well a said her son Srecko Vukman 25. A they the americans Are Nice people and we Are like friends with every  a i like people and in be always been Nice to my guests a said Ivanka Vukman who a been in the hotel business for roughly 25 years five of which she has spent running her own hotel. She goes that extra mile to take care of her sons but their stay is not free. After All she runs a hotel and the men pay about $40 daily for their stay a but she does no to charge Ivanka Vukman a a pm oms to . Airmen former Yugoslavia a serves up a dish at split and the International Airport. Supporting . Humanitarian efforts in the her hotel in Troger Croatia which is near extra for the mothering. She opened Villa Ivanka just one year before War broke out in Croatia in 1991. Although peace has returned to their portion of the Region tourism has not. A the american guests Are different from tourists a she said. A they stay Here for three months and in three months you can go a Lon ways toward making  it has become a regular family affair although its not your everyday family. Its like a dozen grown men living at Home eating meals together after a hard Days work enjoying each others company joking Over dinner and reflecting on the Days events. Each morning Ivanka Vukman treads to the Market to pick up fresh fruits eggs or whatever else is needed to prepare breakfast All while her Quot sons still sleep. While they eat she takes extra special care of her boys by fixing sandwiches for their lunch. After breakfast while her sons Are at work Vukman makes her second trip to Market in this quaint centuries old Community along the Adriatic sea to get what she needs for dinner. Although they Are making the Best of their three month tour in what looks like a Palm treed Paradise the airmen note that their tour is far from a vacation. Harbula said that he and his group generally Load about 80 tons of humanitarian supplies onto planes each Day As Well As unload Between 80 and 100 tons from trucks. Vukman knows All too Well the demands that work puts on her sons. Its visible in the appetite they bring Home at Days end. A i never ate like this at Home a said airman 1st class David j. Voss. A a that a for sure a a being away from Home is Tough a said staff sgt. Darrell Lester. A when you get somewhere that a like Home its  the Guys even gave their a pm oms a special 45th birthday Celebration july 11, when they took her to split for dinner and of course a cake. Back at their Home station these men Are Only 12 of 100 people in their unit. But Lester feels that the Small group currently in Croatia has developed a True Bond. Their new found mom is always ready to lend a hand with whatever they May need airman Travis Owen gets a neck rub from Ivanka Vukman who serves As a surrogate mom to air Force personnel in Croatia. Be it word of Comfort or even affairs of the heart. As a result one of the airmen in her last group of sons no longer Calls her a mom Quot she said. A a when he first came he called me a mom a a she said. A after he met my Cousin and fell in love with her he began calling me  a her current group of sons talks about it in Light conversation. They also say that it has become the talk of Troger the american who is going to return Ana marry a local girl