European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 07, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday August 7, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 Russia bound gis get inoculated experimental drug combats illness caused by ticks by Wayne v. Hall staff writer Schweinfurt Germany sol Diers from the 3rd inf div s 1st in 15th inf regt received an experimental vac Cine thursday against tick borne encephalitis. The vaccination the first in a three shot series is part of the preparation for joint training with the russian military in Early september. . Army medical officials Hope the shots in addition to protecting soldiers in Russia will provide valuable data that May Lead to licensing of the vaccine in the United states should such a need arise. The inoculation is not required maj. Deborah Dean assistant division surgeon for the 3rd inf div told the soldiers in a briefing before they received the shot. Dean told the soldiers that the drug known As Fame immune inject is considered experimental by the . Food and drug administration. Developed in Austria it has never been tested by the Fra for approval and no american drug manufacturer has sought to Market it in America because the disease the vaccine combats does not exist there she said. Because of the Lack of exposure to tick borne encephalitis americans have no natural immunity to fight it Dean said. The disease usually begins As a flu like illness about seven to 14 Days after a per son is bitten by a contaminated tick according to a brochure distributed to the soldiers by the medical personnel who administered the shots. The disease progresses to a period of slight improvement before viral Menin gitis swelling of the membrane around the brain and spinal Cord sets in. The second phase of the illness is not usually permanent but occasionally the patient May be left paralysed and May even die. Since the drug is considered experimental the medical personnel must administer it according to strict Fra guide lines Dean said. Only . Service members and military civilians who sign consent forms May be inoculated. _ Many of the soldiers thursday likened the vaccination to a flu shot stating that there is no immediate pain or Side effects just the slight discomfort that usually comes from the Needle prick. / it was just like any other vaccination said sgt. Donald Piotrowski a scout with the he co. I had no hesitations about taking it. It s been used Over Here by Cut Back on guards for kurd ". -. Geneva a the United nations plans to withdraw some of the guards protecting kurd in Northern Iraq this month because members Aren t com ing up with promised Money. A report released Friday said donor nations have provided Only 20 percent of the Money needed to keep the $288 Mil lion program going. The. Program provides guards food water and sanitation and health services to the 750,000 kurd who have been holed up in Northern Iraq since Saddam Hussein crushed their rebellion shortly after the persian Gulf War. Is Wayne a Hall army pfc. Stephen Marifiote a drive with co a 1st in 15th inf Rcv receives the vac Cine against tick borne encephalitis from army spec. Christopher Prothero a medic with he co 3rd inf div in preparation for training in Russia. German medical practitioners for about five or six the pamphlet stated that the vaccine has been shown to produce antibodies in up id 93 percent of those who receive Only the first two shots in the series. Virtually All persons who receive All three recommended shots Are shown to develop the antibodies necessary to defend against the illness. The second shot of the series will be administered to the soldiers seven Days later and the last shot 28 Days later. The soldiers scheduled shots were accelerated from the Standard schedule of an initial shot then one a month later arid the final shot nine months later according to a statement from the 3rd inf Piv surgeon s office. The Speed up allows soldiers an area where the illness is present to receive the three shot series before deploying officials said. Americans a curious eager to learn about sex enemies by Wayne v. Hall staff writer Schweinfurt Germany there was a time when army staff sgt. Johnny Mcgee thought of. Russian soldiers As the enemy. After spending a tour of duty in Ger Many along the czechoslovakian Border during the cold War Mcgee never thought he would be training with sol Diers he once stood guard against How times change. They re supposed to be their elite Mcgee said of the russian 27th guards motorized Rifle div the unit that the americans will train with next month in the former communist country. I m expecting our special forces in russian uniforms but i doubt that s what it la the estimated 250 soldiers from the 3rd inf div unit in Schweinfurt will reportedly be the first american military ground unit to train inside the former so Viet Union since the bolshevik revolution in 1917, division officials said. The 10-Day exercise focusing on peacekeeping operations will take place at the russian unit s Headquarters at to Skoye in Russia s Volga military like Mcgee Many of the soldiers tapped for the deployment find them selves wondering what to expect of the russians a Force that until not Long ago had been thought of As an enemy by . Service members. This makes me feel pretty special said spec. Timothy Brickman a Bradley fighting vehicle crewman from co c. It s a history making Opportunity and i m looking Forward to it. Although the decision to conduct the exercise has been in limbo and was even called off once by senior russian officials the soldiers have been working diligently to stay ready for the Mission we be been learning How to establish checkpoints along with Many different situations such As handling refugees said Brickman who joined the unit in March we be also been practising protecting the refugees unit and ourselves from danger.". Although the cold War is Over it s hard to flip the switch from foe to Friend overnight some of the soldiers said. I still do feel some distrust. They be been the bad Guys for a Long time said Mcgee. I definitely think they the rus Jan soldiers feel the same Ramstein Captain res at Lake by the stars and stripes Miessau Germany an air Force Captain recently saved a German Tod Dler from drowning in a Lake during a summer festival. Capt. Lance g. Ribordy 29," As signed to forces in Europe headquarter sat Ramstein a rescued the boy july 17 at Ombac Hsee a Lake North of Miessau near the town of Gries. Ribordy had gone to the Lake with his wife and two children for the Ombac Hsee festival. At about 6 p.m., the Ribordy were about to leave the area when they noticed the boy estimated at 3 years old walking unattended. Ribordy. And his wife Ante watched the boy stroll past them toward the Lake. The boy stepped into the Lake and waded out into the water until it was Over his head. Ribordy then rushed in and pulled the boy to safety. He was struggling in the water Ribordy said. He could t say much be cause he had a Mouth full of water it was just deep enough that he could t touch the Bottom of the Lake Ribordy added. He was just a Ribordy took the boy to a German red Cross station where the toddler received first Aid and was later reunited with his Mother. Ribordy never Learned the boy s name or How he came through the ordeal. Efforts to Contact the red Cross Sta Tion involved in the incident were unsuccessful. It really was t that big of a Deal Ribordy said. Somebody else would have pulled him out of the
