European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes saturday october 22, 1994 sex foes meet in Netherlands exercises Harskamp Netherlands a troops from former East bloc states Friday landed to take part in their first nato exercises on Western european soil. The joint exercises which Start monday and end with a Parade thursday symbolize the rapid evolution of the perceived Security threat in Western Europe from a nato Warsaw pact confrontation to containment of civil and ethnic conflicts on Europe s fringes. The troops will form six multinational companies and train in such peacekeeping skills As guarding convoys and building compounds. The soldiers also will train with one another s weapons at a firing Range. The exercises Are being held under the partnership for peace set up by nato this year to promote euro Pean Security by fostering cooperation Between nato states and former East bloc countries. More than 1,000 dutch draftees will act As civilians during the operation some playing delighted villagers greeting liberating armies others playing hostile forces and snipers. The exercises draw together More than 900 troops from the a whited states Estonia the czech Republic Lithuania Poland Slovakia Ukraine the United King Dom Canada Sweden Germany and the Netherlands. Russia is sending no troops but will have two observers an official said. He would t comment on russian reasons for not playing a More Active role. A Imam i  my of a Vav tev i a v  suicide of three american service members in As Many weeks has focused new attention on the morale of the men and women serving in the operation to restore democratic government to Haiti. The suicides a 15 times the National . Proportion have raised questions about whether the Mission in Haiti is Tak ing an unusual toll on . Service Mem ers. On the surface it should to in marked contrast to the backdrops for military endeavours in saudi Arabia and Somalia this is a no hostile Environ ment where crowds Are More Likely to cheer . Forces than shoot at them. But said Counselor and mental health specialists assigned to the military each deployment has its Peculiar sources of stress. American soldiers stationed in Haiti voice complaints that Range from the Quality of their jiving conditions and Shock Over the poverty of Haiti to frustration with the changes in and limitations of their Mission. Many service members note the frustration of hot being allowed to intervene More directly in stopping haitian on haitian violence gis frequently break uprights if they happen upon them but . Forces Are generally supposed to leave the Pursuit of criminals and detentions to International police monitors working with haitian to Jive. While . Army officials cautioned that the suicides Are still under investigation they acknowledged alarm at the phenomenon after the most recent Sui cide the Pentagon announced an in crease in the number of psychiatrists and mental health workers assigned to . Forces in Haiti although officials Here said the increase was part of routine deployment. In recent Days delivery of mail and a Cess to . News have increased. Duty is rotated in order to vary a unit s Contact with the haitian Public the Counselor said they encourage service members total out their problems and seek the listening ear of a chaplain or psychologist forty seven chaplains Are available to at tend the 20,000 service members. We emphasize that suicide is a per manent solution to a temporary prob Lem said maj. Eric Cipriano a behave the 528th combat out of fort Bragg Oral scientist wit stress control det . V. You always want people to under stand the reality of the situation but you Don t want them to dwell on it. Some troops talked about it. The majority we be talked to have dealt with  compared with three suicides already in Haiti there was Only one suicide in so Malia where 96,000 . Service members served. There were eight suicides during the persian Gulf War where 500,000 . Service members were deployed. Soldiers guarding the Entrance to a series of vacant lots near the port in port a Prince said thursday that morale was influx. " it morale varies said sgt. Orlando be Midleton. It s High one Day. Next Day it s Low. Some of us feel sorry for a lot of them the haitians. We wish we could help  Gulf synd Bitte hint at contagious ailment by Marlene cimons los Angeles times Washington preliminary results from a new Survey have raised suspicions that the mysterious illnesses that have afflicted More than 20,000 persian Gulf War veterans May be contagious Senate sources say. Responses from the first 400 of a planned 1,000 serv ice members to be polled indicate that some of the symptoms known collectively As persian Gulf syn drome also have affected 78 percent of their spouses and 25 percent of their children Wyo were born oof re the 1991 operation said an aide to sen. Donald Riegle a Mich. I Riegle is chairman of the Senate banking committee which is conducting the study. According to those responding 65 percent of Chil Dren born after the veterans return Are suffering Chro  health problems said the committee official who declined to do identified. It could be the result of a virus or bacteria acquired in the Gulf or it is possible that some chemical exposure could have depressed their the veterans immune systems making it easier to become infected with an organism and subsequently to transmit that organism to a family member he said. Of the children affected those born after the War appear to be suffering from chronic infections including respiratory yeast sinus ear and others he said. These children Are being born with these infections he said and it is puzzling because they re in sterile environment until and when they Are  department of defense officials said they were aware that family members also have become sick but insisted they have not yet been Able to find a scientific link to Gulf War participation. We Are aware of these complaints said it. Col. Doug Hart a Pentagon spokesman. We Don t take them lightly. But at this Point we have not been Able to establish a scientific link we cannot come to any conclusion that they Are or Are not  an estimated 20,000 or More of the nearly 700,000 troops who served in the Gulf theater four years ago have reported numerous ailments including fatigue rashes muscle and joint pain headaches memory loss shortness of breath and gastrointestinal problems. Their complaints have prompted a series of investigations that have yielded no definitive conclusions. Mildenhall Fesi features food Art prizes toddy of Mil Renhall England is the1994 International food festival will take place at the base Community activities Center today from 10 . To 5 . The festival is being held in conjunction wit United nations Day and is open to the Public. _ activities include food win and cheese sampling Booths educational Art displays and giveaways. The Melod ians steel orchestra will play and the lion dance King Masco Viva flamenco and i Maize Tahiti dance groups will perform throughout the Day. Vii reunion scheduled the alumni club of Virginia military Institute m Lexington is holding a founders Day reunion no 1213 in Niernberg Germany. The event will include a banquet at the bavarian american hotel and a Golf tournament 11k mate the go course. The military school will be 155 years old on nov. 11. For information Call Andrew Farr at Dan 370-7626 or German civilian 06221-577626 or 06223 1466