European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday april 1 2007 stars and stripes pages s korean troops train in Beach Landing by Erik Slavin stars and stripes Galipo Beach South Korea and South korean marines came ashore in amphibious assault vehicles thursday with out the close Contact from protest ers that complicated last years joint Beach Landing exercise just before 11 Gray out lines of ships such As the uss Cowpens out of Yokosuka naval base Japan appeared just Short of the horizon dozens of cresting White Waves approached the Beach As the water got shallower the tops of the 31st Marine expeditionary units Okinawa based amphibious assault vehicles poked Over the Waves and sent plumes of smoke toward the sky helicopters swarmed Over head where they would provide airstrikes during Battle mean while the Cowpens and other ships in commander Corvette Squadron 32 guarded Landing Craft and others against inbound threats Casebo naval bases uss Essex and amphibious Squadron 11 combined with South Korea amphibious Squadron 53 to track Bat the movements while and South korean amphibious vehicles made land fall two Navy Landing Craft air Cushion ships arrived on Ursoi foal and Jeremy l of the Navy United states and South korean amphibious forces assemble for the assault onto Galipo Beach during an exercise thursday their flank one of which deposited a South korean tank on Shore our real Job starts when the ramp said Lance Cpl Michael Abelar a squad team Leader whose Job during War is to run out the Back of the amphibious vehicle and begin attacking but unlike last years foal Eagle exercise Beach Landing the marines did not exit their vehicles and storm the Beach on foot citing Security reasons last year protesters stuck stickers on Marine vehicles As they landed on the Public Beach this year almost 800 South korean combat police guarded the Beach a Sekosan police spokes Man said police cordoned the Beach with razor wire about 40 protesters were Al Lowed to demonstrate on a Side walk overlooking the Beach police said up to 80 total protest ers took turns attending the rally they chanted and waved signs at helicopters shouting at them to leave the Peninsula Jung Yongjun who said he coordinated the protests As part of the unification association said they didst oppose All military exercises however he said they see Eagle and the August ulchin focus Lens exercise As an attempt to topple the North Korea regime and to assassinate its Lead the exercise is a step Back from recent talks with North Korea to end its nuclear program said Jung who also disputed the Beach and police blockades thursday few service members had any Contact with the protesters their vehicles landed several blocks away from the demonstration and continued to a staging area the foal Eagle amphibious task group included More than marines and sailors Marine officials said More than South korean marines were involved in the Landing a South korean spokes Man email Erik Slavin at Winter Good will Snowba into Afghanistan project by Megan Mccloskey stars and stripes the Snow had melted in Kabul but at a Remote Village feet up in the mountains of Afghanistan past where the pavement runs out it was still very much Winter Navy it Howard Smith recalls of a Day last february the children of Wardak province orphanage were lined up in order of size smiling and wearing their new Winter Coats and shoes they All had been taught a few words of English and they were very eager to show it off saying thank you in unison with great he wrote from Afghanistan in an email to stars and stripes what started out in december As a Sim ple desire to hand out a few pairs of gloves and maybe some shoes to the children out Side the Gate at Camp Phoenix turned into to our readers Tern Barnes has a lifetime of experience to share with fellow military spots starting today she will offer insights and Garner feedback from readers in spouse her new weekly column in stars and stripes scene Section readers will submit questions to bar nes and she will respond with answers advice Etc in her column questions can be submitted to bar nes at so More than 500 boxes of clothes donated from All Over the world Smith who works at naval Hospital Okinawa and is currently deployed for a 14month tour As a facilities Engineer with task Force Phoenix travels around the Kabul area to assess engineering projects i was always shocked to see both Chil Dren and adults in sub freezing tempera Tures without shoes gloves or he wrote the level of poverty Here is simply overwhelming and can Only be truly appreciated by seeing it in Smith decided he would buy some win Ter clothing to hand out he emailed his wife about his plans and asked her to pack up some stuff from Home Tuyen Smith a special education teacher at Bob Hope primary school on Kadena air base emailed her friends and family in the states and sent out a school wide email about the clothing project word spread to teachers on Mainland Japan and Europe and soon pounds Worth of clothing showed up in Afghani Stan the response has been Howard Smith said a second Grade class at Ike go elementary school on Yokosuka naval base did a class project on the clothing drive we got massive donations thai filled up our second Grade hallway for a couple of Ike go teacher Alyce it orders said Mayra Seitz a teacher at Giessen can High school in Germany heard about the project from a teacher on Okinawa whom she used to work with in Panama it Howard to stars and stripes an afghan National army Soldier helps Load a truck with the boxes of donated clothing to distribute to an orphanage in an isolated part of the country students at Giessen High school and mid dle school collected 35 Large boxes and shipped them off in january Seitz said Smith said he has had to enlist the help of some of the Seabee with his unit to sort the clothes by gender size and Type and then allot it for various places such Asim Pover shed villages and orphanages i was Lucky to have a Chance meeting with a women organization that has been in place for Over 15 years helping the Smith wrote about those who have assisted with the project i was also fortunate to meet with a local contractor who though by no Means Rich himself dedicated himself to supporting an orphanage in the Kabul Smiths wife said he was really Down before starting the project doing some thing with such tangible effect on the afghan people has been a big morale boost for both Smith and the other servicemen Bers involved Tuyen said but the effect on his morale Smith said has been twofold certainly it is great to give something to people who have nothing yet it is not until you get involved that you realize just How Large the problem he wrote in the email Smith said he Doest know what will happen to the Winter clothing project once he returns to Okinawa in May but he feels privileged to have visited the Remote areas of the country meeting the he said is an experience i wont soon email Megan Mccloskey at
