European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 stars and stripes sunday april 8 20q hundreds of arabs help train troops Germany residents participate in exercise for gis going downrange by Seth Robson stars and stripes Grafe Wohr Germany contrary to some Media reports arabs living in Germany signed up by the hundreds to participate in a recent exercise to train us sol Diers for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan joint multinational training command officials say the officials were responding to reports in the German and us Media that suggested the army had trouble hiring enough role players to participate in the exercise at Hohenfels joint Multi National readiness Center Jesse Johnson the centers Dep Uty operations officer said last week hundreds of native Ara Bic speakers were recruited to portray local civilians to prepare the 173rd airborne brigade for deployment to Afghanistan and the 12th combat aviation brigade for deployment to Iraq later this year we had no problem hiring them we were Able to come up with the numbers we required to make our exercise successful Johnson said Bernd Specker manager of set a Mph the contractor responsible for hiring the civilians said his firm recruited 450 arabic speak ers and about 50 supervisors and managers for the army through newspaper advertisements and seven casting sessions in cities across Germany during february Johnson and Jmc spokesman maj Eric Bloom said reports that suggested ant american feelings among european arabs hindered the recruiting were misleading the German news Magazine Der Spiegel reported that a num Ber of candidates stalked out of a casting session last month in Ber Lin when they Learned for whom they be working of about 50 people there fewer than five signed on the Story said last month the Christian Sci ence Monitor quoted european arabs who said they refused to participate in the exercise be cause of us foreign policy and harsh working conditions the Story also quoted a european kurd who supported the training Johnson said he assumed there Are some germans who have ant american views but added that they dont have to work for anybody they dont want to work for the arabic speakers ended up working mostly with the 173rd airborne which is headed for a shut speaking Southern Afghani Stan the brigade was originally headed for Iraq but two months ago got word it was going to Afghanistan instead by then it was too late to change the contract Bloom said with the exercise Kickoff loom ing Jarc attempted to recruit 15 Lashtun advisers and Man aged to get 10 to 12 to participate Johnson said Aziz Salah an iraqi who has lived in Germany since 1978 said he signed up to help train the americans because he supports their Mission in his former Home land we also wanted to know some thing about the american sol Diers How they work and what they do said Salah who spent time in Iraq in 2003 trying to help iraqis rebuild Salah said the exercise was hard work for the role players but enjoyable we had to show the soldiers How afghans live we tried to Tell the soldiers How to work there and respect the people of Afghani Stan he said they Are muslims there and most american soldiers dont know anything about islam the use of arabic speakers was a first for Jarc Johnson said they came from almost every arabic speaking country that is out there we found that they have done an excellent Job for us he said in the past we have used Ger Man speakers to serve this Pur pose but we went to the arabic speakers because of their culture they brought things to the train ing table mat we have not been Able to get by using just German speakers email Seth Robson at the Hunt is on Christine of us army sgt 1st class Tanya Sizemore from the Lan Stuhl regional medical Center helps her daughter Madison 2 Hunt for easter eggs saturday at us army Garrison kaisers Lautess easter egg Hunt at the kids zone on Pulaski Barracks Kaiser Lautem Germany Madison found seven eggs during the Hunt this was the first year that the garrisons army Community service held the event for children 6 and younger Safe honors top performers with awards banquet a staff sergeant from Aviano air base Italy is the top airman in Europe staff sgt Dominick Griego of Vianos 31st fighter Wing was named airman of the year and was honoured with other top us air forces in Europe performers at a banquet Friday at Ramstein air base Germany according to a Safe news re lease other award recipients included noncommissioned officer of the year tech sgt Sachiko Jones 501st combat support Wing Raf Mildenhall England senior no of the year senior master sgt Gerald Euler or 48th fighter Wing Raf Laken Heath England first sergeant of the year senior master sgt Robin Mcnatt 435th air base Wing Ramstein civilian of the year category i Darren pen Rose 48th fighter Wing Raf Mildenhall civilian of the year category Ehr Man 65th air base Wing Lajes Field azores company Grade officer of the year tie capt Jerry Ruiz from Safe Headquarters ram Stein and capt Joe Wildman Raf Mildenhall winners were chosen from 77 nominees selected from bases across Europe they will compete at the air Force level later this year retired air Force Gen John p jumper air Force chief of staff from 2001 to 2005 and former Safe commander from 1997 to 2000 was the banquets guest speaker from staff reports drj3ys save 10 with promo code Courtesy of the us army arabic speakers hired to increase the authenticity of training for us soldiers at the joint multinational readiness Center in Hohenfels Ger Many play the part of civilians being gathered and searched at a Market earn a free online or classroom 100 funding fiber optic Muse is office acc classes worldwide or 5303466792 ext 260 or 220 Wawa Escom voucher toward the Purchase of a computer