Update F. Y. I.

VHA Allowances
Wondering about what the remarks about Variable Housing Allowance were all about on your
last 1.nve and Earnings Statement (LES)?
Department of Dcfenie officials arc hopeful that
Congress will increuc Fiscal Year 1988, VHA cei
ling to prevent DoD having to reduce aJlowancc
payments in the last two weeks in September.
More than 35,000 soldiers in the United Stam
Army, Europe would be affected.
According to I DoD message, the allowance
nucs will be reduced for the September 16 10 30
period to stay within the congressionally-directed
ceiling for the fiscal year. VHA is authorized for
soldiers whose family members live in the United
States 10 help offset the apcnscs of maintaining a
household in the U.S.
DoD officials said a two-and-one-half percent
reduction - or approxima1ely S 27 million - for
the two-week period would keep the Department
within the ailing if Congress docs not increase
the ceiling beforehand.
(ARNEWS)

_.,,_
191 Sgt. Rodney LMcly nd lbj. Mlchffl lpfjord, COITIINIACMr of Bnvo Btry, 4th e.tt.llon, 9th Fleld Artllltfy, cne their guldon for UM tMt time, lit Al1ltlefy ~ In Nec:lunulm, , _ HeUbfonn. Bnlvo Btry Is the ttnt
Pwahtng unit to be tMCtlvllt8d under theI ~ NuclNr ForcN T....ty.

Unit inactivates

Guidon retired
by Maj. Gerard Han
Public Affain Officer
The firsi Pershing unit to inactivate under the pro
visions of the Iniermediate Range Nuclear Forcei
Treaty cued their colors in Hcilbronn on September
30th.
The soldiers of B Battery, 4th Battalion, 9th Field
Artillery held their Einal formation u an Army unit
and rcrjrcd their unit guidon. The retirement of the
unit guidon symbolized the completion of the unit'
mission and the in1ctiva1ion of the battery.
Brig. Gen. Roger K. Bean, commander of the 56th
Field Artillery Command, thanked the soldien for
what they have done for their country, the NATO
Alliance and world peace and for "making the world
safer place 10 live.
You are the soldier, that have kept the Per,hing
system combat ready. You arc dedicated soldiers,
commincd to the maintenance of peace through a
high state of combat readiness. You have always met
the miuion. For that you are to be commended.
"You have overcome military and political challcnge.s , Bean said. "Demonstrators have failed 10
dampen your spiriu o r disrupt your training. Rain
and mow have failed to impact on your morale. The
road has been long and it has been muddy."

During the inactivation ceremony, Maj. Michael L.

Lysfjord, the B Battery Commander, presented the
unit guidon to Bean. The guidon will be sent to the
US Army's Field Artillery Museum at Fon Sill,
Okla., where it will be put o n display.
The soldiers of B Battery have been reusigncd
bucd on current Army personnel policies. Soldien
will return to the United States for training in other
military jobs to meet Army needs. Other soldicn will
be transferred to uniu within the Command or USA
REUR until the completion of their overseas tours.
On ScP.tember 1, B Battery moved iu nine Pcnbing missiles from CarnP. Redleg, a Pershing missile
operating base near He,lbronn, 10 a staging area for
shipment back 10 the U.S. The missi.lcs departed
RamStcin Air Fora Base on September 12 for the
U.S. where they will be destroyed.
The unit's other equipment, which included trucks,
rifles, tools and related items, have been transferred
to other Army units in Europe to fill wsting shortages or be placed in war reserve stocks.
During the next 32 months, the remaining Pcrsh
ings in Germany will be returned 10 the U.S. for de
struction in accord ana with the INF Treaty. The remaining 56th Field Artillery Command units arc
scheduled to conduct their inactivation ceremonies u
their Pershing missiles return 10 the U.S.

AFRC Rates Change

Officials at the Armed Forces Recreation
Cco1er rccendy announced major changes in the
price strueture of hotel rooms for the winter sea
son.
The resuueturcd pricing system will take effect
Nov. 18. Ncwlrices include a reduced rate for
grades E-1 10 -5 for rooms with a bath in all
areas. Currcndy, service members in those grades
pay the same nue u all other grades for superior
rooms. All room ,.tes will depend upon the scrv
ice members grade and type of accomodations.
Prices will incrcuc for some room categories
and decrease for other,, according to James
McCrindle interim executive director. The average
increase is less than five dollars, he added.
Rates for a double room with bath at the newly
renovated Chiemscc Lake Hotel for an E-1 10 ES
will decrease from $ 42 to S 33, while the same
type of accomodations will decrease to S 32 in
Bcrchtesgaden and Garmisch. Prices for other
ranks will increase from $ 34 10 S 36 for rooms
with a bath in Berchtcsgadco, and S 34 to S 36 in
Ganniscb for double deluxe room.
For a more detailed liSt of price changes, contact
the nearest AFRC.

Halloween Safety
Trick or Treat Safety lips
All children should be chaperoned by a parent.
Parents should ensure that:
Costumes do not restrict the childs vision.
Costumes should be of a bright viiible color or
marked with reflective tape and be of a flame re
mtant material.
Trick or Treaters should have a flashlight and
use caution crossing strceu and roads.
All Treats should be inspected by a parent for
iigns of tampering and should avoid all fruit and
baked goods.
Only Trick or Treat at quarters or houses where
you arc welcomed.

POIS/1/ng Cable
October 1988

Bravo! Bravo!
Maintenance means mission accomplished
by Col. Randall J. Anderson
Deputy Commanding Officer
The 56th Field Artillery Command
Ii.as already begun implemenllltion of
the INF Treaty, signed on 8 December
1987 by President Ronald Reagan and
Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. While planning for the retro
grade of the Pershing Command began
almost a year ago, it was only recently
chat the first battery 10 be inactivated,
Bmo Battery 4th .Bawlion 9th Field
Artillery, entered into a countdown
schedule that culminated in a formal in
a.ctivation ceremony on 30 September
1988.

The past four months have been bee

tic ones for the leaders and soldiers of
Bravo Battery. Their primary mission
h2s been directed coward the prepar
:uion for turn in of more than 2000
items of equipment. Taking equipment
which has seen extensive field use over
the five years of Pershing II stationing

here in Germany and returning these

items to an almost new condition was
the challenge facing the soldiers of
Bravo 4-9 and Charlie Company, 55th
Support Battalion.
Missiles and erector launchers left the
Heilbronn site on September 1st. At
that point the clock was running and
Bravo was expected to tum in all missile-related equipment, ammuniton, orga
nizarionai and installation property by
the end of the month. '
It wa.s a massive, coordinated and rapid operation: equipment underwent
technical inspections (TI's) by various
inspectors; repairs were made at both
the organizational and direct support
maintenance levels; parts were ordered;
and in many cases, soldiers were dispatched to far-flung depots in Germany
to obtain necessary material and parts.
It wasn't just vehicles that were gett
ing this clo.se scrutiny. A lot of time
was spent in readying NBC, communications, weapons, mess and generator

equipment. Everyone found themself

totally involved - canning missile
stages, removing rust, pounding out
dents, inventorying tools and account
ing for all component items.
The logistics of turning-in a battery
in a month was a mammoth usk that
required extensive _planning and the discipline of following a very exacting
schedule. Exhibiting the same sense of
discipline in accomplishing this mission,
as they have s!hown in dealing with
thousands of demonstrators, Pershing
soldiers and their leaders made it all
look easy.
This fist battery to retrograde again
reinforced the Pershing reputation
throughout USAREUR as a unit of
professionals that always accomplishes
the mission. We, as a Command, have
gained many valuable insights from the
experiences of Bravo Battery and Charlie Company, and have already applied
the lessons learned as we enter the
retrograde window for Delta Battery,

2nd Battalion 9th Field Artillery in

Schw:i.bisch Gmi.ind and Alpha Battery,
1st Battalion 9th Field Artillery in Neu
Ulm.
These soldiers will be challenged to
maintain the same sense of discipline,
dedication and pride in performance
and equipment. Bravo Battery now has
set a standard of excellence which challenges others to meet or exceed.
The same emphasis we have always
placed on maintenance; as a cornerstone
of our combat readine.ss, must be ap
plied during this retrograde period. As
we continue to train, up until the time
the last missile are put in cheir conuiners and depart our kasemes, lee us not
forget the vital role that maintenance
plays in all of our missions.
In peace, we provide a credible deter
rent - in war, a nuclear strike capabiliry.
Concurrently with our peacetime mis
sion, we must retrograde this Com
mand. The key to each of those missions is MAINTENANCE.

does the right

Cable Cameos: toWhat
vote mean to you?
Spec. Robert Ellla

4-11 FA

Pfc. Wendy Finer

Headquarters and
Headquarters Battery

5611'1 FA CMD

"The right to vat., In my opinion,

la a -,. Important obll{Jatlon,
not only to our counlry but 11,0
to out'NltlH. It Is lhlt only way
that - sre able to haw, vole11
In our gonmmenr. We decide
who ma/en the law and runs
the country. But, If don 'I
lfote, then aolflflbody w/11 decide

"It means I get to

choose the person thal
I tru,t to take charr,. ol
wh,t nHds to be .ccompllshI within our
f1011'11ffllflflnt. "

tor us."
Spec. Cary Englehardt

Headquarters s.rv1ce
Battery 2-11 FA

Sgt. David Jones.

Delta Company,

38th Slgnel Bn.

"Freedom"

SSgt. Artemlo Rivas

"It mean, having the

lrHdom, which moat
countries don't haw, IO
vote on luun and ro
vote tor the per,on who
- fee/ I bnt ,ufted

Headquarter and
Headquarters Com-

pany, 38th SlgBal

Bn.

votlng glvn ""' the

opportunity to make

for ,,,. job. "

the~/1/118 a
better one.#

Pershing
Cable
.
Commandef
Brig. Gen. Roger K. Bean
Public Allalrt Officer
Maj. Gerard J. Hart

NC01C -

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Sflt.CertPurula

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New traffic laws signal change

Soldiers and family members have more reasons to
"watch out for the other guy" while driving or riding
in West Germany. Seven.I new uaffic regulations and
signs have been effective in since October I, according 10 the September issue of the German Automo
bile Club (ADAC) magazine.
Below are some of die changes to look for:
AT BUS STOPS bicyclists and moped riders in
bike lanes that run adjacent to the bus nop must now
slow or stop at the bus stop to allow bus passengers
10 enter or exit the bus without hindrance.
AT PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS passing a
stopped vehicle is prohibited. If an automobile is
stopped, tnffic in adjacent lanes must also stop and
clear the way before proceeding, even if there is no
one in the crosswalk.
PASSING ON THE RIGHT is prohibited for
motorcycles. If an automobile has slowed or stopped
for other traffic or some other obsuuction, bicycles
and mopeds may pass slowly.
PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE ahead
of a car in the process of parking is now prohibited.
The first automobile to arrive at a parking space and
begin the process of entering that space (signaling,
baclr:in~ into the ,pace or signali_ng and turning across
traffic mto the space) has the right to that space.

EMERGENCY VEHICLES approaching from

the rear on the autobahn have the right of way and a
lane down the middle should be cleared for them. On
a two-lane autobahn, can in the right-hand lane
should move to the right shoulder and cars in the
left-hand lane should move to the left shoulder. On a
three-lane autobahn, the rule is cars in the rwo r.ighthand lanes merge right, while those in the left-hand
lane merge le.ft.
ON THE AUTOBAHN careful passing on the

right is allowed only if traffic in the po:ssing lane is

moving extremely slowly, keeping in mind traffic
may legally merge into the right lane. Otber than
that, passing on the right is still illegal.
WHEN AUTOBAHNS DIVIDE you will see
wide white lines painted in the middle. From that
point on, you may drive faster in the turning lane
than the traffic on the left. That docs not apply for
the exit lane.

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56th meets Certain Challenge

By Troy Darr
Pershing Cable Staff Writer
Two armored personnel carriers (APCs) roll down
a highway surrounded on both sides by mine fields.
Suddenly, from the hills around the highway, the
sound of four German Marders (cavalry) firing down
on thoe APCs bursts through the air. An officer with a
white strip of cloth around his cap, denoting bis position as umpire, runs out and waves the APCs to the
side of the road. He hands one of the crew members
a strip of white cloth and says "Tie this to your antenna-c. Your vehicle and all your crew are dead.
The preceding scenario actually occu1Tcd during
the 20d, annual Autumn R.EFORGER (Return of
Forces to Germany), Cenain Challenge. The field
training portion of the exercise was on 12- 24 September primarily in the states of Baden Wunemberg
and Bavaria.
Apfroximately 12,500 soldiers including 10,300
Amencans, 16,500 West Germans, 5,100 Canadians,
150 French and 100 Danes took part in the exercise.
More than 225 soldiers from the 56th Field Artillery Command participated in the exercise, which was
billed as the largest REFORGER since the exercise
first started in 1969.
Brig. Gen. Roger K. Bean, the commander of the
56th FA Cmd, acted as the chief Corps umpire for
Cenajn Challenge. He was aided by operations personnel from the command G-3.
Twenty-five umpires and 22 umpire support soldiers from the command took pan m the exercise.
According to Maj. Anis Lofton, the executive officer of the 2nd Banalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, the
umpires helped train the soldiers by informing them
when they didn't use good tactics. "If they didn't use
sound tactics they wouldn't survive", he said.
Air transportation was a key service supplied by
the command. According to 1st Lt. William Latham,
the operations officer, the 193rd Aviation Company
supported the Joint Visitors Bureau and the Allied
Army Pres. Information Center by flying media re
presentativcs and VIPs to various areas of the exer
cisc.

The company racked up over 300 hours flying

time. Eight aircraft and approximately 70 soldiers including flight and maintenance crews were utilized.
The soldiers operated for 18 hours a day from 6 a.m.
until midnight, Latham said.
The command also supplied 30 liaison teams. Each
team consisted of one officer and one non-commissioned officer. The teams served as liaison between
American forces and other NATO countries.
According to Sgt. Bruce Dcutschmann from the
command G-1, the liaison teams first met with the
NATO forces when they arrived in Germany. They
would then coordinate with the NATO unit to link
them up with the American unit they were to join.
Another service the exercise required was escon
for military and civilian dignitaries. The command
supplied 25 officers as VIP excorts. Some of the officers tasked for the job were language specialists and
were assigned to escon people who spoke that language.
According to Maj. Lee Pence, command communiJ relations officer, the job of VIP escon consisted
o J>icking up the visitors wherever they decided to
amve in Germany. The escorts had to arrange for
transportation and for hotel accomodations.
After picking up the visitors, the escon presented
an itinerary detailing who, where and what was
planned for the visitor. "If rhc visitor didn't like the
itinerary a new one had to be arranged," said Pence.
"We had to handle all the unforeseen events, which
oecuned freque.ntly. We had to be prepared to
supply everything from wet weather gear to aspirin,"
Pence said.
Communications was another area supported by
the command. The 38th Signal Battalion sent 69 soldiers co suppon tactical operations centers for four
headquaners and rwo relay stations from August 29
thru September 9, according to 1st Lt. John Arnold,
Delta Company operations officer.
The 38th provided radio teletype, multi-channel
communication center circuits and FM radio for the
exercise.

_ Arnold said there were only a few small differences

berween REFORGER and normal missions. "The

equipment at R.EFORGER was automatic while the

equipment we use is mostly manual," he said.
R.EFORGER support personnel had to cat so 18
cooks from the command went to the exercise 10 prepare food for the suppon personnel.
Spec. Carles Owens of Headquaners and Headquarters Battery said he worked at the commander's
mess. "The work was more detailed than I'm used
to," he said. "The plates were neatly arranged and
garnished. We also put flowers on the tables. It was
more like working in a restaurant than a dining facility."
Owens said R.EFORGER was a lot different than a
normal FTX. "It was the only time I went to the field
without going into the woods, he exclaimed.

-..-

Wayne Ma/or, a Pershing mlaalle crewmember

with Headquarten and Headquarters Battery, 56th
Field Artlllery Command, tlghtana the e11nva1 on 1
CUCV before rolling out to the field In aupport of Certllln Challenge, the 1988 Return of Forcn to Germany
(REFORGER) readlnaaa and training IXlfCIH.