Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 23, 1995 TAG: 9503030054
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CLINT WILLIAMS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT LENGTH: Medium
Mindful of the near-devastation caused by Saddam Hussein's army four years before, Kuwaiti defense forces, bolstered by United States and United Nations ground, sea and air power, are on 24-hour alert against potential Iraqi aggression.
Among the forces is Air Force Master Sgt. Eric D. Carr, son of Harry R. and Mildred Carr of Roanoke. The helicopter flight engineer is with the 66th Rescue Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and part of the U.S. joint task force's air operations that monitors and defends against Iraqi forces.
``Before the helicopter departs on a rescue mission, it's my job to figure the weight and load configuration for the mission,'' said Carr, a Roanoke Catholic High School graduate. During flight operations, he works with sling-loading cargo, assists para-rescuemen in hoisting rescue victims into the aircraft, and works as an aerial gunner in combat situations.
Thousands of pieces of Iraqi war materials - tanks, artillery pieces, trucks and other equipment left behind after Desert Storm - lie stockpiled and rusting in three ``tank farm'' sites in Kuwait. Danger still lurks in the Kuwaiti desert, however, as thousands of land mines laid by the Iraqi army remain undetected, although efforts to locate and destroy them continue.
Carr, 34, said the sights, scents and sounds of Kuwait are sometimes unfamiliar to the troops. Living and working in the climate and culture of the Middle East is, at least, interesting, he said. Temperatures can reach 120 degrees in summer, and fall into the 30s and 40s during winter nights.
Troops in the interior may encounter Bedouin tribes and camel herds while on patrol, and they keep a respectful distance from the fiercely independent people carrying on a nomadic tradition thousands of years old. ``I live in a renovated jail, but it is air-conditioned, and I drink bottled water. However, our site has a new swimming pool and some improved living and dining facilities, which offer all the yams you can eat,'' Carr said.
Still, there is the ongoing threat of Iraq's forces just over 100 miles to the north. During the first hours of a crisis in early October, when Iraq was moving troops toward the border, tensions ran high as a possible fight seemed more of a reality.
Tensions eased, Carr said, and people settled back into a routine after the Iraqis backed off.
``Kuwait is a lot smaller than some of the other military sites in the region,'' Carr said. ``Here everyone knows you and looks out for you. There's a lot of teamwork.''
Carr said that although his tour in Kuwait is short, the memories of being here will last a lifetime.
``The people in Kuwait are really friendly, and we have had a lot of interaction with them. However, a lot of my time is spent working out, walking, playing volleyball, watching movies or writing letters,'' Carr said.
``Operationally, though, the flying environment here is a little more challenging. On a dark night flying just over 100 feet above ground level and cruising at an average of over 110 knots, electric wires can be your worst enemy,'' Carr said.
\ Sgt. Clint Williams, a 1973 William Fleming High School graduate, is the son of Clarence and Patricia Williams of Roanoke.
by CNB