Look Back ... to preparedness for conflict in the Persian Gulf, 1990

Oct. 27, 1940, in The Star: Anniston Girl Scouts will join the nation this week in celebrating National Girl Scout Week, a period selected because it includes the birth anniversary of Girl Scouting founder Juliette Gordon Lowe. On that date later this week, all local Girl Scouts are being asked to wear their uniforms to school in honor of the founder. Also this date: The last units of the 27th Division, New York National Guard, arrived at Fort McClellan late yesterday afternoon (Saturday), to commence its training program immediately. Thirteen weeks of basic training will take place first, gradually building up to division problems. However, it’s become clear to commanding officers that Fort McClellan’s land area is too small for full-division maneuvers, which is why local civilian leaders have been pressing the War Department to authorize the purchase of more land; acreage west of Fort McClellan would be satisfactory, said Major General William Haskell. Additionally: Calhoun County will have a county fair Nov. 4-9 on the Oxford Lake property bordering the Bankhead Highway just east of Oxford.

Oct. 27, 1990, in The Star: Hundreds of Anniston Army Depot employees will soon serve a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf, including some who may be forced to go against their wishes, depot officials announced yesterday afternoon. The depot learned earlier in the week that it must send an unspecified number of civilian workers to Saudi Arabia. They will repair tanks arriving from Germany to bolster the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. Depot Commander Col. Kenny Whitley said at a press conference that approximately 200 employees have volunteered so far to take part in the operation, but that many more are needed. Unless the depot and its 10 sister depots across the nation can find additional willing workers, some could be sent to the Gulf involuntarily, he added.

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