wITH THE I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM       7


LiGen Walter E. Boomer, lefi, commanding general of 1 Marine Expeditionary Force, and his
deputy, MajGen John L Hopkins, receive a briefing on the Iraqi threat at the 1 MEF command
post at the Commercial Port of Jubayl on 26 No~ember 1990. Gen Hopkins led I MEF's spearhead
formation, the 7th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, to the Gulf in mid-August 1990. He later
commanded the defense of the Jubayl Vital Area dunng Operation Desert Storin.

on the same soil as the two holy shrines of !slam at Mecca (Makkah) and
Medina was anathema.   Others had concerns whether Americans could operate
in such a fundamentally different cultural environment.   To assuage Saudi
sensibilities, General Schwarzkopf issued Central Command General Order No.
1 which imposed a complete prohibition on alcohol within the theater. General
Boomer in turn prohibited all forms of liberty for his force except those in the
rear at Riyadh.  The Saudi religious code of laws known as shariah prohibited
public religious services other than Islamic, so for a time, chaplains in the force
were known euphemistically as "morale officers."    American flags were n0t
flown officially at any Marine installation.  The 3d Civil Affairs Group, a
Marine Reserve unit of specialists commanded by Colonel John M. Kaheny, a
San Diego city attorney, handled the necessary relations with the civilian
community.
   By 20 August General Hopkins had successfully addressed Saudi concerns,
and the brigade began moving into tactical positions northwest of the port.  He
declared the brigade "combat ready" on 25 August.   To provide a base for the


   One unexpected byproduct of the no-drinking and no4iberty policies was a dramatic drop in
disciplinary rates.