« Previous · Home · Next »
Obscene amenities indeed
By Slab
I know I've been rather scarce lately, it's been a rather busy time for me. We had a couple of training exercises going up near Cherry Point which had their ups and downs (on one day, all of our scheduled air canceled due to weather EXCEPT a section of USAF F-15Es, which was slightly embarassing for those of us who sing the praises of Marine Air; and I think the Marines of VMA-542 will be telling stories for years to come about the two captains from ANGLICO who slept in Humvees in their hangar). I will tell you that the folks of Oriental, NC were very kind and generous, even as we targeted their houses and stores and directed Harriers on simulated bombing and strafing runs.
I read John's latest salvo against William Arkin yesterday, which reminded me of his "obscene amenities" remark. I kind of let that one pass at the time, and focused my efforts on other things. However, since I've been reminded of it, I thought I'd post some pictures of some of those "obscene amenities" that I've had access to in past deployments. Really just for my own amusement, hopefully a few of you will get a chuckle too.
UPDATE: I guess, to be fair, I should admit that even I found some of the amenities on Taqaddum and Al Asad to be a bit over the top. Understand that there is a significant difference in quality of life from the grunts like myself to the "Fobbits" hanging out in the rear. Many of the Fobbits play their own role in the war, some of them even have a rather essential role, but it's hard for those of us out on the "bleeding edge" not to resent the Mongolian BBQ in the chow hall and the shower trailers so easily available to them. Keep in mind, this post isn't meant to be a statement of any sort, just a humorous look at some of the hardships that contrast Arkin's "obscene amenities".
The first shower we had set up at Camp Blessing, Afghanistan, Dec 2003. For a hot shower, you just had to heat your water in the ammo can on a propane stove. A hot shower in a remote camp in Afghanistan? What an obscene luxury.
The second shower we rigged up. My SSgt jury-rigged a Coleman portable shower unit, bypassing several of its safety features in the process. If you weren't careful, you could get scalding hot water, or possibly cause the propane tank to explode. The Marines called it the Death Trap, and stuck to using the canvas bag pictured at top.
This is how I did my laundry the few times I got to do it at Camp Blessing. Since we only had a Special Forces ODA and my platoon of Marines in the camp, you did it by hand or not at all.
This was my platoon CP inear the Naghlu Dam in Afghanistan. Not bad living, really, it beat living inside with all of the battalion headquarters types.
A closer look at my "rack".
Would Arkin's "obscene amenities" include weight sets, by chance? Here is one of my squad leaders putting one of those sets to good use.
Inside the Marine house, where the MTT and ANGLICO teams lived at a Combat Outpost in Iraq last year, yet more obscene amenities, such as a TV:
Plenty of food:
And hot showers, even (after the sun had been given enough time to heat the water tank on the roof):
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://op-for.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1007
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Obscene amenities indeed:
» Pallet Racks News from Pallet Racks News
Read news and feature articles about Warehouse shelvings. Lockers PDF (Acrobat) Shelving [Read More]
Comments
Let's see. Amenities that might be obscene when compared to what the indigenous Iraqi's have.
1. Decent medical care and medicines.
2. Hot showers, even out of a canvas bag.
3. Dependable and nutritionally balanced diets.
4. Potable water.
But I don't think this is what Arkin is talking about?
Anon-- isn't that what we're over there doing? I know when my ship was over there, we were on water rations the whole time-- because our ship can make X amount of fresh water beyond what we use on rations, which could then be sent to help folks on the land.
That's exactly the point, Foxfire.
You were (we are) sharing our "amenities" with the Iraqi's. I just don't see how this can be painted as a bad thing. But Arkin sure keeps trying.
I hope he does not notice the 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot! He will think there is a Home Depot around the corner!!!lol
Trackbacked by The Thunder Run - Web Reconnaissance for 06/04/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
Damn, but that brings back memories. The pallet under the shower is a nice touch to keep the feet out of the mud. I can't remember ever having a pallet to work with though.
A lot of sponge baths from the water buffalo were about the best we could do.
Not one to defend Arkin, but there are bases that do bring everything but the Wal-Mart to war.
My FOB had what would pass for a decent shopette (sorry, no liquor), a gym, and hot showers. Pretty good compared to what Slab had.
I think the American way of war in this day and age is an anethema to what we're trying to accomplish there. During my time (2006), many of the Iraqis in my AO lacked basic needs (clean water and security). They enjoyed electricity (maybe) for only a few hours a day. Propane, used for cooking, was scarce. It was scarfed up mainly by Mahdi militia-run black marketeers (usually operating under the cover of the Iraqi Nat'l Police).
I'll grant things may have changed now there. I don't know.
But, with the local populace suffering as it was, walling up in a nice, cushy FOB was not the way (in my opinion) to win hearts and minds. LN's worked on the FOB, and knew what we had and could compare it with what they didn't have.
Though far more uncomfortable, I guarantee Slab and his Marines would have more credibility with LN's because of the hardships they endured than I (and other soldiers) did because of the amenities we did have. It wasn't great, but it was a helluva lot better than what the LN's enjoyed.
From what I glean from the news and other sources, I understand that Petraeus now has the soldiers fanned out in the neighborhoods with platoons living amongst the people, suffering the same deprivations as they.
This is one of the first steps to succesful counterinsurgency.
Joel, that's kind of what I was getting at when I made the update. There are quite a few luxuries on the larger bases. My post wasn't meant to be so much a shot at Arkin as just some amusing recollections of hardships endured on deployment. I didn't even post any pictures from OIF-I and the rainstorm in Nasiriyah. That was possibly the worst level of misery I have ever reached.
Rainstorms? I only experienced MUDstorms when I was there. Damnedest thing I ever saw... quite literally raining mud.
It may have been raining mud for all I know, it was dark out. I just remember trying my damnedest to keep from sliding into a canal while trying to walk my lines. And asking "Who's on watch over here?" and seeing what I thought was a large clump of mud look at me and say, "I am, sir." About the time I finally dried off the next day, I ended up neck deep in another canal while doing a sweep through a cluster of houses on the south side of Nasiriyah.
Post a comment
Potential comment conditions listed here. Oh, and you may use basic HTML for formatting.
Please accept one civilian's apology, sir, but I derived few chuckles from your photos. What is obscene is ANYONE thinking that Troops deployed have anything that is even in the same galaxy as amenities in theatre. Thank you for your service and for helping to make my part of the world, Canada that is, a safer place.
P.S. Okay, I have to be honest and admit that I did chuckle a little...but only a little, and not at them all.
Veritas et Fidelis Semper