Visitors
Posted by Matthew on January 23rd, 2008 filed in JanuaryIt’s good to be a distinguished visitor here. You get to stay in newly refurbished villas, complete with freshly poured, concrete sidewalks in the front yard. The rooms have a sort of Brook’s Brothers motif to them — beds made with executive blue sheets and charcoal blankets; wardrobes finished with a light cherry stain. Each bathroom has a sliding-door shower stall with a hand-held shower massage nozzle. A cleaning crew brings stacks of fresh towels every morning.
But these accommodations aren’t for everyone. For less refined guests – like the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment – there’s a lovely little tent city nestled in the middle of dirt alley here on Contingency Operating Base Speicher. The 4-9 arrived here last week from its former home of nine months in Taji.
When it rains here – like today – the fine moon dust around the tents turns to a rich mud resembling the double fudge chocolate ice cream served at the dining facility. There are plenty of port-a-johns, but you have to walk to another tent city to take a shower. The dining facility is several miles down the road, but there’s a bus system that runs by every 30 minutes or so.
You have to keep things in perspective I guess. This is a combat zone and no one has everything they want. For instance, the Green Bean gourmet coffee shop by the post exchange has been out of cup sleeves and lids for days … war is hell.
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