Not Exactly "Having it My Way"

Ask yourself this question: At what price would you, of your own volition, submit yourself to sitting out in the 115° heat in 50 pounds of gear?

Answer: For some Burger King, but only when you missed lunch and can’t remember the last time you had a decent burger and fries.

I had to rewrite/think that scenario a couple times to even make it sound remarkable to me. When put like this, though, well that’s just sad. Many of the more substantial FOBs in Iraq have amenities like fast food of various types, to include BK, Taco Bell, Popeye's, Pizza Inn, and Cinnabon.

Camp Ramadi didn’t, though, and neither does Falcon. You have to be on one of the big ‘safe’ (perhaps, instead, 'important') FOBs to get that kind of thing. The kinds of places that also have “MWR” (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) programs like fishing contests, bodybuilding competitions, and Salsa or R&B nights at the local (non-alcoholic) watering hole (usually horribly named, like our own “Velvet Camel”).

The group of people who get to take advantage of those kinds of activities are largely from the support and service elements. Your grunts tend to get run ragged for a year, with the only personal developments being an intensification of their disdain for the non-combat types. (I've been trying to spend more time doing PT, too, but it's usually a stop I make while making my rounds throughout the day. I know my role.)

We had run a Log Weenie (that’s what I’ve become) convoy to the BIAP complex of FOBs to run some supply and admin errands, only to find that they were having some kind of full gear exercise there (probably a ‘See if you can find your kit and still know how to wear it’ exercise for some of the Fobbit types permanently entrenched there).

The temperature makes such an effort all the more miserable. The dryness of the heat, though oven-like, also means that perspiring actually helps to regulate your body temp. Wearing an IBA makes sure that doesn’t happen.

I’m glad it took until mid-May to get this bad. We broke the 120° barrier today, and we’re just getting warmed up.