CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – When most people think of a deployment, they tend to focus on all the missions and work Soldiers endure for the duration of it.
After a long day at work here on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Soldiers can unwind and take part in some of the amenities the base has to offer, such as a Post Exchange, a gym and dining facilities.
There are two dining facilities located on COB Basra, offering a variety of items to choose from, including a healthy choice line, sandwich bar, salad bar offering fresh fruit and a variety of desserts that includes Baskin Robbins ice cream.
“When I first got here, I knew that we had a great dining facility by the way they made my omelet,” said Spc. Robert G. Torrez, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance specialist, 17th Fires Brigade, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, and a native of Keizer, Ore. “The cook spread it out, making sure that all the ingredients were sprinkled all over and could be tasted in every bite – delicious!”
“The DFAC is better here than back at garrison,” said Spc. Ashley R. Snowden, 17th FB, HHB, supply medic from El Dorado, Ark.
Spc. Jaudon N. Boyd, also a supply medic with 17th FB from Clewiston, Fla. agreed, adding the variety of food and the atmosphere make the dining experience much more enjoyable.
In addition to eating at the DFAC, Soldiers can spend their time working out at the 24-hour gyms around the post. They can also walk to the USO to surf the Internet and make free calls home using military DSN lines.
“Overall, it’s a lot better than what I had expected,” said Spc. Melagro Wyckoff, 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, human resource specialist from Birmingham, Ala. “The DFAC offers a large variety of very good food and the Internet is a lot faster compared to what we had while in Kuwait.”
“The size of the gym was a pleasant surprise,” said Spc. Dennis M. Johnson, 1st Bn., 377th FA Regt., human resource specialist from New Orleans. ”They have a large selection of equipment to use and the music they play keeps me motivated.”
Soldiers from 17th FB will be among the first to enjoy new additions to the base such as a Burger King and a larger PX, which are currently under construction. They are slated to open Sept. 1.
“I’m ecstatic about them building a larger PX here,” said Spc. Keagan W. Geer, paralegal specialist, HHB, 1st Bn., 377th FA Regt. “The current one is relatively small and doesn’t offer a large selection of items; hopefully this will be addressed with the addition of more space that the new PX will offer.”
At the end of the day, nothing can be more relaxing than returning to your own room and taking your mind off the stress of being deployed.
“I like my room because I have semi-privacy with only one roommate; we have new mattresses and furniture and we can also get the Internet in our room,” said Sgt. Jacquline L. McElfresh, paralegal noncommissioned officer-in-charge, 17th FB from Senatobia, Miss.
