For the next nine months, COB Basra will be home to the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division. For this reason, they’re working to “improve the foxhole” through new morale, welfare and recreation facilities and housing units.
Some of the projects currently in the works are the new Sandstorm Life Sustainment Area, a post office building, a finance office, two new coffee shops, a fitness center and a Post Exchange shopping center.
“Soldiers need to feel at home and be able to relax,” said Col. Ronald Albrecht, deputy chief of staff, 34th Red Bull Inf. Div., “We’ll improve the Soldiers’ well-being by providing them with the type of morale, welfare and recreation activities they need.”
As part of the “Improving The Foxhole” project, dining facility number one near Trenchard Lines will become the new United Services Organization building and will be home to a fitness center, café and lounge, movie theater and internet room. The new USO will likely open the first week of July.
“The equipment for the new fitness center recently arrived and it’s completely brand new,” said Sgt. 1st Class Deborah Allen, the division MWR noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “The Red Horse Engineers are currently working on building the interior structures.”
The other major project planned is converting DFAC 4 into the new Post Exchange shopping center.
“The new PX will be part-shopping center and part-food court,” said Allen. “There will be a Burger King, Pizza Hut, Green Beans Coffee, a carpet shop, a photo framing shop, a local national bazaar, a beauty shop for haircuts and other spa-style amenities and four other shops not yet determined.”
“This PX will be a lot like the Camp Liberty PX and it should open on or around Sept. 1,” she added.
Both the new USO and PX are being constructed by the 819th Expeditionary Red Horse Group, a group of U.S. Air Force combat civil engineers. These airmen are working every night to build walls, paint and clear out unnecessary equipment.
These new facilities, designed to improve the living conditions and morale of Soldiers on COB Basra, will be augmented by a previously established restaurant here. The success of the restaurant Echos has encouraged the Red Bulls to keep it open after the British leave COB Basra.
“Echos will remain a fixture on COB Basra,” said Allen. “We’re not yet sure what type of food will be served but it will still be here to provide a comfortable, restaurant-style setting for the Soldiers to eat here.”
Although some of the improvements will not be seen for a few weeks, the Soldiers at COB Basra have already noticed some of the changes, such as the new finance office, which opened in late May, and the Green Beans Coffee shop near division headquarters.
“It will take time to bring the COB to what we want it to be, but when it’s all finished, it will increase morale and I’m confident the Soldiers will appreciate it,” said Allen.
“Everyday we’re improving our foxhole,” said Albrecht. “We’ll keep improving until the day we leave here.”
