COB BASRA, Iraq – Few things make Americans think of autumn back home quite like football. It’s a connection, a touch of the familiar that can make even the least sports-savvy of deployed service members think of a very different place with vastly different seasons.
Though the field outside the Post Exchange at Contingency Operating Base Basra Thursday morning was dry dirt marked-off with engineer tape, the air was crisp and the fan’s loyalties were easily identifiable by the colors they wore.
A crowd of Sailors and Marines in tan and brown uniforms lined one side of the field, facing an equivalent Army contingent in grey and black physical fitness and green combat camouflage uniforms on the other.
There was even a detachment of the 34th Infantry Division band present – the “M-Sax-teens” – who rallied the fans with songs ranging from the Mission Impossible theme to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
In a nod to the Army vs. Navy game – played this year Dec 12 – Sailors and Marines of Riverine Squadron 2 matched-up against Soldiers from the 17th Fires Brigade and 546th Maintenance Company. With a very real trophy at stake, they took to the field in pursuit of honor, glory, good fun and friendly bragging rights.
“This is a major morale booster,” said Sgt. Patrick Daniel Harris, the Army coach. “Win or lose, we’re just having fun out there.”
Harris and many of the other Army players play in the COB Basra flag football league, but they had never all played on the same team before, he said.
Navy coach Chief Petty Officer James Martin and his players were playing together as a team for the first time as well, but they hadn’t participated in the league. In fact, he said, they only began preparing for the game a few days before.
Still, Martin has a bit of experience under his belt.
“I played a couple years in college,” said the University of Southern Mississippi graduate, “and I coached Pop Warner football.”
Yet, the reason he gave for assuming the position of coach, while it may be related to football experience, wasn’t what one might guess.
“We had too many guys to play,” he said, “and my 35-year-old hamstring said it was ok to sit on the sidelines.”
The course that led Martin – and all the other players and spectators – to be standing in the chilled, early-morning dawn preparing for a flag football game, began with the 17th‘s commanding officer, Lt. Col. Michael Phillips.
“I had the idea when I first saw Navy on the base,” said the commander of the Fort Lewis-based brigade.
Phillips emailed the Riverine’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Ty Britt, with the proposal, and received back a slide that read, “Fear the goat,” said Phillips.
“I knew it was on,” he said.
Phillips, who said he hopes the game at COB Basra will be carried on by future units, is a West Point graduate, and Britt graduated from Annapolis, so the rivalry is close to both their hearts.
“I’ll always go for Army versus Navy,” said Britt.
“It’s always a great time for camaraderie,” said the commander of the Little Creek Virginia-based unit. “It’s a chance to let off some steam and just have some fun, especially in this environment.”
Pvt. Randy Sanchez, 308th Brigade Support Battalion, quarterback for the Army, echoed Britt’s sentiments.
“It was pretty fun,” he said. “It’s good to have the competition, to have something to look forward to while we’re in Iraq.”
The timing was perfect, said Marine Staff Sgt. Jack Sutherland, the infantry advisor for the Riverines and corner for the Navy.
“We’ve been out here for a long time, and it’s nice to have a break,” he said.
As the points stacked up and the Navy fought to close the gap, spirits stayed high.
“You know we’re gonna win, right?” said Lt. Cmdr. Mansfield Stinson, tight end for the Navy, only minutes before the game ended.
“We’re gonna come back,” he added with a jovial grin.
With the final score of Army 46, Navy 30, organization and preparation came up repeatedly as a defining difference between the two teams.
“We’re having a hard time,” said Sutherland. “We’re not as organized as the Army. They’re a lot more practiced and experienced than we are.”
The Navy team was only able to begin practicing as a team six days out, and the final roster wasn’t decided until two days prior to the game, he said.
The Army team did try to even the field a bit prior to the game, said Sgt. Marvin Hayes, 308th BSB, “B” Company, center for the Army. Since all the Army players played flag football in the COB Basra league and at Fort Lewis, the Army refrained from practicing during the 3 weeks leading up to the game.
Still, he said, the point of the game had less to do with who won than with the competition itself.
Army 1st Lt. Nick Taylor, 308th support operations shop and wide-out for the Army, scored the final touchdown in the last seconds, and 14 points throughout the game.
“It’s good camaraderie,” he said of the game; “Inter-branch is always a good competition.”
