CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Basra came together Sept. 11 to compete in a chipping and long drive competition and enjoy the camaraderie of being with each other on the eighth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.
The competition was sponsored by “Tee It Up for the Troops.”
Tee It Up is a nonprofit organization established in 2005 to provide financial assistance to severely injured service members and their families with funds raised at benefit tournaments, according to the programs website, www.teeitup.com.
“We are doing a chipping and long-drive contest in conjunction with a golf tournament that is going on back in Minnesota,” said Capt. John Donovan, chief of the 34th Infantry Division Visitor’s Bureau. “This is a fantastic organization that raises money throughout the United States for Soldier-related charities.”
According to the website, Tee It Up takes place annually on the closest Friday to Sept. 11. This is the fifth annual event.
“Citizens from all over the United States will be participating in similar tournaments, but specifically Minnesota,” the St. Cloud, Minn. native said. “Guys and gals went out today volunteering and raising money for this golf tournament to help out Soldiers who have served our country.”
Throughout the day, Soldiers also got the opportunity to talk to their families back home through the use of a video teleconference.
Although Iraq isn’t known for having lush fields of green grass, it didn’t stop the Soldiers here from having fun.
“Over here, we don’t have greens, we have browns,” Donovan said. “Something that comes into play are the rocks here. You never know where the ball is going to go when it hits the rocks.”
“Last time we did this, a guy was going last and, of course, was in the running for first place,” Donovan said. “He hit the ball out of bounds, hit a rock, it comes back in bounds and wins first place. So, we are expecting the same kind of results today.”
The competition came to a three-way tie at the end of the day and was ultimately decided by a tie-breaking long drive competition.
The third-place finisher, Lt. Col. Tim Sonnen, deputy information operations for the 34th Infantry Division said he thought the event was fabulous.
“It’s a sad day in our nation’s history,” the St. Paul, Minn. resident said. “But, it was a good way to make light of the situation we are in over here.”
The second-place finisher, Maj. Paul Sarver, deputy provost marshal for Multi-National Division – South, and Wyoming, Minn. resident said the event was a good opportunity to take time from work and enjoy the camaraderie with friends also stationed on COB Basra.
First place finisher Maj. Jarrod Moreland, 4th Region Department of Border Enforcement, said he was glad he could come out and participate.
“I think it went well for everyone,” the Columbia, Md. native said. “It was a great morale builder for the troops here on Sept. 11.”
