CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – The smell of hundreds of steaks, bacon, and jalapeno peppers grilling filled the air with aroma as soldiers from 2nd Assist and Advise Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division received the rare opportunity of a Texas style barbeque, complete with steaks delivered directly from Texas, during 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry’s Steak-out.
The steak dinner was part of Operation Steak-out, a private company that volunteers to bring and cook a steak dinner for service members deployed throughout the world.
“It’s a great opportunity to give something back to the soldiers by bringing something from home to the soldiers overseas,” said David Eisenlohr, a member of the Steak Team.
The 3-7 Cavalry Steak-out marked the eighth steak dinner so far for Operation Steak-out, which has provided steak dinners in Baghdad, Balad, Kuwait, and multiple locations in Afghanistan.
“You can’t beat bringing Texas steaks to the deployed soldiers; nothing makes people think of home than good food,” said Eisenlohr.
“This was only my fourth trip with the company, so I’m still pretty new, but so far it has been a great experience travelling around the world and seeing the soldiers and give something back for all that they do,” Eisenlohr said.
Unique to this Steak-out was the reunion of father and son as David Eisenlohr had the opportunity to see his son Capt. Mike Eisenlohr, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3-7 Cavalry, and the chance to support his sons’ soldiers as well.
“Even better then the chance to have some home cooking is seeing my dad behind the grill,” said Capt. Eisenlohr.
“Stop, you’re going to get me to start tearing up,” said the senior Eisenlohr jokingly.
“It has been great to spend time with my dad, and having the whole Operation Steak-out team supporting our Soldiers has been a great day for everyone,” said Eisenlohr.