Buffalo Soldiers settle in at Camp Alpha

Photo By Sgt. Brandon Le Flore | Pfc. Ryan Fones, Mahomet-Seymour, Ill., native, and cavalry scout with 1-10 Cav., 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division looks at wares from the local national shop located on Camp Alpha at Contingency Operating Base Basra May 11. The Squadron will call Camp Alpha home for the rest of the deployment.  

BASRA, IRAQ

05.11.2009

Story by Sgt. Brandon Le Flore 

Multi-National Division-South

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASRA, Iraq — The Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division have fully settled into their new living accommodations at Camp Alpha, located here.

The Buffalo Soldiers returned to the 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. after eight months of being attached to other operational units in Multi-National Division — South. The battalion moved to COB Basra when 2nd BCT assumed command of the Basra area of operations. after a little more than a month, Camp Alpha was assigned as the home away from home for 1-10 Cav.

Since the battalion's mobilization in September, 1-10 Cav. Soldiers have moved around several times and have been based at Camp Summers, FOBs Kalsu and Endeavor, the Regional Embassy Office in Babil, and Hillah. Some of the Soldiers feel that Camp Alpha is a step up from their previous homes.

"It's better than some of the other places we've been," said Sgt. Daniel Cox, a combat medic with 1-10 Cav. "Besides, it's always nice to be close to the [Post Exchange]."

"Camp Alpha is really not that bad," added Pfc. Ryan Fones, Mahomet-Seymour, Ill., native, and cavalry scout with 1-10 Cav. "It could always be a lot worse."

Among the amenities at Camp Alpha are air-conditioned living quarters, an excellent Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center fully equipped with computers with internet and phones, and a good gym, said 1st Sgt. Michael Kelley, Camp Alpha mayor. The dining facility is conveniently located near the camp.

In addition to the MWR and gymnasium, the camp also has a local national shop inside the camp and volleyball court.

"I think the Soldiers like it here overall," Kelley added.

Of all the resources on Camp Alpha, the gym and the volleyball court are probably the most popular. When not conducting missions, the Cav. hosts volleyball tournaments for the Soldiers here.

"Sgt. 1st Class [Manuel] Vinegas is a volleyball champ," said Kelley of the squadron's medical platoon non-commissioned officer-in-charge.

"Just about everyone in the medical platoon lifts at the gym five or six days a week," said Cox.

The Sqdn. anticipates working and residing at Camp Alpha until they redeploy to Fort Carson with the 2nd BCT in August.

• Date Taken: 05.11.2009
• Date Posted: 05.13.2009 08:36
• Story ID: 33548
• Location: BASRA, IQ