Photo By Sgt. Jaimé Deleon | U.S. Army Cpl. Jason Huft (left), a cook with Company E, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry...... read more read more
Subscribe
LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Task Force Chosin Soldiers from Battle Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment now have a place to spend their limited down time at Combat Outpost Baugess with the opening of their Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center June 28.
The new MWR boasts 10 computers, five phones and a television.
The company started out with little more than a few trailers and a perimeter of dirt filled barriers. Since then, they have built bunkers, showers, and observation towers and made the entrance point to the COP more secure, all the while running near constant missions into the surrounding area of Afghanistan's Logar province, said Army Capt. Jason Wingeart, Battle Company commander.
"Even with all we've accomplished out here, it's been a real challenge," Wingeart said. "It's important to be able to communicate with friends and family, and for the last two months we've only had one phone for the entire company."
The one phone Wingeart refers to was not even exclusively for morale purposes, it was also used for the company's daily business.
"Soldiers will always adapt to what they have and they've done extremely well," he added.
"We built the morale center because we really needed to get some phones out here," said Army Sgt. William Martinez, an infantryman with Headquarters Platoon, Battle Company, and one of the Soldiers entrusted with building the facility. "It'll be nice to have the ability to call home, so the guys can call their wives; call their mothers. We also have several computers. With the MWR computers you can access [social networking sites] and that is the only way a lot of these guys talk to their families."
The MWR isn't the only way troops get an emotionally rewarding morale boost. COP Baugess is also expecting a new generator soon. The generator will power refrigerators for the kitchen, allowing the cooks to store more perishable foods to feed their troops.
"All the food we have here is T-rations and UGREs (unified ground rations express meals), which are just like T-rations but they come with their own heaters," said Army Cpl. Jason Huft, a cook with Company E, 1-32 Inf., who is currently attached to Battle Company.
T-rations are a prepared meal that comes in a sealed container and are heated up before serving, similar to a giant TV dinner.
"You can see whenever we serve just T-rations, without fresh food, the look of disappointment on the Soldiers' faces," said Huft. "But when we get to add in the real food, it's a whole different attitude. Meals are one of the main things most of the guys out here look forward to."
"We are really starting to settle in out here," said Wingeart. "We're really looking forward to the food when the generator gets here, and with the new MWR, Soldiers are able to work on those important connections back home."
Battle Co. is at its halfway point for the deployment, but still has a lot get done.
"We're going to keep working on improving the COP," said Wingeart. "We are working to provide a presence and let the people know we are here to stay and provide support, so we are settling in for just that."
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2009 00:45 |
| Story ID: | 36325 |
| Location: | LOGAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 203 |
| Downloads: | 132 |
This work, Chosin troops work to expand Combat Outpost, improve morale in Logar province, by SGT Jaimé Deleon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
