Photo By Staff Sgt. Shawn Miller | U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Forte, deputy commanding officer of the 2nd Advise and...... read more read more
Subscribe
SAMARRA, Iraq – Dozens sat at the decorated tables, enjoying plates piled high with freshly cooked turkey, potatoes and all the traditional side dishes and desserts. Were it not for the barbed wire topped blast walls weapons at the feet of the soldiers on a remote outpost in Iraq, this would be a normal Thanksgiving scene.
Soldiers of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, received a holiday treat at the Samarra Joint Coordination Center as their battalion and brigade leaders from the 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, paid a visit, Nov. 25, to serve a Thanksgiving feast.
“It feels like Thanksgiving here; it really does,” said Spc. Omar Franco, a resident of Maui, Hawaii. “It means a lot to have the sergeants major and the higher headquarters officers come out here and show their appreciation for the soldiers.”
Franco, on his first deployment, said that he is adjusting being away from home as best as possible during the holiday season.
“It’s a little bit different. There’s no family around, but I have my platoon that I work with every day,” he explained.
As the soldiers enjoyed a relaxed morning, a few took the opportunity to break out a football and play a game of catch as a way of preserving holiday traditions. For the soldiers on this outpost, barely larger than a football field itself, the time off spent with friends was a welcome respite from the daily tasks of conducting operations.
“They really appreciate the bond between the soldiers,” 2nd Lt. Michael Gardner said of his men.
Gardner, also on his first deployment, serving as a platoon leader, said that living and working in the confined space really allows the Soldiers to build camaraderie.
Holiday care packages from home are shared between them, he added, helping ease any stress.
“This is probably one of the best Thanksgivings I’ve been involved with,” said Gardner, a native of Savage, Minn.
The battery commander, Capt. Brian Dieffenbach, echoed the sentiment and said that this year, he is thankful for being able to spend the time with his soldiers.
“Being with your family is probably the best tradition, and here the best Family we have to offer is the guys we’re serving with,” Dieffenbach said.
The smell of roast turkey, stuffing and baked apple pie lured soldiers toward the small cafeteria as Dieffenbach and other senior leadership welcomed them in to take part in the feast.
Holiday meals have come a long way since the cold turkey patties and powdered potatoes of previous deployments, said Dieffenbach, now on his third tour to Iraq.
There was even a bit of a surprise for Franco.
“I eat pumpkin pie every year for Thanksgiving back home,” he exclaimed as he found his favorite annual dessert. “I made sure to grab a slice.”
In the true spirit of Thanksgiving, being thankful for one’s blessings, U.S. leaders decided to create new customs by extending an invitation to their local Iraqi Security Forces counterparts and government officials to take part in the celebration and introduce them to what the holiday means.
“I think that Thanksgiving here is truly unique because of the facility we are at,” said Dieffenbach, a native of Kansas City, Mo. “It’s an Iraqi-U.S. base that’s all coming together for a unique American holiday.”
The ISF and local officials have welcomed the American soldiers to celebrate Ramadan and Eid with them in the past, so inviting the Iraqis to Thanksgiving dinner was a gesture of that friendship, Dieffenbach said.
“We work with these guys almost on a daily basis,” Gardner said. “This is another opportunity for us to show them one of our traditions.”
Though they did not work off dinner with a post-dinner game of football, the Iraqis were afforded a chance to experience a small part of the Thanksgiving rituals, as U.S. leaders gave them an overview of the holiday and its history.
“Other than the food, I hope they had the opportunity to get a good feel for what Thanksgiving means to the American soldier,” Gardner remarked.
That afternoon, the soldiers continued their holiday by relaxing or making calls to loved ones a few time zones back in the United States, who would be just beginning their Thanksgiving.
Of the three Thanksgivings he spent in Iraq, Dieffenbach said that this one will be especially memorable.
“This will probably be the most special for me, because it’s with the guys I’m responsible for and the guys I lead on a daily basis,” he said proudly. “I get to sit there and tell them ‘Thank you.’”
| Date Taken: | 11.25.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2010 09:58 |
| Story ID: | 60957 |
| Location: | SAMARRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Soldiers enjoy Thanksgiving on small outpost, by SSG Shawn Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
