War zone cheer

December 24, 2004

Yes, there is caroling in Iraq.

There’s egg nog and hot chocolate.

And there’s a lot of talk about Arkansas’ white Christmas as soldiers patrol Baghdad over roadways dusted with nothing more than the usual drifts of brown dirt.

When I walked into Gunslinger’s main building this morning, I was surprised to find Christmas music blaring from a CD player on the counter of the shop run by an Iraqi who sells sodas, smoothies and snacks. Usually the player belts out traditional Iraqi tunes.

“Do you like my music?” Sgt. Paul Bunn of Bradford said as he danced by, smiling.

I caught some soldiers singing along as they wandered through the lobby.

Wishes of “Merry Christmas!” accompany every greeting.

While it doesn’t feel like Christmas, little things like music remind everyone that it is.

There’s a Christmas tree in the lobby that leans distinctively to the left, its plastic limbs weighed down with ornaments sent from home.

And to make it even more homey, the chow hall served toasted bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for lunch.

Boy, if that doesn’t make me think of Arkansas, nothing will. There’s nothing like a BLT with a big ‘ol juicy Arkansas tomato smack dab in the middle.

The overripe tomatoes were not from Arkansas. Bradley County — tomato capital of the state — would shudder at the sight of these small, mushy ‘maters.

But, it’s the first BLT I’ve had in more than a year.

As we sat at Fort Apache tonight, waiting to head out on a mission shortly before midnight, Capt. Jon Stubbs asked everyone in his humvee about their Christmas traditions.

Stubbs’ tradition includes duck and deer hunting at his in-laws.

When we got back to Gunslinger, after the mission, Stubbs cracked open a can of eggnog for everyone to share.

We headed back out when Christmas Day in Baghdad was still blanketed in pre-dawn darkness. We sang to Christmas music in the humvee while dropping off snipers.

It was festive.

It was surreal.

It was Christmas.

Posted by editor at December 24, 2004 05:14 PM