Steaks, NA Beer and General Order #1

Everybody gets to go home on leave, or what’s commonly known as R&R. It lasts a couple of weeks and my turn is coming up in August. I’m starting to make a list of the things I want to do, places to go, and where and what am I going to eat and drink. My current craving for steak, Monjunis, Mexican food and beer are beginning to be more frequent.
We do what we can to try to replicate some of the things from home when we can. The army doesn’t allow much of that but we try anyway. Like clothing. The only thing you can wear here is your Army camouflage uniform or your fitness uniform. I do wear my own choice of shorts and t-shirts in my living area…but don’t tell the Army.
Some of us have grown tired of the daily chow hall food (it is good…but it is repetitive). We have taken to the Sunday evening cookout. Our maintenance guys have turned an old field sink and fashioned it into a grill. It ain’t purty but she cooks a mean steak. Actually our Chef, Sergeant First Class Rocky Wells is our primary beef grillin’ king. With the aid of a flashlight he can do a pretty good job.
We gather a few things from the PX or the chow hall to round out the meal. The only disappointing point of the evening is our limitation of beverages. Particularly the beer. You see, in Iraq it’s Near Beer or No beer thanks to General Order #1.
General Order #1 is a policy that restricts certain activities and things so we can all get through this part of the war without offending the culture. Alcohol is one of the things that is restricted. Muslims don’t drink (well, they aren’t supposed to). Therefore we don’t.
So Iraq is a dry country in more ways than one. If you know me, I enjoy the occasional cold one. For 2008 that will be limited to tea, soda and a few other beverages. I’ll survive. I have several times before. I guess I just need to look at the bright side; I’m saving a heck of a lot of calories.

SABER 02,
out.