TAJI and the Fun Haters

I’ve mentioned Taji a number of times. Here are just a few things about it. Taji is a Coalition Force (CF) base that is north of Baghdad. Taji is huge. Right now it is one of the larger CF bases in the country both in size and occupants. Tenants there are Iraqi Security forces, Air Force (U.S. and Iraqi), U.S. Army, civilians and the list goes on. There is an air strip, several dining facilities, housing for thousands and they are building a new prison for Iraq. There is lots of activity going on there. When we do eventually leave Iraq Taji will once again be a huge hub of Iraqi military and security force activity.

Infant Taji:
You may recall that when the CF (Coalition Forces) entered Baghdad in 2003 the Iraqi military basically dissolved. They just quit fighting and went away. Well, Taji was a huge Iraqi military base at the time and it fell into CF hands. Of course we blew a few things up before we went in but basically we went in and took it over.

Fast forward to April 2004 when I first went there. I was still in awe at just having living through a trip through Baghdad when I first saw Taji. Run down buildings, roofs with bomb holes in them and piles of metal just about everywhere. Oh, and it stunk…smelled like burning trash and oily dirt. I stayed there a few weeks before I moved to a FOB (Forward Operating Base). Taji also has the dubious honor of being the location of my first eye-witness mortar attack. Ahhhhh, what a twisted memory to have of a place.

Adolescent Taji:
Things were very primitive in Taji’s early days. Electricity was scarce, inhabitable buildings were scarce as well but as U.S. and CF personnel rotated through there things improved. Our PX moved from an old warehouse to a decent steel building. Dining facilities were built (there are 3 or 4 now), motor pools improved and the list goes on and on. It has become a crowded, dirty base. It’s nice to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.
One unique part of Taji is the armor graveyard. After the initial push of the war the discarded and bombarded tanks, artillery pieces and instruments of war had to be put somewhere. Taji evidently seemed like a good place for a dump so the armor was dumped. You can drive by the boneyard of Iraqi armor and pass literally hundreds, if not thousands of rusting metal hulks. Of course, when fronted with such an incredible sight, what is a G.I. going to do? Spray paint a message on it and take a picture. When I was there I only took the picture because I didn’t have paint and there is hardly any room for more graffiti.

Teenage Taji:
Of course, the true measure to quality of life of any military post is how good the PX is and how many franchise eateries there are. As I mentioned, the PX is pretty decent. Taji has Pizza Hut, Subway, Burger King and the real measure of how much of a ‘soft spot Taji has become is the addition of a Cinnabon franchise. Yeah, Cinnabon…just what a soldier who doesn’t do enough PT needs….sweet, fatty pastries.

One final measure of where the war is at is the anal-retentiveness that has increased over the years. Taji is pogueville (a pogue is a rear-echelon weenie who doesn’t fight or go outside the wire…combat arms guys like myself have several not-so-flattering terms for these pogues). The king of pogues is the Pogue CSM (Command Sergeant Major).

Now, I have great respect for most CSMs. They are often the most squared away, tough soldier you will ever find. They have a job to do which is important…looking out for the welfare of soldiers and enforcing the Army’s standards. I have no beef with these warriors but Taji (and other large posts such as Adder) have a very large population of CSMs with a flare for pogueness and they have too much time on their hands. These senior NCOs and their pogue underlings are also known as ‘fun haters.’

The P-CSMs are known for constantly enforcing standards that don’t really fit in a war environment. As the rockets and bullets have decreased, the P-CSMs have increased their haranguing of soldiers who’s drip pans aren’t under their vehicles, aren’t wearing reflective belts with their PT uniforms, aren’t saluting every officer they pass and, in-general, aren’t behaving in a professional pogue-ish military manner. The Pogue CSMs are just a pain-in-the ass. They’ve nailed me for a few things that I was guilty of but….ahhhh.

Truckstop Taji:
Anyway…back to Taji. Our Squadron escorts vehicles to there every night. We bring up the full trucks. Sleep, eat, refuel, then take the empty trucks back the next night. It’s what we do. Taji must have its fuel, spare parts, reflective belts and cinnamon roll ingredients. The P-CSM must have his sweet, fatty pastries.

SABER 02
Out.