(As the Editor and Chief is busy
getting ready to watch the San Francisco 49er’s win (update-Loose) another Super Bowl, we’re
running a re-run story today. Go
Niners!)
From the Soldier Side: (I told this story a few years ago... but
it’s one of my favorites)
Super Bowl Sunday, Jan 2005! There I was, in Baghdad, Iraq. My team
had just flown in that day from some shitty mission.... (Mosoul/ Telafar). We
were worn out and tired. We had been sent to Mosoul/ Telafar to help after the
Army mess hall had been blown up by a suicide bomber. Still, after all these
years, I think one of the hardest things to investigate is something where the
primary suspect has killed himself. In that case, I really wish he had made a
mistake with his fuse and blown himself up outside the camp.
No, I didn't jump out of planes!
But the biggest hindrance
in that investigation was not the insurgents, but the idiot Sergeant who had
put herself in charge...she had no idea what she was doing and was just a
retard.
Anyway, after we
got off the Blackhawk chopper in Baghdad, we were trucked back out our rooms.
We dropped our gear and headed for dinner….
We walked over to
the mess hall, grabbing a tray of chow, I saw that they had a bunch of ice cold
beer. I thought it was a celebration for our safe return.
Nope. I asked the
sergeants guarding the beer, It was
Super Bowl Sunday 2005. This is the most important holiday in the US Army. The
Marines have the Marine Corps Birthday, I'm not sure what the Navy and Air
Force have, but the Army has Super Bowl.
Now, I figure a
lot of you won't understand how important beer was....because General Order #1
said we could not have anything with alcohol in it...unless a General
authorized it. But, even with a General's approval, there could only be a 2
beer limit per person. Now, to be honest with you, I don't normally drink that
much anymore. But that time of the deployment, a cold beer sounded really good.
2 cold beers sounded even better. They went down quick.....ice cold, yummy.
When those “M” religions come in handy….
Then, my #2 guy
looked around and found all the Islamic Terps and the Mormon soldiers.
I’d ask: “Hey Joe, aren’t you a good Mormon?”
Joe: “Yes Sergeant, I am.”
Me: “Good, go get your 2 beers and bring them over here please.”
We did this with Achmed, Whaid, Jim and a few others.....
We convinced them that they should get their ration of beer and
bring them to us.....only 2 at a time.
and the General said: "Have 2 beers!" and it was good. So we had 2 more.
I lost count of
how many beers I had. And wouldn't you know it, walking out of the mess hall
(really kind of staggering) there was the battalion commander and the sergeant
major. They were assholes, and I just walked by and said: "Gentlemen,
dinner is on me."
We made it back to
our rooms, laid on my rack and passed out. I never did watch that game and I
have no idea who was even playing. But the 2 beers were sure gooooood! I
admit.. I was feeling very good that night.
(For those reading
this outside of the United States...the Super Bowl is kind of like the world
cup soccer, except better ads on TV.)
