November 26th, 2005-
When you're overseas living and working in a third-world country, living accomodations can be pretty important. Hell, they're important in any locale for that matter. My platoon has been assigned quarters pretty far away from the main Company Building. The other line platoons and the HQ platoon are all housed at the main building, while my platoon has been set off in a set of much smaller buildings. In a sense, it's almost like I've been given my own platoon. Since we're physically set away my Platoon Sergeant and I have more control of how things run. This is a rare setup- platoons almost always operate under strict company or battery control, and if they are detached a senior Lieutenant would be in charge. However, here I am, the most junior officer in the battalion, with a highly autonomous platoon operation in a combat zone. I'm psyched and hesitant at the same time. With greated freedom and control comes greater responsibility, and I haven't necessarily learned all the Platoon Leader ropes yet.
Let me get to the other interesting part, the actual buildings were housed in. The FOB we're at is divided into several areas, with our particular area being lovingly nicknamed the 'Crack Houses' by the soldiers. The two buildings that the soldiers sleep in are residential-type houses most likely left over from before the first Gulf War. They were in really rough shape when we first moved in. Thanks to some Soldier 'Field Expedient' engineering and elbow grease, the two houses are now roughly liveable. They still probably break every fire code ever written in the United States, but Iraqi architecture probably does in general anyway. The term 'fixer-upper' has never been more appropriate. Now that I think about it, my bedroom closet back home is about the same size as my room is now. However, my platoon has their own set of showers and washing machines. We even have a gym that I swear was used in one of the *Rocky* movies when he fought that Russian guy. 'Eye of the Tiger' runs through my head when I go lift. Now if it would only snow here.
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