GI's trying to get mats in Iraq

[Wildcard Ky]

Has anyone heard this one yet? I was surfing the web tonight and came across this story.

SGT Jason Hess emailed an online matress company to see if they shipped to Iraq. He wanted to buy some mats for him and other soldiers to sleep on. The reply:

"SGT Hess,

We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com"


Here's a link to the full text of the story. Fox

Apparently the person that sent the nasty e-mail has been fired, but that's not been verified yet.

I'm surprised at how little attention a story like this is getting in the media. Those opposed to the war steadfastly say that they support the troops themselves.

Is this a non story? Does it give anti war forces a bit of a black eye?

What would media response be if the letter said "We would NEVER ship to blacks, gays, Muslims, Jews, (insert your own group here)"?

 

[TE999]

You are right. There would have been more of a ruckus if the response had targeted blacks, gays, etc. However, they're in the military too.

In any case, the response was offensive, predjudical and demeaning to our fighting men and women.

Why blame them for the decisions of their superiors?

And how many employees can you have in a house anyway?

On the bright side, now the soldiers have mats galore.

But why didn't the Army supply them with mats to begin with?

 

[cantdog]

Wildcard just assumes that "anti-war forces" are to blame. He wants to see a parallel. Meh. Not worth sweating over. Let him think what he likes, and whatif about races and gays if he likes, too. Whatifs are cheap, anyone can do it. Have fun, fellows.

 

[Misty_Morning]

Wow!....for a minute there I thought that this thread was about how Gi_Venus was tring to get Matriarch into Iraq........

Talk about an acid flashback......



Oh...how my imagination shall run with this......

 

[Edward Teach]

This story didn’t ring true to me so I followed the links contained in the Fox story. It sounds like the soldiers in Taji are getting everything they need and even have the largest PX in Iraq, or at least they did in 2004.

I’m sure that no assignment in Iraq is a pleasant one and I wish that no troops had to be there but, as front line accommodations go, living in air conditioned trailers with a super PX, Burger King, Subway, and Pizza Hut nearby is pretty first class.

Here is an excerpt from the “Taji” link that is contained in the Fox story quoted and linked.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/al-taji.htm


Camp Taji

In mid-September 2004, as part of an Army-wide effort to give its facilities around Baghdad friendlier connotations, and try to resolve the issue of constantly-changing facility names, Camp Cooke was renamed Camp Taji, with its Arabic translation "Camp Taji".

The quality of life at Camp Taji gets better every day. The Camp now has the Largest PX in Iraq , which has a Subway, Burger King and Pizza Hut. They also have a newly built dining facility, which is three times larger and the food selection is unbelievable. There are several Gyms and MWR facilities where soldiers can exercise, watch movies or sporting events and play games. Soldiers live in air-conditioned and heated trailers, have hot showers and can eat four meals a day in the new dining facility.

Soldiers on Camp Taji had a lot to celebrate on a day full of Thanksgiving activities with the grand opening of a new post exchange and dining facility 25 November 2004. The new exchange boasts 29,000 square feet of retail space. The additional space gave the exchange the ability to add merchandise that previous locations on Camp Taji were unable to accommodate. The construction of the facility took over two months to complete with employees and contractors working through the night to ensure the store's opening in conjunction with the Thanksgiving holiday. It will be able to serve over 1,000 soldiers at a time and up to 14,000 soldiers in a day. The facility is named the Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Cooke Sports Zone. It pays homage to the former command sergeant major of the 1st Armored Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, who was killed on Christmas Eve 2003 while visiting his soldiers.

From office supplies, to combat boots, war is hell on equipment. Without the right equipment, performing one's mission at best can be difficult.at worst, impossible. With operations that run around the clock, soldiers of the Headquarters Company and 239th Military Intelligence Company supply sections ensure Bowie Brigade troopers always have the proper equipment. The sign attached to the wooden fence in front of the non-descript warehouse belies the building's true purpose. "Welcome to Little Rock!" the stenciled letters read, the only indication that this particular warehouse is different on the long stretch of road dotted with similar buildings. The 239th MI Co. and the brigade's HHC (Headquarters Company) are responsible for the issue, maintenance and accounting of all OCIE (Organizational Clothing, Individual Equipment).

Housed in an unassuming concrete structure, the remnant of a prior regime, a small group of men humbly awaits their next mission. Their job requires strength, humility, teamwork and courage. They are the firefighters of Camp Taji. Assembled from the Puerto Rico National Guard's 215th Engineering Detachment and Massachusetts-based Army Reserve units, the 287th and 356th Engineering Detachments, the 1st Cavalry Division fire-fighters on Camp Taji play a pivotal role as first responders to a variety of situations ranging from hazardous material clean-up to crash and rescue services.

Back home, their civilian occupations are as varied as the states they come from, but they all have one thing in common: they all know how to push cement. Soldiers of the 980th Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy) attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, layed the foundation for an airfield expansion at Camp Taji in October 2004. The 980th is a reserve battalion headquartered in Austin, Texas with subordinate units in San Antonio and Seagolville. They are between the combat engineers who are pushing stuff out of the way and the more permanent type of construction performed by the Corps of Engineers. They have the skills to support long-term construction projects. Compared to previous projects, their current mission is by far the largest since they were deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Their mission is to construct an expansion apron and they poured in the neighbor of 40 acres of concrete. The project included building demolition, grading, concrete placement and apron construction. When the project was completed they had poured over 50,000 cubic feet of cement.

Thanks a charity organization called the Freedom Calls Foundation, soldiers stationed in Taji can talk to loved ones back home free of charge. The facility offers 30 phones, 4 video conferencing stations, 10 video email stations, and 40 computers with email and internet access.

Inside Camp Taji there is the Taji Training Center which trains new Iraqi military recruits (Jundis or privates). As of February 2006, about 2,000 Iraqis have been trained at Taji. U.S. soldiers were mainly responsible for training the Jundis in the early stages of the occupation. More recently, U.S. forces seve a more advisory role with the responsibility of basic training being primarily tasked with Iraqi instructors. At Taji, Jundis learn how to man checkpoints, clear rooms, perform first aid, marksmanship and drill and ceremony.

As the partnership between the Iraqi army and Coalition Forces grows each day, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers poured more than $3.5 million into the local Iraqi community to open a renovated Iraqi army theater and two renovated health clinics. The theater is now available to the 15,000 Iraqi troops who call Camp Taji their home. The facility not only improves the quality of life for the troops, but also cements a friendship growing between Coalition Forces and the Iraqi army. The Taji Cinema, which was essentially destroyed during the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, had the old roof removed and replaced, 500 seats re-upholstered and a new restroom area with eight toilets installed. The project cost $754,000 and took almost seven months to complete. This facility will offer many activities, ceremonies and show a lot of training videos to train the Iraqi army and the new Iraq.

In addition to the theater, two 143-square-meter health clinics have been built. The $3 million project gives Iraqi soldiers accessibility to medical clinics with some of the latest equipment in medical technology.

Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gunner

With the construction of the new Kellogg, Brown and Root dining facility complete, soldiers from all over Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gunner have begun flocking to the area to experience the new food. After months of MRE's, T-Rations, and A-Rations, eating real food is an exciting change. The soldiers don't seem to mind the air-conditioned eating area, either.

The dining facility started out serving only two meals a day to allow the troops to adjust to the new diet. Now, the dining facility has increased to full production, which is four meals a day. The breakfast menu has a variety of choices, ranging from eggs, bacon, and sausage to pancakes, French toast, and the reliable staple of sausage gravy. The cereal bar is always available, as well as fresh fruit and juice. Lunch consists of your classic hamburger and hot dogs, as well as chicken sandwiches and fish sticks, just to name a few of the daily choices. Dinner seems to be the soldier's best chance for some good ol' (almost) American-style meals. With meals ranging from steak to fried chicken, soldiers are enjoying the tastes from the States here in Taji, Iraq.

The dining facility has also begun catering to the personnel that work on the night shift. The midnight meal allows these individuals a chance to grab a quick bite from the sandwich line or to get a head start on the day by choosing from the breakfast bar


Fox reported it. You decide.


Ed

.

 

[Guest]

Fox reported it. You decide.


Ed

.

No offense, Wildcard, but I agree with Teach.

FOX reported it. I don't believe a slanted word they say.

 

[matriarch]

Has anyone heard this one yet? I was surfing the web tonight and came across this story.

SGT Jason Hess emailed an online matress company to see if they shipped to Iraq. He wanted to buy some mats for him and other soldiers to sleep on. The reply:

"SGT Hess,

We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com"


Here's a link to the full text of the story. Fox

Apparently the person that sent the nasty e-mail has been fired, but that's not been verified yet.

I'm surprised at how little attention a story like this is getting in the media. Those opposed to the war steadfastly say that they support the troops themselves.

Is this a non story? Does it give anti war forces a bit of a black eye?

What would media response be if the letter said "We would NEVER ship to blacks, gays, Muslims, Jews, (insert your own group here)"?

On a lighter note.......I got a real shock when I saw the title of this thread....I had no idea why any GIs would want to send me to Iraq??

My mistake.

Thank goodness. Phew.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Does it give anti war forces a bit of a black eye?

Are you serious? If it were true, it would be giving the US military two black eyes. Is it normal for soldiers to have to place online orders to get mattresses to sleep on?

 

[amicus]

[QUOTE=Wildcard Ky]Has anyone heard this one yet? I was surfing the web tonight and came across this story.

SGT Jason Hess emailed an online matress company to see if they shipped to Iraq. He wanted to buy some mats for him and other soldiers to sleep on. The reply:

"SGT Hess,

We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com"


Here's a link to the full text of the story. Fox

Apparently the person that sent the nasty e-mail has been fired, but that's not been verified yet.

I'm surprised at how little attention a story like this is getting in the media. Those opposed to the war steadfastly say that they support the troops themselves.

Is this a non story? Does it give anti war forces a bit of a black eye?

What would media response be if the letter said "We would NEVER ship to blacks, gays, Muslims, Jews, (insert your own group here)"?[/QUOTE]

~~~~

Interesting post Wildcard...I do not have the time to pursue confirmation or denial, but others seem to.

Did you expect anything less? Get used to it, the bottom feeders and leeches are always there and always hungry.


amicus..

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Are you serious? If it were true, it would be giving the US military two black eyes. Is it normal for soldiers to have to place online orders to get mattresses to sleep on?

You'd be suprised. Military requests are the epitome of our vastly flawed government acquisition process. If there were no mattresses, or if all mattresses in the supply chain were allocated somewhere else, it's highly possible. It'd be much easier to order and pay for a mattress out of your own pocket than to try and get one through regular supply chains.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

No offense, Wildcard, but I agree with Teach.

FOX reported it. I don't believe a slanted word they say.

No offense taken. I'm not much on Fox either. Actually, I came across the story when a friend of mine currently in Afghanistan sent the link.

 

[SeaCat]

I wasn't going to reply to this thread, but,,,,,

It is well known that Military personel have during their times spent in Iraq placed orders for things the Army and other services didn't provide. These have included such things as Bullet Proof Vests. From what I have heard the vests orginally provided to the troops didn't provide the protection the troops thought they needed so they went on their own to improve their armor. The Military has been working to improve this situation. (Note, Military Ballistic Armor is often not as good as that sold on the civilian market due to the rapid advances made and the way in which the military buys equipment. This has been true for all equipment down through time.)

The Mats mentioned in the article were not for sleeping but rather for leveling a floor for some reason.

Is Camp Taji truly that large and sophisticated? It might be, and then again it may not be. I haven't been there so I don't know. As for conditions on any given post, that can vary widely due to the nature of the post, it's positioning and the number of personel it holds.

I have talked to several people who have been to Iraq. Some were officers, some were grunts, and some were civilians. The conditions they served under varied from person to person.

Cat