There is a side of Iraq that I thought I would never get to see, a situation that would be present long after I stopped coming to the place...normalcy.
In 1-14 CAV we have a yearly tradition around Thanksgiving, the Turkey Bowl. Each Troop puts together a football team or two and a tournament is held with the winners getting a large trophy. The Squadron Commander of course wasn't about to let this tradition slip by just because we were in Iraq so on Thanksgiving football was played on both COP COBRA and FOB CALDWELL between cavalry troops, engineers, and Marine military training teams. Victors were declared and the championship game was held that Saturday...
...at a sports stadium...
...in Khanaqin.
That's right, we played the championship game in an Iraqi city with no issues and no attacks. I never thought I would see the day. There is now an American football in the display case of the Khanaqin Stadium symbolizing the first ever American football game played there. Feels good to be a part of something like that.
Who won?
ReplyDeleteI take it you fractured neither nose nor jaw?
ReplyDeleteI did not play and took the opportunity to catch up on some work and relax. There were a few minor injuries across the Squadron, one broken nose and several broken egos.
ReplyDeleteB troop won the championship defeating A troop in a close game.