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A soldier's life in Iraq
Home away from home no luxury for 'Widowmakers'



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By DARYL TABOR dtabor@kentuckynewera.com
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MOSUL, Iraq -- Life, for the most part, has been miserable for the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) since arriving in Iraq.
In addition to lengthy separations from family, the primitive living conditions here are a far cry from their homes in Hopkinsville, Clarksville and on the Fort Campbell military base.

The men of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment know it all too well.

Home for the 135 soldiers of the company is an unfinished three story building on the eastern edge of Mosul. They cram into tiny rooms decorated with items from home and pictures of bikini-clad models, making the poorly-ventilated quarters a little more bearable.

Some rooms are cooled by small air-conditioning units installed only in the last couples of weeks, but most of the "Widowmakers" of the 502nd are forced to use fans as their only relief from the oppressive heat.

"After living like this for a while, it makes you feel like a widow," said Staff Sgt. Bill Pinkley, offering an explanation for the regiment's nickname.

The only electrical power is supplied by an overtaxed generator. Circuits are regularly overloaded, leaving the company in the dark for short periods daily. One of the few amenities, five Internet computer terminals, are on battery back-up, allowing the men to continue communicating with friends and family even in the dark.

Food and drinks are chilled in styrofoam coolers filled with ice delivered by an Iraqi merchant. The only refrigeration units on the compound are owned by the in-house Iraqi storekeeper who sells drinks and ice cream to the troops. He also manages the tiny "diner" set up to prepare meals of both American and local flavor.

First Sgt. Thomas Coleman admits the local fare and water does not always set well in the stomachs of his soldiers. He said at some point, every one of the men have come down with the "Iraqi crud." The symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea and has picked up the name "black-hearted plague" in honor of the black heart patches worn on the helmets of the regiment's soldiers.

"I swear it's in the air," he said.

Some of the men have been hospitalized from the effects of the ailment, including Pinkley, who said some medics thought he was dying.

The plastic mobile latrines become ovens as the mid-day sun bakes down. The outdoor showers are separated only by distance and offer no room for modesty. Water is trucked in every two days, making conservation of the precious resource mandatory.

In all, there is very little for the soldiers to look forward to, but Sgt. 1st Class Jonny Rosario says there are a few things everyone anticipates.

"We look forward to three things here," Rosario said. "Mail being one… very important. Ice and chow… good chow."

First Lt. David McNatt, the company's executive officer, has found mail to be particularly important during his stay in Iraq. Pictures mailed by his wife are the only way he has been able to see his baby born two months ago.

"I'm a proud father," he said. "I cannot wait to get back to see him."

McNatt is not alone. Pinkley also has a wife and small child back home.

A motorcycle enthusiast, Coleman is anxious to get back home and hit the open road.

"I guess we missed Little Sturgis this year," he said, speaking of the huge motorcycle rally held every July in the small western Kentucky city of Sturgis.

Nothing comes easy at Alpha Company headquarters -- they have no pool or billiard tables like some units stationed in the heart of Mosul -- but improvisation and patience have made life halfway around the globe seem a little closer to home.

News Editor Daryl Tabor is on special assignment to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Operation Iraqi Freedom.