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Soldiers create holiday cheer in the desert

Dec-25-2005 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER , News-Miner

MOSUL, Iraq--It wasn't a white Christmas, but there was just enough of a nip in the air to make it feel a little like it was Christmas Eve.

In this part of the world near where Christ was born, soldiers with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team on Forward Operating Base Courage did the best they could to make it feel like Christmas this week.

At Camp Freedom Aid Station, the entire staff received presents from Maj. Julie Kullberg's church group, and her grandmother knitted stockings for everyone. On Friday night, the aid station staff watched "A Christmas Story." In the chow hall there was a life-size animated Santa Claus that belted out carols. Christmas cookies from church groups in Missouri were washed down with Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice.

Christmas trees sprouted up in operation centers and rooms all around base, and soldiers in Santa and elf hats whistled a few bars of "Jingle Bell Rock." On Christmas Eve, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment gathered outside its headquarters for a Christmas program that included a tree-lighting and a battalion slide-show. Each company sang an altered version of a carol, including "Oh Come All Ye Terrorists" and a version of "Jingle Bells": "IEDs, RPGs, reports of small arms fire, Rear differentials, power packs and countless flattened tires."

After a rough interpretation of the angel visiting shepherds in their fields--as performed by soldiers of the 2-1--Lt. Col. Chuck Webster had some more solemn words for the holiday.

"Christmas in a combat zone," he said. "We knew it was coming but that doesn't make it any easier."

Many of the soldiers said Christmas in Iraq doesn't feel much different. "It's just another day," said Spc. Matthew Keogh. He added that the holiday season is probably harder on family back home. "They're not keeping busy like we are," he said. [...]


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