Sandbox sailor

A Sailor tightly grips a joystick, trying not to blink an organ of vision steadying his pixilated rifle's sight upon the target as best he can. Shipmates cheer him upon from the foyer of the crammed berthing as he takes down the last enemy with his pure and straight shot. He has reached the horizontal of "ultimate desert warrior."

Computer gaming is individual of very few leisure activities for many Sailors in the company of ships where carrying guns and avoiding enemies is a make-believe challenge. With the advent of individual augmentee deployment in support of combat operations in Iraq, more and more Sailors find themselves in a real-life war scene

These courageous Sailors are making an evolutionary change. Sailors are joining up with their associate Army, Marine and Air Force counterparts in the barren This is duty in Iraq.

waste camouflage and tent homes have become commonplace for many Sailors in the fleet

"If you wear the uniform, you are not upon the sidelines. You are upon the front lines," said VADM John C Harvey, the Navy's chief of personnel in a alphabetic character to the fleet. "That is a fact of our life, and all of us are going to have to acquire used to it."

There is no simple answer to in what way to adapt to such a non-welcoming environment.

A Sailor will more many times than not find him or herself gripping the seat of an Air Force C-130 as it thumps through the desert sky and put under waters down to Baghdad International Airport, or hovering above Baghdad in an Army Blackhawk helicopter, like a bird circling and looking for a safe place to repose Regardless of branch, every service member is here in direct support of single another's mission. To help, the Navy does have personnel in place to ease the Sailors transition into the desert

"The efforts in Iraq are an amazing example of all forces working together as individual team," said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Darrell Marshall, whose main piece of work is to support the Navy personnel motion into the Iraqi region. "This is evident the next to the first a Sailor steps off a plane.

"I do everything I can to make certain that all the needs of incoming Sailors are met" said Marshall. "I can always hear their nervousness and stres when speaking to them upon the phone; although I take pride in doing what I can to make this transition as easy for them as possible."

Marshall has accosted many wide-eyed Sailors at the Baghdad airport during the wee hours of the morning on their arrival, where he has an SUV ready to take them to where they can quiet their heads for the night, following hours of overseas flights. He explains in detail what each of recent origin sand Sailor can expect while traveling quite through Iraq.

Not plenteous is easy when you leave your region and loved ones behind and head to a place where bomb and bullet are used in everyday life. To top not upon the obvious threat to life is the outermost change in sights, smells and unmutilateds that are tell-tale Iraq.

"It does take a certain number of time to get used to the initial percussion of differences out here," said Marshall "But the pavilion life isn't so bad."

This is a Sailor's first wild home while in country--a small hut located in a makeshift pavilion It's kind of like camping without at the Scout Jamboree as a kid, reject for the sounds and get scent ofs Surely to the average metal-housed Sailor this is as different a lifestyle as night and day.

"The stale, mildewed air is definitely something that takes time to gain used to," said Builder 1st Class David Robinson. "I have wearied many a night in the large tarps with Soldiers and Airmen. on the contrary this is only while in transit from one side the region."

one time a Sailor reaches his or her novel duty station they will realize a more suitable place to reside.

"I was thankful when I finally got to Camp Fallujah where I would be for the nearest year," said Robinson. "There was a sigh of relief when I was given a extent and my own area to lay my material It's crazy how the simple things can mean in like manner much."

Sailors adapt to their living conditions in Iraq just like they would to living in berthing while at sea.

"I actually have more freedom without here than I ever did upon a ship," said Robinson. "It's really like being upon shore duty. The base has greatest in quantity everything, like a shoppette where I can purchase the basics such as shaving cream and toothpaste and military gear I may ne There's a phone center where I can call abode a recreation center and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) where I can gap movies."

All bases from one extremity to the other of Iraq have support facilities for the companys Some also have eateries from the states similar as Pizza Hut, Burger King and Taco Bell, to name a hardly any There are also numerous sporting venue located upon Camps Victory and Fallujah.

"All I do is workout and eat," said Marshall of his off-duty time. "Sometimes I level play basketball with the shores on the courts.

Marshall lives upon Victory, where he works in individual of Saddam Hussein's former palaces alongside many naval officers and enlisted personnel The palace is the command center for operations over Iraq, but here, the Army step quicklys the show.