Airmen, Soldiers revel in America's pastime in Iraq

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Josh Moshier
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq --  If you visit the softball diamond on any weekend at Logistics Support Area Anaconda, Iraq, you're likely to see a co-recreational game with players on both sides swinging the bat, circling the bases and trading friendly barbs with one another.

At first glance, the scene would appear no different than any other softball game you've watched - until you look around and realize there are military convoys passing on the street and fully-loaded Blackhawk helicopters and F-16 fighter aircraft circling overhead.

Behind the outfield fence and extending from the right field corner past dead center is a 12-foot wall of concrete barriers intended to shield servicemembers from fragments should the base be attacked by insurgents with rockets or mortars. Modest wooden benches for the few spectators who show are covered by camouflaged netting. Players carry loaded weapons with them to the field, and guard towers overlook the grounds beyond the perimeter of the highly fortified base.

It's a surreal picture in a world most people are only familiar with through images seen on the nightly news. For the athletes, it's an hour each week to step away from the reality of living in a combat zone and enjoy a game that reminds them a little bit of home.

"It's a challenge playing on a field full of rocks," said Air Force Airman 1st Class Andrew Emert of the 332nd Expeditionary Communications Squadron, who's deployed here from the 99th Communications Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. "You think a ball is going to stay down, and then it hits a rock and it's in your face."

Regardless, Airman Emert looks forward to each week's game as a release from the never-ending work cycle.

"This is fun, and it gets me out of the office and takes my mind off the stresses you have here for an hour each week," he said. "Just getting out and having a good time takes my mind off of missing home."

The league is made up of 28 teams, representing various units from the base, split into two 14-team divisions. The season is 13 weeks long and culminates in an end-of-season championship tournament. The level of participation was a welcome surprise for the Army morale, welfare and recreation unit responsible for organizing the league.

"We got more teams than we expected," said Army Sgt. John Gumataotao, 657th Area Support Group MWR noncommissioned-officer-in-charge, an Army Reservist deployed here from the 1101st Garrison Support Unit, Hagatna, Guam. "We were going to try to limit the league to 10 teams in each division, but there was so much interest, we decided to expand that number. It's been very successful."

Playing games and running a league in this environment is certainly not without obstacles. There's no grass anywhere in sight, and the sheer quantity of rocks practically guarantees fielders won't see many true hops. Iraq sees little rain, making the ground hard, and line drives skip off it as if they were hit on blacktop. The outfielders must occasionally navigate an enormous mound of rock and dirt inconveniently dumped in deep center field.

Although according to Sergeant Gumataotao, the biggest challenge is ensuring each team can get enough players to show up each week.

"Unfortunately, some teams have to forfeit because they have to accomplish their mission. Obviously, the mission comes first," he said.

"Getting the chance to come out here and play once a week is definitely a morale boost," said Army Staff Sgt. David Cutsinger of the 1744th Transportation Company, an Army National Guardsman deployed here with his unit from Streator, Ill. "It gives people something else to get their mind on other than being in Iraq."

Sergeant Cutsinger said the 1744th TC is one that has had to play most weeks without its full complement of players. While he acknowledges there's plenty of military responsibility to tend to, he doesn't sell short the impor-tance of playing games, either.

"This is very important for morale," Sergeant Cutsinger said. "When you're over here, your life consists of work. Sometimes, guys don't want to come out because we get beat pretty bad most of the time. But I tell them, 'come on - we have 50 minutes on this field each week; let's take it.'"

While the players agree the most important thing is for everyone to have fun, avoid injury and spend time with teammates away from the work environment, there's still a competitive fire burning underneath.

"Every unit here is competitive and wants to be the best," said Staff Sgt. Terry LaBreck of the 332nd ECS, deployed here from the 83rd CS at Langley AFB, Va. "My motivation to play is to make sure I do my part in the 332nd ECS smack down on the Army teams we play.

"We've got to show them that what they call the 'Chair Force' can be competitive," he said.

Ultimately, the opportunity to play a game that's taken for granted back home - a game as simple as softball - is contributing to a positive experience for the servicemembers' time here.

"I've been playing softball for 24 years, so this is a nice release," said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Bryce Maxson, 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group superintendent. "Besides, how many people can say they've played softball in Iraq?"

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