4th of July, Al Taqaddum, Iraq

The Joys of Missed Holidays

The Fourth of July, the day of our nation's independence will be spent by many members of the Armed Forces in another country that has recently gained its independence from a despicable autocrat that had little to no concern about anything, but himself.

What will the Fourth have in store for us here aboard Al Taqaddum Air Base? The weather is expected to be hot and dry (nothing new there). For a clear understanding, it is expected to be a high of 110 degrees with a 0% chance of precipitation. 

The DFAC (Chow Hall), I am sure, will have a "Special Menu" due to the joyous occasion of a holiday, and the individuals that will scoop food onto our trays will have absolutely no idea why we are celebrating. As with Memorial Day, the interior of the chow hall will be adorned with American flags, American flag table clothes, and even American flag placemats.

There are no firework displays scheduled for the immediate area, or at least we hope not. In the event that any "illegal fireworks" are set off, we will be sure to respond promptly and ensure that the individuals firing said "illegal fireworks" have permits to be doing so. We are relatively sure to see many a chem light (glow sticks of various colors, used for a variety of purposes by the U.S. Military) thrown high into the night sky, in order to simulate fireworks.

If we are extremely lucky, the Armed Forces Network (the only cable service provider around) will tape and play a firework display from the states for us to watch on or around July 6^th or 7^th.

Further event details involve times of chow. These hours can only be found through inquiry. The event is more or less geared towards U.S. Military Forces, but the more the merrier. Parking is free. Chow is provided at a nominal cost. The only expenses that potential attendees should anticipate are: heat exhaustion, sweaty clothes, all personal protective equipment that must be worn, oh and yes, a plane ticket to Iraq with a friendly ride with whomever may be available.