Marines Complain About Food

There is a constant push-pull (hatred?) in our military, especially in the Army and Marine Corps, between the guys whipping it on outside the wire and the guys inside the wire sitting on these huge Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). It is the one thing we Marines and soldiers can agree on. We hate Fobbits. In the case of this story, you're hearing from a "Fobbit" (Urban Dictionary: fobbit) as we call them. The disparity amongst experiences by servicemembers is astounding. Probably more so in these wars than any other in US history.

Below I will lay out the differences for you:

Ground Pounders
Lodging: At most a two man tent or fighting hole
Sleeping arrangements: In a sleeping bag on dirt or rolled sleeping pad
Food: MRE's and sometimes tray rations
Schedule: Dependent upon the enemy. Usually a 4 hour perimeter watch, a 6-8 hour patrol, and a 4 hour assignment to Quick Reaction Force in case the patrol that is out gets into contact.
Off time: Does not apply. Usually spent cleaning weapons/the patrol base or improving security measures around the base. Normally they will get 1 hour a week to call home on a satellite phone.

Fobbits
Lodging: Usually a converted 2 man packing container with A/C and heater complete with wifi and cable
Sleeping arrangements: Mattress with sheets and a blanket. Possibly a cot.
Food: Even with the reduction of meals, 3 meals a day in a buffet style setting. Think Golden Corral
Schedule: Usually 8-12 hour shifts including 1 hour of physical training and 2, 1 hour meal periods.
Off time: You name it. Internet cafe, coffee shops, game rooms, fast food, bazaar's, movie theaters, video game centers, outdoor pools, huge fitness centers (think Gold's Gym), R/C car tracks, barber shops/hair stylists, masseuses, etc, etc



I totally understand the role that "Fobbits" play. They support guys like me that are outside the wire fighting the good fight. I'm not discounting their jobs. I'm discounting the fact that they live the way they live and then have the audacity to complain about it when something changes. This is not a generalization. Many, many times on my short stays aboard one of these massive wastes of money, I have heard the phrases such as "Aww man they're out of ice cream" "I can't believe we're having parmesan chicken again" "They're showing Avengers again?" "Internet's been down for like 4 hours!". Next time you want to thank a servicemember for his service, remember not all service is created equal. The best example I can give is the difference a cop in Beverly Hills has and a cop in Compton has. Yeah, they're both cops. No, their service is not equal.

The drawdown diet: Marines steamed by loss of hot meal at Afghanistan base - World News
Each one has an A/C and heater, bed, wifi, cable, electricity, etc

Each one has worms, mud, and comes with 3 hours of hard labor to make. Oh joy!

Daily grilling aboard FOB Leatherneck

Cornbeefed hash Tray Rations.

Not only did I find a thread that doesn't contain partisian hackery, I learned something in the bargain! Talk about disparity of service, lol, I seriously had no idea.

Sincerely, thank you for sleeping on rocks and eating what looks like dog food in service of your country. I appreciate it, and I appreciate you.

POG's have Purdy cush, but I can't say that I blame them. If I had known any better, I probably wouldn't have been a grunt and I would be cribbin' my ass off at the basecamp as those poor bastards crossed the wire to go live like dogs.

MarineTpartier said:

There is a constant push-pull (hatred?) in our military, especially in the Army and Marine Corps, between the guys whipping it on outside the wire and the guys inside the wire sitting on these huge Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). It is the one thing we Marines and soldiers can agree on. We hate Fobbits. In the case of this story, you're hearing from a "Fobbit" (Urban Dictionary: fobbit) as we call them. The disparity amongst experiences by servicemembers is astounding. Probably more so in these wars than any other in US history.

Below I will lay out the differences for you:

Ground Pounders
Lodging: At most a two man tent or fighting hole
Sleeping arrangements: In a sleeping bag on dirt or rolled sleeping pad
Food: MRE's and sometimes tray rations
Schedule: Dependent upon the enemy. Usually a 4 hour perimeter watch, a 6-8 hour patrol, and a 4 hour assignment to Quick Reaction Force in case the patrol that is out gets into contact.
Off time: Does not apply. Usually spent cleaning weapons/the patrol base or improving security measures around the base. Normally they will get 1 hour a week to call home on a satellite phone.

Fobbits
Lodging: Usually a converted 2 man packing container with A/C and heater complete with wifi and cable
Sleeping arrangements: Mattress with sheets and a blanket. Possibly a cot.
Food: Even with the reduction of meals, 3 meals a day in a buffet style setting. Think Golden Corral
Schedule: Usually 8-12 hour shifts including 1 hour of physical training and 2, 1 hour meal periods.
Off time: You name it. Internet cafe, coffee shops, game rooms, fast food, bazaar's, movie theaters, video game centers, outdoor pools, huge fitness centers (think Gold's Gym), R/C car tracks, barber shops/hair stylists, masseuses, etc, etc



I totally understand the role that "Fobbits" play. They support guys like me that are outside the wire fighting the good fight. I'm not discounting their jobs. I'm discounting the fact that they live the way they live and then have the audacity to complain about it when something changes. This is not a generalization. Many, many times on my short stays aboard one of these massive wastes of money, I have heard the phrases such as "Aww man they're out of ice cream" "I can't believe we're having parmesan chicken again" "They're showing Avengers again?" "Internet's been down for like 4 hours!". Next time you want to thank a servicemember for his service, remember not all service is created equal. The best example I can give is the difference a cop in Beverly Hills has and a cop in Compton has. Yeah, they're both cops. No, their service is not equal.

The drawdown diet: Marines steamed by loss of hot meal at Afghanistan base - World News
Each one has an A/C and heater, bed, wifi, cable, electricity, etc
View attachment 67148294
Each one has worms, mud, and comes with 3 hours of hard labor to make. Oh joy!
View attachment 67148295
Daily grilling aboard FOB Leatherneck
View attachment 67148296
Cornbeefed hash Tray Rations.
View attachment 67148297

Click to expand...

From what I can tell there has been a difference between the way the military treated POGs and Grunts. POGs are more like civilians in soldiers and marines clothing while grunts are the actual soldiers and marines.

I had the great fortune of being a REMF. My friends, closest I've had before or since, were not so fortunate. They've definitely always had my respect.

jamesrage said:

From what I can tell there has been a difference between the way the military treated POGs and Grunts. POGs are more like civilians in soldiers and marines clothing while grunts are the actual soldiers and marines.

Click to expand...

It's not that they are treated different...it just comes with the territory. Just no room for creature comforts when you're in an infantry unit; not even mech infantry.

jamesrage said:

From what I can tell there has been a difference between the way the military treated POGs and Grunts. POGs are more like civilians in soldiers and marines clothing while grunts are the actual soldiers and marines.

Click to expand...

In the words of my DS, "there are two types of people in the Army; those who kill people, and those who support people who kill people." While I have nothing but the highest respect for those who volunteer to serve in the former group, I am not at all ashamed to say that I fit squarely into the latter category.

Did I feel like a bit of a dork sitting around at Brigade HQ in Kuwait while other soldiers were being shot at and blown up in the field? Absolutely.

However, at the end of the day, you've got to realize that this is simply the way the modern military machine works. No offense intended to any of those present, but the inglorious truth of the matter is that traditional groundpounders have taken on secondary strategic importance to the high tech equipment which supports them.

The days where you could conscript armies of peasants en masse, stick rifles in their hands, and march them in the general direction of the enemy with any hope of victory are all but gone. Rather than the general purpose backbone of the armed forces they used to be, traditional infantry in the age of mechanized and drone warfare have become marginalized niche assets to be utilized for specialized operations more than anything else.

Unfortunately, the strategically all important machines which support these soldiers require small armies of specialized personnel unto themselves just to ensure that they remain in somewhat serviceable condition, and those personnel require entire corps of operational planners and organizers just to make sure that everyone is properly fed and cared for. Likewise, both of these groups, in turn, require brigades of individuals specially tasked to deal with human resources and other issues just to handle their needs, and so on and so forth.

It's honestly kind of to be expected that the branches of the military service devoted to support and logistics would eventually grow to outpace the combat arms side given this state of affairs, and it is only going to get worse as robotics and cyberspace continue to come to the forefront of modern warfare.

It should also be noted that the situation I described above has only been further compounded by the "asymetrical" nature of the wars we are currently fighting. Battles of will poised against entrenched insurgencies simply do not tend to involve much in the way of sweeping advances or deft manuevers. To the contrary, they generally require a lot of sitting around and waiting the other side out while stomping the occasional brushfire into submission with brute military force.

This is only really possible if one is able to maintain a sizeable troop presence in a given area, which usually tends to require the establishment of entrenched positions from which your forces can operate for years at a time if necessary. It would be a little unrealistic to expect that these bases (many of which have been in place for a decade or more at this point) to remain at the level of WW2 style tents and hovels forever. Even Roman Forts and U.S. Cavalry Outposts on the frontier tended to make some room for creature comforts and ammenities, after all.

You can thank President Clinton for mixing civilians and field units.

MarineTpartier said:

Cornbeefed hash Tray Rations.
View attachment 67148297

Click to expand...

All I can say, I would take that cornbeefed hash any time over Lima Beans an Mutha ####s any day.

Good OP. The parmesan chicken line made me laugh. It is human nature to complain. But there is always someone who has it worse, even worse than an American infantryman. I just think you have to be cognizant about who you are around when you complain, otherwise you risk looking like a douche bag.

I have one of the cushiest jobs in the military at this point in my career. I get to wear civilian clothes, I have diplomatic immunity, I live in better housing than anything DoD ever provides. Hell, we even get to have a nanny. And I’m just a warrant officer. Yes, I have been in the sh!t before, but for now I have it very good. Sure, it annoys me when traffic is bad. It annoys me when, on occasion, I have to work past 17:00. It annoys me when my favorite local bar is out of my preferred draft beer.

But while those things annoy me I FULLY realize I have it good. I never complain to service members in harsher environments (which is the vast majority of them) about petty things like that. Even fobbits would scoff at me if I complained about such things. So if I feel like whining about something stupid like my AC being stuck on 72 degrees I will complain to a coworker in the same environment, but around most other service members I will keep my mouth shut. Just like an office worker in the States may complain to his coworker about his uncomfortable desk chair, he would come across as a douche making that same complaint to his cousin who is a construction worker.

Know your audience and have a bit of empathy. Ground pounders have my utmost respect.

Have to say...I read the article and the guy sounded like a hobbit complaining that he didnt get his midday secondsies lunch. Like many others I spent multiple trips into the ME and have had a variety of living arrangements from sleeping on equipment in the middle of nowhere to surplus era canvas tents to the eagle package tents. Never got to the portable castles. Never had a mess hall (spent some time in Riyadh were they had TCNS making the same thing over and over and over...I preferred the MREs to stale grilled cheese and chicken yakisoba). As I read the story this is just a consequence of the draw down. Time to suck it up a little bit. They think they have it bad, try some of the K-rats and 80's era MREs...

MarineTpartier said:

Next time you want to thank a servicemember for his service, remember not all service is created equal.

Click to expand...

I just got back from a directors conference a while ago. While there several of us, all vets, went to a bar (well...that was actually pretty much an every night event). One of the guys I was with lost a leg (the second go around...he requested and was sent back after being wounded once already) and had a prosthetic and service dog. Invariably, people would come up to him (ignoring everyone else in the group) and thanked him for his service, expressed appreciation for his sacrifice, bought him drinks, and gushed. Several of us had multiple service and combat connected disabilities. I know he felt uncomfortable. I almost said something one night but had to put it in check. At the end of the day...dood is still missing a leg. All I could do was buy him a beer and give him a hug.

Another aspect to that is the SOS program. A lot of emphasis is being given to surviving spouses and families and considerably less to spouses of husbands that came back...sort of.

I was at the "large air base in an undisclosed location/SW Asia" for a few tours. I'll tell ya, it was horrible. They only let us have THREE beers a day (and when the added Heinekein to the menu, they were only 11 oz cans!). And two Singaporean pilots got caught screwing in the swimming pool so they shut it down for a few days. It was hell, I tell ya.

MarineTpartier said:

There is a constant push-pull (hatred?) in our military, especially in the Army and Marine Corps, between the guys whipping it on outside the wire and the guys inside the wire sitting on these huge Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). It is the one thing we Marines and soldiers can agree on. We hate Fobbits. In the case of this story, you're hearing from a "Fobbit" (Urban Dictionary: fobbit) as we call them. The disparity amongst experiences by servicemembers is astounding. Probably more so in these wars than any other in US history.

Click to expand...

If they're only cutting services at the big FOB's, I don't really care. When I was there, I was on a 60 man COP up in Kunar province living out of infested horse stables then later vietnam era tents. We had two cooks and an MKT, so if we weren't on mission we got breakfast and dinner hot, MRE for lunch.

I don't have much pity. I shat in a bucket for 15 months and took water bottle showers while they're eating dairy queen in the AC.

If they're cutting things for even the grunts, then I'm upset.

Lord of Planar said:

You can thank President Clinton for mixing civilians and field units.

Click to expand...

That's due the ridiculous resizing of government that really wasn't. Those civilians in most cases were former military.

American said:

That's due the ridiculous resizing of government that really wasn't. Those civilians in most cases were former military.

Click to expand...

What you just says don't make sense to me.

After the wall fell, much of the military didn't have the same security requirements. President Bush approved a 5 year plan that substantially reduced the military. Besides a few whole commands turning inactive, a large portion of fixed station jobs were contracted out to civilian contract. My job was one of the ones that disappeared, when the Strategic Air Command was deactivated 21 years ago. Yes, I could have filled one of those contract jobs, but I didn't want to. There were no fields open I likes to switch to, so in 1992, I left with a $28k separation bonus.

Now enter president Clinton. Now we have another military reduction. He just had to do more in military personnel cuts. He removed tactical jobs and replaced those with civilian contract. That, in my eyes, was a very bad move. When we went into Iraq and Afghanistan, there were several supply issues that should have never happened, because many of these civilians quit, instead of working in and near war zones.

I think the first though it would be nice to see the president cut back on his own lavish lifestyle(and his families). Set an example.

MarineTpartier said:

There is a constant push-pull (hatred?) in our military, especially in the Army and Marine Corps, between the guys whipping it on outside the wire and the guys inside the wire sitting on these huge Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). It is the one thing we Marines and soldiers can agree on. We hate Fobbits. In the case of this story, you're hearing from a "Fobbit" (Urban Dictionary: fobbit) as we call them. The disparity amongst experiences by servicemembers is astounding. Probably more so in these wars than any other in US history.

Below I will lay out the differences for you:

Ground Pounders
Lodging: At most a two man tent or fighting hole
Sleeping arrangements: In a sleeping bag on dirt or rolled sleeping pad
Food: MRE's and sometimes tray rations
Schedule: Dependent upon the enemy. Usually a 4 hour perimeter watch, a 6-8 hour patrol, and a 4 hour assignment to Quick Reaction Force in case the patrol that is out gets into contact.
Off time: Does not apply. Usually spent cleaning weapons/the patrol base or improving security measures around the base. Normally they will get 1 hour a week to call home on a satellite phone.

Fobbits
Lodging: Usually a converted 2 man packing container with A/C and heater complete with wifi and cable
Sleeping arrangements: Mattress with sheets and a blanket. Possibly a cot.
Food: Even with the reduction of meals, 3 meals a day in a buffet style setting. Think Golden Corral
Schedule: Usually 8-12 hour shifts including 1 hour of physical training and 2, 1 hour meal periods.
Off time: You name it. Internet cafe, coffee shops, game rooms, fast food, bazaar's, movie theaters, video game centers, outdoor pools, huge fitness centers (think Gold's Gym), R/C car tracks, barber shops/hair stylists, masseuses, etc, etc



I totally understand the role that "Fobbits" play. They support guys like me that are outside the wire fighting the good fight. I'm not discounting their jobs. I'm discounting the fact that they live the way they live and then have the audacity to complain about it when something changes. This is not a generalization. Many, many times on my short stays aboard one of these massive wastes of money, I have heard the phrases such as "Aww man they're out of ice cream" "I can't believe we're having parmesan chicken again" "They're showing Avengers again?" "Internet's been down for like 4 hours!". Next time you want to thank a servicemember for his service, remember not all service is created equal. The best example I can give is the difference a cop in Beverly Hills has and a cop in Compton has. Yeah, they're both cops. No, their service is not equal.

The drawdown diet: Marines steamed by loss of hot meal at Afghanistan base - World News
Each one has an A/C and heater, bed, wifi, cable, electricity, etc
View attachment 67148294
Each one has worms, mud, and comes with 3 hours of hard labor to make. Oh joy!
View attachment 67148295
Daily grilling aboard FOB Leatherneck
View attachment 67148296
Cornbeefed hash Tray Rations.
View attachment 67148297

Click to expand...

When I was over yonder sand box the term we used was REMF's. Then my brother who just got out of the army started talking about FOBITs, I had to ask him what the bloody hell a FOBIT was, I thought it was some sort of deformed or deranged hobbit. Of course I am the guy who went past the street sign in camp Arifjan that said BOHICA wondering just what the hell that ment for two bloody years, before finally figuring out what it ment. Especially considering it was next to the signs FUBAR and SNAFU. I was a civilian and had to do the tent thing for a few months. Talk about suckage. Sand gets EVERYWERE. I am glad and grateful I didn't have to sleep in a bloody hole at least. When we finally got real barracks I was very happy camper. Tell you what, it was amazing watching those bases get built up. Whole towns springing up in a matter of months. They still even use the term REMF's or BTWW?

Lord of Planar said:

What you just says don't make sense to me.

After the wall fell, much of the military didn't have the same security requirements. President Bush approved a 5 year plan that substantially reduced the military. Besides a few whole commands turning inactive, a large portion of fixed station jobs were contracted out to civilian contract. My job was one of the ones that disappeared, when the Strategic Air Command was deactivated 21 years ago. Yes, I could have filled one of those contract jobs, but I didn't want to. There were no fields open I likes to switch to, so in 1992, I left with a $28k separation bonus.

Now enter president Clinton. Now we have another military reduction. He just had to do more in military personnel cuts. He removed tactical jobs and replaced those with civilian contract. That, in my eyes, was a very bad move. When we went into Iraq and Afghanistan, there were several supply issues that should have never happened, because many of these civilians quit, instead of working in and near war zones.

Click to expand...

I was a civilian over in yonder sand box. Without my crew and my happy ass delivering fuel to the FOBs and every other bag farm, those Humvees helos and other assorted heavy artillery would have been big ass bricks and worth just as much. Trust me the military needed all the logistical help they could muster. Which ment me and mine. By the way I am NOT former military.

Lord of Planar said:

What you just says don't make sense to me.

After the wall fell, much of the military didn't have the same security requirements. President Bush approved a 5 year plan that substantially reduced the military. Besides a few whole commands turning inactive, a large portion of fixed station jobs were contracted out to civilian contract. My job was one of the ones that disappeared, when the Strategic Air Command was deactivated 21 years ago. Yes, I could have filled one of those contract jobs, but I didn't want to. There were no fields open I likes to switch to, so in 1992, I left with a $28k separation bonus.

Now enter president Clinton. Now we have another military reduction. He just had to do more in military personnel cuts. He removed tactical jobs and replaced those with civilian contract. That, in my eyes, was a very bad move. When we went into Iraq and Afghanistan, there were several supply issues that should have never happened, because many of these civilians quit, instead of working in and near war zones.

Click to expand...

The plan was to reduce the size of government as a whole. The only thing that got reduced was the number of federal employees, yet support contractors increased proportionately. Yes the military was reduced simultaneously. It was total bull****, and made no common sense. It was part of Al Gore's reinventing govt.

VanceMack said:

Have to say...I read the article and the guy sounded like a hobbit complaining that he didnt get his midday secondsies lunch. Like many others I spent multiple trips into the ME and have had a variety of living arrangements from sleeping on equipment in the middle of nowhere to surplus era canvas tents to the eagle package tents. Never got to the portable castles. Never had a mess hall (spent some time in Riyadh were they had TCNS making the same thing over and over and over...I preferred the MREs to stale grilled cheese and chicken yakisoba). As I read the story this is just a consequence of the draw down. Time to suck it up a little bit. They think they have it bad, try some of the K-rats and 80's era MREs...

Click to expand...

I preferred the 80's MRE's over the later ones. I would have locked and loaded, the first time I got a vegetarian MRE...LOL!!

apdst said:

I preferred the 80's MRE's over the later ones. I would have locked and loaded, the first time I got a vegetarian MRE...LOL!!

Click to expand...

I dont know...the dehydrated hamburger...the omelettes...hell the peanut butter and crackers you could build a hardened air shelter with.

VanceMack said:

I dont know...the dehydrated hamburger...the omelettes...hell the peanut butter and crackers you could build a hardened air shelter with.

Click to expand...

They've got some pretty sweet MRE's out now. They have chicken in tomato and feta cheese (my fav), maple sausage (second fav), and a few others. MRE's have definitely come a long way from Country Captain Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken (found a beak in mine once, no crap), etc, etc. I miss the 4 fingers of death though (4 small dogs). That was a good one they should have left on the menu. Plus, the heaters with Tabasco in them are awesome to make into a CS bomb lol.

DiAnna said:

Not only did I find a thread that doesn't contain partisian hackery, I learned something in the bargain! Talk about disparity of service, lol, I seriously had no idea.

Sincerely, thank you for sleeping on rocks and eating what looks like dog food in service of your country. I appreciate it, and I appreciate you.

Click to expand...

I appreciate you as well Di. Always the sweetest member of DP.

MarineTpartier said:

There is a constant push-pull (hatred?) in our military, especially in the Army and Marine Corps, between the guys whipping it on outside the wire and the guys inside the wire sitting on these huge Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). It is the one thing we Marines and soldiers can agree on. We hate Fobbits. In the case of this story, you're hearing from a "Fobbit" (Urban Dictionary: fobbit) as we call them. The disparity amongst experiences by servicemembers is astounding. Probably more so in these wars than any other in US history.

Below I will lay out the differences for you:

Ground Pounders
Lodging: At most a two man tent or fighting hole
Sleeping arrangements: In a sleeping bag on dirt or rolled sleeping pad
Food: MRE's and sometimes tray rations
Schedule: Dependent upon the enemy. Usually a 4 hour perimeter watch, a 6-8 hour patrol, and a 4 hour assignment to Quick Reaction Force in case the patrol that is out gets into contact.
Off time: Does not apply. Usually spent cleaning weapons/the patrol base or improving security measures around the base. Normally they will get 1 hour a week to call home on a satellite phone.

Fobbits
Lodging: Usually a converted 2 man packing container with A/C and heater complete with wifi and cable
Sleeping arrangements: Mattress with sheets and a blanket. Possibly a cot.
Food: Even with the reduction of meals, 3 meals a day in a buffet style setting. Think Golden Corral
Schedule: Usually 8-12 hour shifts including 1 hour of physical training and 2, 1 hour meal periods.
Off time: You name it. Internet cafe, coffee shops, game rooms, fast food, bazaar's, movie theaters, video game centers, outdoor pools, huge fitness centers (think Gold's Gym), R/C car tracks, barber shops/hair stylists, masseuses, etc, etc



I totally understand the role that "Fobbits" play. They support guys like me that are outside the wire fighting the good fight. I'm not discounting their jobs. I'm discounting the fact that they live the way they live and then have the audacity to complain about it when something changes. This is not a generalization. Many, many times on my short stays aboard one of these massive wastes of money, I have heard the phrases such as "Aww man they're out of ice cream" "I can't believe we're having parmesan chicken again" "They're showing Avengers again?" "Internet's been down for like 4 hours!". Next time you want to thank a servicemember for his service, remember not all service is created equal. The best example I can give is the difference a cop in Beverly Hills has and a cop in Compton has. Yeah, they're both cops. No, their service is not equal.

The drawdown diet: Marines steamed by loss of hot meal at Afghanistan base - World News
Each one has an A/C and heater, bed, wifi, cable, electricity, etc
View attachment 67148294
Each one has worms, mud, and comes with 3 hours of hard labor to make. Oh joy!
View attachment 67148295
Daily grilling aboard FOB Leatherneck
View attachment 67148296
Cornbeefed hash Tray Rations.
View attachment 67148297

Click to expand...

like to know what fob you were at,that would have been paradise to me.

they wouldnt let me leave the fob,they claimed i was too mission essential,but in reality i kinda was,i fixed all their trucks,and the guys they were sending outside were usually screwups,and despite volunteering for every mission,i got denied.

now my fob didnt have 2 man containers with ac,we had 20 man tents with ac,which didnt work 90% of the time.our defac was almost 2 miles away and we had to walk it,it certainly wasnt buffet style eather,for the first half of the deployment it was t-rats.

when we got their,the germans had already established a base,but the american side was one giant sand dune,in which we built from the ground up,no ac at first,140 degree weather(even the locals admitted it hadnt been that hot since the 80's)no american px,just a norwegian and german px.


of course i can somewhat relate to your hate for fobbits.when my unit was leaving,first air cav was taking over.their lieutenant threw a fit saying a tent as a cp for the company commander was barbaric,yet ours used it since the day we put it up.they were crying about the tents instead of containers,how terrible the food was compared to the gourmet they had in iraq etc.of all that one ssg from their unit told them to stfu,that these soldiers built it from the ground up with literally nothing,and you soldiers are whining because the foods not good enough or that your commander has to work in a tent in a combat zone rather than a 5 start luxory building.