One of my favorite military bloggers (and fellow Austinite) James Aalan Bernsen has a great post up about Super Bowl Sunday in Iraq.

The highlight — he was one of the soldiers shown standing at attention for the singing of the National Anthem at the start of the game:

Of course, it wasn’t exactly live. It was about 10 minutes prior to the actual national anthem, so as we stood there at attention as the camera made two passes across our formation, I sung the song in my head. The camera, however, was taking time and getting lots of footage, and I was singing a little fast. The cameraman was still filming when my imaginary “Star Spangled Banner” ended. So I did the only thing a true God-Fearing Texan could do. I immediately struck up the band for a rousing mental rendition of “Texas, Our Texas.” It was this second pass, I’m convinced, that they ultimately used. So if you see one Navy guy in a sea of Army uniforms standing even more proud and respectful than the rest, you know why.

The low light — the Taco Bell truck hit an IED:

Arriving at their food court, I got in line and ordered from Taco Bell. Taken along with the pizza in the morning, this is the first time I had eaten junk food twice in the same day since I’ve been here. On the plexiglass window at the cachier’s box was a note:

Due to convoy problems, we are currently out of hot sauce, cheese sauce and beans. Taco Bell appologizes for the inconvenience.

“Great,” I thought. “The taco bell supply truck hit an IED.”

And he ends with a reminder of why he’s there:

Ultimately, you can’t help but stand proud when the national anthem plays. Because you realize that the “bombs bursting in air” were endured, overcome, and transcended, and are nothing but a memory in our own nation’s history. We should wish only the same for the Iraqis, and hope for a day when the things that unite them overcome those which divide them. All countries, all people deserve it. Certainly, they do most of all.

Posted by Robbie Cooper on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008 | Trackback |