COB Basra is creating a couple of great things for soldiers and Iraq: first, there’s the Basra Bazaar. The intent is to give soldiers access to local vendors and local vendors access to soldiers! The 34th Infantry Division “Red Bull Report” recently highlighted
the new Bazaar in Basra.The second new thing for soldiers is the growing presence of the USO. The USO opened in July with free phones and Internet PCs, and will soon be expanding to become the largest USO in Southwest Asia! The staff and facilities are fantastic, and I’m sure this alone will put Basra on the map of great COBs in Southwest Asia.
But wait, there’s more! Basra’s big PX is scheduled to open later this month. It promises to be the largest square footage PX in Southwest Asia. By adapting one of the old dining facilities into a military exchange, it will offer not just military retail space, but also shops like a frame shop, Barber, calling center, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and a Green Bean coffee shop. So we’ve come a long way, Basra! From the barely trailer-sized British PX to these three new facilities, there are plenty of opportunities to dispose of your income!
