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thedrifter
05-13-09, 06:24 AM
Water, water everywhere – and plenty of drops to drink

5/12/2009 By Lance Cpl. Jason Hernandez , Multi National Force - West

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq —

In the United States, springtime is a gradual transition from the cold winter months to hot, fun-filled summer days.
Here in Iraq, however, there is no such transition. The weather changes like a switch has been flipped, and Marines wearing beanies and fleece jackets can find themselves scrambling for wide-brimmed field covers and sunscreen. The approach of summer is not marked by a few days at the beach, the familiar jingle of Mr. Softee or smooth flavor of Blue Bell ice cream, but rather bursting thermometers and heat injury cases.

Operating in a deployed environment, under a beating sun, and wearing up to 60 pounds of body armor and equipment can prostrate even the strongest man or woman. The units aboard Al Asad Air Base have established plans to ensure that water is always available to service members and civilians across the base.

“What we’re trying to do is ensure that water is available for each and every single person aboard Al Asad Air Base,” said Cpl. Tielur Hoard, a food service specialist serving with the supply and logistics section of II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (Forward).

Once a week, Hoard leads a small team of Marines from throughout II MHG (Fwd) and the staff sections of Multi National Force - West, the unit responsible for Coalition efforts in Iraq’s Al Anbar province, on a ‘water run.’ Their mission title is misleading because instead of lapping around base in shorts and running shoes to get exercise, they move around in trucks and forklifts delivering dozens of pallets containing thousands of bottles of water.

“We go out and see which buildings have only a few cases worth of water left,” added Hoard, “and when we distribute water on Thursdays, we make sure those buildings get the water they need.”

So far, with temperatures in Iraq not yet spiking to their summer peaks in the 120s, the once-a-week runs are enough, but as the mercury rises, so too will demand for water.

“The only real obstacles we’re facing is people telling us they need water after our weekly water runs.”
Although it places more work on the shoulders of Marines like Hoard in other units aboard Al Asad and bases throughout the Al Anbar province, the increased demand means the bottled water is meeting its purpose of keeping the men and women of MNF-W hydrated.

“[Water] keeps your body balanced, maintaining good health,” said Lance Cpl. George Fonseca Jr., a field radio operator with II MHG (Fwd). “It keeps the body a well-oiled machine.”

Failure to keep hydrated can lead to any number of heat-related injuries such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, the ill effects of which can range from sluggishness, diarrhea and shock, to even death.

The successful effort to keep service members and civilians hydrated and healthy can be seen by simply walking around the bases and seeing pallet upon pallet of crystal clear bottled water waiting near most any building.

As spring becomes hotter, the water distribution efforts will continue to operate at full speed and will be beefed up as necessary as the months of desert summer creep ever closer to the gates of Al Asad.

Ellie