3rd Infantry Division Operations - Fort Stewart - U.S. Army

The Surge 27
security building during Saddam's regime north of Salman Pak.
Soldiers ate field rations and drank bottled water. Hot meals
were initially delivered by truck. Innovative Soldier-carpenters
crafted modest amenities for their all-in-one fighting positions,
command post, bedroom, and gym. Field craft, the art of surviving
in harsh conditions, was quickly learned and its secrets
were handed down to "new guys" by veteran warriors on their
second or third tour.
Vigilant sentries, sandbags, wire, and concrete barriers kept
the enemy at bay, but curious children and well meaning neighbors
showed quick interest in the new American guests. The
buzz of insects, the smell of “chai” tea and the sound of prayer
calls hovered over Sledgehammer Soldiers, sensations that were
foreign now, but only for a while.