Photo By Staff Sgt. David Hopkins | New cubicles have been constructed for the computers and phones in the 1st Infantry...... read more read more
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By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Hopkins
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — Forward Operating Base Blessing in north-eastern Afghanistan are updating their Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities to help Soldiers stay connected with their family and friends back home.
The FOB has been receiving improvements such as the construction of new buildings and the repositioning of departments on the installation. The changes allowed the MWR to move from a small building to a larger space in a newly renovated building.
"We have too many people here for the old facility to accommodate," said U.S. Army Pvt. Roman Orr, radio telephone operator for 1st Infantry Regiment, 26th Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division and a Redoak, Texas native. "We had to sit and wait an hour sometimes to get on a computer with nothing to do while we waited."
The former building was cramped with only small desks for computers and phones and a small bookshelf for reading material. The computer terminals were so small the Soldiers had to hold the keyboards on their laps to make room for the mouse on the desk.
"All we had before was a little network room," said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Lou Holzwarth, battalion operations sergeant major for 1 Inf. Reg. 26th Bat., 3rd BCT, 1st ID, a Chicora, Pa. native. "We didn't have televisions or DVDs or game tables. It was just too small."
The new facility is being constructed in a the former dining facility and will offer a lot more space for the communication equipment and additional entertainment activities and lounge space.
"[The new MWR] will have a TV for news, a large plasma TV for video games, a regulation dartboard, two game tables, couches, a Ping-Pong table, eight computers and four phones," Holzwarth said.
There were more improvements to the new facility than just adding more entertainment options for the Soldiers. Wooden cubicles were constructed to provide more privacy for the Soldiers while communicating with family and friends back in the states.
"The new MWR will provide some privacy to the Soldiers as they talk on the phone or chat on the computer," Holzwarth said.
The old facility had an old electrical system, which caused problems with the connectivity of the Internet and phones. The new facility has new electrical wiring.
"The phones in the old MWR building would cut out on you and the computers would lose connection," said Orr.
The updates are important to the Soldiers on the FOB. They patrol regularly and need a fully-equipped MWR to help them relax after walking up and down the Afghanistan mountains.
"We didn't have the same facilities that other FOBs had," Orr said. "We all work hard here and need a place that we can go to unwind after the long days. The MWR and our ability to talk with family and friends is also our gateway to the outside world."
The remodelling of the facility is doing more than just preparing a better facility for Soldiers to unwind and keep connected; it's providing local nationals with work.
"With the exception of the electrical work, which was done by KBR, the work was all done by local nationals," Holzwarth said.
The improvement to the new MWR took about a month to make.
"The Soldiers will get a lot out of the new MWR," Holzwarth said. "It will give them something to do to pass the time and help them stay in touch."
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2009 04:09 |
| Story ID: | 29708 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 307 |
| Downloads: | 230 |
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