Scott Fontaine covers Fort Lewis, McChord Air Force Base, the Washington National Guard and the veteran community. Fontaine has worked at The News Tribune since 2006. E-mail along story suggestions and tips to scott.fontaine@thenewstribune.com
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Matt Misterek is the communities and military team leader at The News Tribune and has supervised local military coverage since 2003.
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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – Some folks wanted to grab dinner yesterday. Their choice: Taco Bell.
Welcome to Balad, where the amenities are posh by Iraq standards.
If one tires of eating in the chow hall – which offers a dozen entrees daily and often has a Baskin-Robbins cart near the exit – fast-food joints like Burger King, Pizza Hut, Cinnabon, Popeye’s and Subway are open most of the day. A café offers Turkish food and thin-crust pizzas.
To kill time, you can head to a Morale, Welfare and Recreation building for a night of salsa dancing or karaoke. Or take a dip in the pool – there are two, one inside and one outside. Or go to the movie theater, which shows first-run films. Or haggle for rugs and souvenirs at the Turkish bazaar. Or visit the massage therapist.
Balad sure ain’t home, but it’s probably about as good as one can hope for in Iraq.
