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
Or, if you prefer, you can send mail to The News Tribune, PO Box 11000, Tacoma 98411.
Also contributing:
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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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE QAYYARAH WEST, Iraq – Some of the Turkish- and Iraq-run shops on military bases are, uhh, interesting.
Take 7-11 for example. The place sells everything from bootleg DVDs to hookahs to cases of nicotine-laced energy drinks to cheap tennis shoes. The guy running it is plenty nice, but the only English he seems to know are greetings and numbers.
His business’ name is no anomaly. Other locally run shops have ripped off more famous companies, too. Some bases sport a Wal-Mart or a Best Buy.
Or, if you’re stationed in Mosul, apparently the base boasts a store that advertises – no joke – flying carpets.

