What was your favorite location while deployed?

2014-03-11T12:00:50-04:00

I am currently on my 3rd deployment in six years and have seen many different FOBs, COPs, and Air Fields.  Each of them has provide some great memories and some not so great memories.  For me… the more austere the better.  FOB Zangabad, 30 miles west of Kandahar Afghanistan was my favorite along with it's surrounding out posts.  Which was your favorite and why?

Response by SFC Don J. made Mar 11 at 2014 12:09 PM

2014-03-11T12:09:43-04:00

Through all of my deployments and travels; it doesn't matter where; the MWR tent and the PX were my favorite locations.

Response by 1SG Shane Hansen made Mar 11 at 2014 12:17 PM

2014-03-11T12:17:24-04:00

Camp Taji, Iraq because it is the only deployed place I have been to that had a Taco Bell. I thought that was awesome. I heard rumor when I was down at Kandahar in '05 that up at Bagram they had a Dairy Queen. Never got to go see for myself though.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2014 12:32 PM

2014-03-11T12:32:26-04:00

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The mission was exhilarating and absolutly mind numbing at the same time, and the potential for your Soldiers to get into trouble was through the roof.(authorized Alcohol) But the MWR opportunities were unheard of, and the living conditions were better than some state side quarters. Being able to rent a boat and take some Soldiers out on the water to unwind and let loose just cant be beat. And catching a once in a lifetime fish, a 43" barracuda... priceless.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2014 1:39 PM

2014-03-11T13:39:41-04:00

I would say that FOB Blackhorse (West side of Kabul) in AFG
was the best of the three deployments that I have had. We would satellite out
to different COP's near Lake Sarobie working and seeing the river valleys and
natural springs in the middle of nowhere.
Working with different forces and not being ISAF. I am not knocking ISAF.

Response by SSG Oliver Mathews made Mar 11 at 2014 11:02 PM

2014-03-11T23:02:00-04:00

The Main FOB (for the unit) where the PX/Green Beans/Unit Supply, was located. But only for a visit, anything longer than a few days might get you ECP Guard or LN escort duties.

lol

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Mar 11 at 2014 11:37 PM

2014-03-11T23:37:07-04:00

Actually Iraq where while moving from Kuwait to Mosul with the 101, it was living out of my chinook for 39 days! If I had to choose a physical location, Kandahar January 2002!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2014 3:25 AM

2014-03-12T03:25:59-04:00

I am on my first deployment, and I was lucky enough to be able to travel the country and visit many FOBs and outstations. Out of all of them though, Herat was by far my favorite location. Meeting and working with our Italian counterparts was an experience that I will never forget.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2014 5:26 PM

2014-03-12T17:26:39-04:00

Zaragoza Spain!

My RCP conducted a Multi National partnership instructing their Route Clearance Patrols and showing them some of our TTPs. Which was the first time in 30 years the American Army and Spanish Army partnered for training.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2014 3:09 PM

2014-03-18T15:09:30-04:00

Ali Al Salem, real plates, real silverware, and all the RipIts you could possibly drink. Then when you were done eating if you had some free time you could head over to the MWR tent there where they had about 3 or 4 pool tables. And cant leave out the Kuwaiti Black Market DVD sales guy. Only way to keep up with popular TV shows back home!

Response by SGT James Elphick made Mar 28 at 2014 6:27 PM

2014-03-28T18:27:19-04:00

Honestly my favorite place was also the most dangerous. FB Shkin in 2003 ( I hear it's a FOB now but it was tiny when I was there). I enjoyed it because it was exciting and it was also simple. Eat, Sleep, Fight. Eventually it wears you down but it was the soldiers life that I had been looking for.

Response by SPC Phillip Ludlow made Jun 23 at 2014 12:01 AM

2014-06-23T00:01:29-04:00

GREENBEANS!

Response by SSG Todd Halverson made Jul 19 at 2014 12:07 AM

2014-07-19T00:07:40-04:00

Kandahar in 02-03. Wasn't too bad of a job running the airfield and had the opportunity to fly out to some of the FBs.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jul 21 at 2014 10:00 AM

2014-07-21T10:00:57-04:00

Diego Garcia. When I wasn't doing my Operations Watch Chief or Leading Petty Officer thing I was diving, fishing, swimming, drinking. What wasn't to love.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 21 at 2014 10:29 AM

2014-07-21T10:29:47-04:00

Toss-up between CP Bucca and FOB Union III (Green Zone). The accomodations at Bucca were nice (I had my own CHU), great gym and nice DFAC. Plus, since we were a remote site, away from the flagpole.

Union III was nice mostly due to duty (I was the med support for the Iraqi High Tribunal), although the accomodations weren't bad either. Plus we could go across the street to the embassy to have dinner sometimes.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2014 12:55 PM

2014-07-22T12:55:21-04:00

I'm on my first deployment and have been to different sites all across Afghanistan. From the smallest FB's to big FOB's like Shindad and BAF. By far my favorite places here in Afghan are Camp Montrond in BAF (nothing beats having your own single man room or "mancan"). And Firebase Thomas in Shindand, indoor heated pool, that's all I gotta say about Thomas lol!!!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2015 3:21 PM

2015-05-20T15:21:45-04:00

Kuwait wasn't a terrible duty location...although, being Infantry at the time, I would have preferred something a little more active. 9 months crawls by when you only occasionally go to the range or some other kind of training. In Iraq I was busy, and there were definitely more close calls than I care to think about, but it went by quickly, and there was no question our mission was important. The accommodations were not that bad in Iraq either (FOB Speicher, Tikrit). We stayed in what we were told was old Republican Guard housing, had an indoor shower and toilet (limited use on the latter...small pipes). PX and MWR facilities were definitely better in Kuwait though, and, on the upside, I had plenty of time to try out all manner of grilling recipes.

Response by CH (MAJ) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2015 7:57 AM

2015-08-09T07:57:03-04:00

I was deployed 3X in 5 years. I had 38 months deployed in a 60 month period. My favorite place? Mid-Tour Leave.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2015 1:22 PM

2015-08-09T13:22:02-04:00

As Seabees, we have what we call "green deployments", to places like Guam, Spain, Okinawa, etc. But, to be completely honest, Iraq was probably my favorite deployment site, since it is most like home (El Paso, Tx, for those of you that have been/are stationed at Ft. Bliss). Not "where I am stationed"-home, like, "home of record"-home. When i told my wife that, she wigged out for a second until I explained.

"Honey, Iraq is just like El Paso. It's hot, dry and dusty here, and it's hot, dry and dusty there. There are a lot of little scrubby grasses and weeds here, and there are a lot of little scrubby grasses and weeds there. There are a bunch of dark-skinned people that don't speak English here. . . and a bunch of darker-skinned people that don't speak English there. . .See, baby? It's just like home!"

Response by SFC Willie Manning made Mar 18 at 2016 5:00 PM

2016-03-18T17:00:08-04:00

Camp Virginia. Very nice, I ran the Camp foodservice got to meet lots of people enjoy the stay don't stay in your room to much.

Response by TSgt Derrol Turner made Jul 26 at 2016 7:51 AM

2016-07-26T07:51:07-04:00

I deployed to PSAB, Saudi Arabia, Bagram AB, Afghanistan, Balad AB, Iraq and Al Udeid AB, Qatar but was able to work system to spend a rough deployment at Sig NAS, Sicily, so, hands down most favorite. Blood oranges and the Italian cooking chef, who's building was next door to ours!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 8:37 AM

2016-07-26T08:37:35-04:00

Jalalabad, Afghanistan (Fenty). I just returned in March, 3rd deployment and by far the best. Small. Small is good!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 2:57 PM

2016-07-26T14:57:41-04:00

During my first deployment I was in the Green Zone near downtown Baghdad. I think the building we stayed in were old Republican Guard barracks and we ate in a palace that eventually became the CPA HQ. It was a cool experience for a 22 year old. My least favorite place was Arifjan, Kuwait. It was my last "deployment" and definitely the safest, but I hated it nonetheless. Too much brass and too many rules.

Response by CAPT Hiram Patterson made Jul 26 at 2016 5:18 PM

2016-07-26T17:18:00-04:00

The best for traveling was Landstuhl, Germany. Camp Blue Diamond across from Ramadi was a nice little, although limited base. Camp Victory had all the amenities besides working in the Palace with a great joint service crew; I did a lot of travel to bases all around Iraq from Camp Bucca to Camp Diamondback to Camp Warrior and back with all sorts of places in between.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2016 1:45 AM

2016-07-27T01:45:21-04:00

SCAB Honduras

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2016 6:28 AM

2016-07-28T06:28:40-04:00

Definitely not FOB Rustamiyah. Probably GTMO. Duty was horrible but off time was fun.

Response by SSG William Jones made Aug 21 at 2017 2:04 PM

2017-08-21T14:04:31-04:00

In April of 1991, I got leave to go to Riyadh for my 43rd BIRTHDAY. I guess that was kind of neat.

Response by PO3 Stacy Brown-Bull made Jul 23 at 2018 4:23 AM

2018-07-23T04:23:53-04:00

Okinawa, Japan the locals were so nice! I also met a great group of folks at 14 Karat Country at the Airmans Club on Kadena. Working as a SeaBee I workes at Futenma MCAS.

Response by PO3 Stacy Brown-Bull made Sep 23 at 2018 1:02 AM

2018-09-23T01:02:50-04:00

I loved Okinawa, Japan! The culture, the wonderful people I met (both miltary and civilian).

Response by PO2 Charles Atkinson made Aug 29 at 2019 7:05 AM

2019-08-29T07:05:57-04:00

American somoa

Response by SSG Harry Herres made Jan 1 at 2020 8:27 PM

2020-01-01T20:27:33-05:00

My own bunker built with pediprime and gas stained ammo box paneling. Three sand bag thick walls and PSP and sand bag roof. One light. Cool comfortable and survivable. Phouc Vinh RVN 1969- 1971. 10 guys would join me during incoming or when I did a class 6 run( booze) for you new people. Saved my butt more than once. I could sleep during the day, always work nights