POOL PARTY

Spc. Bengie Secuskie called it the best pool party in Baghdad. Of course, it was the only pool party in Baghdad, adds Sgt. 1st Class Michael P. Riley.

That tiny fact aside, the Sept. 14 party had ’80s rock, hip-hop jam and country music, food and sodas. About 400 of their closest friends from the 4th Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment came by for a swim.

“The only thing missing were the margaritas,” Riley said...

It all started when Stetson Troop commander Capt. Paul E. Johnson came to Riley and said, “Hey, I got a project for you if you want to tackle it.”

Great, thought the troop. A swimming pool! Until they looked at it. True, it was an Olympic-size pool in a multimillion dollar indoor facility. The facility was part of what had been an Iraqi air force school on Al-Rasheed air base, now Camp Muleskinner, brigade headquarters for the 2nd ACR out of Fort Polk, La.

But the facility had been abandoned after the first Gulf War in 1991, deteriorating into a garbage-filled ruin. The pool itself was a trash dump, full of everything from lockers, desks and chairs to old Iraqi body armor, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jeff Turner...

Finally, the day came when they finally got all 800,000 gallons to stay in, putting in the chemicals the Saturday night before the big party.

“I woke up Sunday morning and the pool was crystal clear,” Turner said, “and I got down on my knees and prayed!”

Riley, Turner and Secuskie emphasized that the pool is blessed by V Corps and open to all units. Soldiers have already visited from Baghdad bases, and as far away as Babylon, two hours to the south.