SOLDIERS BEING SOLDIERS

“Whoever thought of this is a mastermind,” said 20-year-old Army Spc. Robert Swanson, who is assigned to the 293rd Military Police Company, which is currently deployed to Iraq.

Swanson and his fellow 293rd drinking buddies — Spc. Jesse Greene, also 20, and Pfc. Darren “Moose” Ripley, 19 — all like the fact that they could crack a beer every night.

“If I can take a bullet for my country, I should be able to drink a beer,” Greene said.

And the three soldiers have done exactly that, each one of them has been injured in Iraq, and will eventually receive a Purple Heart, Swanson said. That’s the reason their names were put into the mix for those being sent here, they said.

“But enough about that, let’s talk about the beer,” Swanson said with his thick Louisiana drawl.

The beer that’s offered is limited. The troops have their choice between about six different beers, ranging from 12-ounce Budweisers to 16-ounce Holland — Oranjebooms.

The soldiers said they’ve heard some people complain about the taste of the imports, but they don’t mind.

“It doesn’t make a difference [what brand], as long as it does its job,” said Swanson, who prefers the larger imports. “Over here, everyone goes for the size, not the taste.”

And Swanson said that first taste of golden brew was excellent.

“It was like seeing Pam Anderson in real life … it was heaven and I couldn’t resist,” he said...

While the three soldiers completed their R&R time and headed back to their unit Sunday, Swanson joked that it was going to be hard to let go of his 16-ounce friend.

“I’m probably going to cry,” he said. “It will be like breaking up with a girlfriend.”