The Victory Base Complex (VBC) is comprised of several bases and camps. You can think of them as neighborhoods or communities within the town/base. Each community has its own eating area, shopping, laundry, living areas, and services. VBC is on the outskirts of Baghdad that has a population of 7 million people.
VBC is like any other suburb of a large metropolis except:
- There are green suits carying weapons everywhere. The soldiers must carry their weapon at all times. They cannot get into the dinning hall without them. Even when they work out they carry them to the Gym. In my Yoga class, the weapons are laid next to the yoga mats along with their shoes.
- Large concrete walls that look like upside down Ts surround every building or group of buildings.
- Buildings with windows have sand bags stacked up in front of every window.
- You cannot go anywhere without your security ID badge.
- The Infrastructure like water pipes, sewer pipes, electrical lines, telephone lines, communications cables, satellite dishes, and microwave towers are visible. They are not buried in the ground, strung across high poles, or hidden by bushes and trees or other barriers.
- Few people have indoor plumbing with water, toilets, or showers in the building where they live.
- No Alcohol of any kind is sold on VBC nor in Iraq anywhere. There is probably some on the black market but that is unknown to me.
- There are portable toilets throughout the base and special buildings for latrines and showers inside a perimeter of T-Walls.
- No dating, no holding hands, no public signs of affection. None!
- There are no individual kitchens or laundry rooms. At least, I have not seen any. You cannot cook your own meals and cannot do your own laundry.
- There are no children who live in VBC.
- About 90% of the population are men; one women for every nine men.
- Oh, I almost forgot…. every now and then a rocket or missile is launched into VBC and explodes.
- People going about their daily activities – working, walking, biking, riding in cars and trucks, providing services, hauling goods, exercising, etc.
- Office buildings where people work.
- Eating places and restaurants.
- Fitness Centers that are very busy.
- Swimming Pool.
- Shops.
I am not in Kansas anymore, no matter what the sign says.
Buildings with windows have sand bags stacked up in front of every window.
A Bunker along the side the road and more T-Walls.
However, the good news -- there are latrines all over; plenty of them. You never have to stand in line.
And the crap has to go somewhere....
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