Operation Iraqi Hockey

I'm very glad to see that a couple versions of our great sport have made it all the way over to Iraq and are providing a slice of home and a much needed diversion for the people stationed there.

Not only is Roller Hockey being played...

At Warhorse, though, near the city of Baquba, about 60 kilometres northeast of Baghdad, hockey has become a nightly ritual.
Soldiers from Company B of the 203rd Forward Support Battalion, 3d Infantry Division, gather at 7 p.m. to lace up their inline skates and play hockey on an area of concrete separated from the base's helipad by blast walls. The soldiers' 16 sets of inline skates and 13 hockey sticks were donated by a sporting goods stores in Wisconsin. The single net they use was fashioned with tent poles they welded together, and netting normally used as a sun barrier.

... also Street Hockey has become quite popular with the troops.

The three hours a week that the soldiers spend playing street hockey is one of the only ways they can relax.''We can go back to basically being a civilian," said Fay. ''We don't have to worry about being blown up."The league celebrated Independence Day with a hockey tournament, complete with a singing of the national anthem and medals. ''We called it the mini-Beanpot," Fay, said jokingly.

God Bless all involved and may this terrible war with all it's death, destruction and misery end as soon as possible.