CHU CHU

---

Spent most of yesterday and much of the evening organizing my room. I live in a CHU, pronounced CHOO, like Ah Choo, or Choo Choo. CHU stands for Compartmentilized, or Continerized Housing Unit. It is a railroad shipping container with a door. You have seen them on giant container ships, railroad cars, or on Semi Trailers. They are not too big when you put two people in them. I have a door, window, two beds, two wall lockers standard issue. Mark and I bought two mini fridges, and a TV. It is like a dorm room but more tiny. I am greatful however, most of the troops in previous rotations lived in tents. I have done that for a few weeks at a time but a year would be pretty unbearable. The best part is that we a have a window air conditioner which makes the living even better. We are decorating our room with lots of little trinkets from home. We have two clocks - one for Iraq time and one for East Coast time. I have begun to hang my artwork on the walls. Since we are in a metal container I can use magnets to hang pictures. The only problem is the PX does not carry magnets. Thousands of CHUs in Al Asad but no magnets again what a disconnect with AAFES and Soldiers.

---

Comments

[Ginnie Anthony]

Toast?
Any toast behind the bed?!?

[Jessie]

345th combat support hospital
Hey there I am a dj in dallas. I just sent a ton of magnets to a friend of mine over there (345th combat support hospital)who shares your frustrations with regard to the magnet issue. In any case I reached out to AAFES which is headquartered here in DFW. I wrote them a letter begging them to send magnets over to their px so I hope it will have some impact. Cheers and thanks. If you need a friend, mine is Sgt. Frank Cavanagh who is at the 345th. He is famous you know? He used to be in the band Filter. I just sent him a ton of books too so if you need reading material go find him. He is very cool and bigger than the mirror