There’s an abundance of obese Americans, even among U.S. troops in the Hindu Kush. The reason: fast food. Fast food is being banished from military installations in an attempt to maintain combat readiness. The Army reproduced a couple hundred meters of America right in the middle of Afghanistan’s biggest American military base; the troops call it “Heaven in Hell,” their beloved boardwalk, where you can find a basketball court, a Harley-Davidson shop and a flood of fast food outlets. Whether it’s Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen or Taco Bell, nearly every known chain is represented, and hungry warriors stuff themselves there. The boardwalk is a little strip of neon lighting in the middle of the central Asian darkness, and only the “Taliban Hunting Club” T-shirts in the souvenir shops remind soldiers where they actually are.
But now their little bit of heaven is threatened. And the bogeyman this time is clean-shaven, for a change: General Stanley McChrystal himself. The Commander of U.S. Forces and the international ISAF contingent has ordered the fast food joints on the boardwalk to close up shop by the first of May.
Command Sergeant Major Michael T. Hall, one of McChrystal’s closest staff members, said, “This is a war zone, not an amusement park.” Since the most recent troop increase, Hall said they have had to make the most efficient use of available resources in order to accomplish the mission. That meant doing away with non-essential facilities. McChrystal considers junk food just as non-essential as alcohol, something the Puritan abolished from his headquarters several months ago.
The general himself reportedly gets by with just one hot meal and four hours of sleep per day, despite jogging 13 kilometers daily while listening to audio books. It comes as no surprise, then, that fitness centers along the boardwalk remain unaffected by the reducing regimen. Hall explained that facilities that contributed to the morale and welfare of personnel would not be reduced.
For the time being, fast food fans in the infantry still have one refuge: a 12-meter shipping container that serves as headquarters for the Canadian Tim Horton’s chain. While it doesn’t offer a triple whopper value meal packed with 2,180 calories, one can still get double chocolate donuts, BBQ chicken wraps and iced caramel cappuccinos. At least for the foreseeable future, since Canadian Defense Department Spokeswoman Megan MacLean announced, “There are no plans to close the Tim Horton’s.”
But even this last remaining paradise is endangered. Next year, Canadian forces will withdraw from Afghanistan — and the Tim Horton’s shop will withdraw with them.
American soldiers remaining there will be stuck with the mess hall.
At currently their little of heaven is threatened. And also the bogeyman this point is clean-shaven, for a change: General Stanley McChrystal himself. The Commander of U.S. Forces and also the international ISAF contingent have ordered the quick food joints on the boardwalk to shut up look by the primary of might.
Command Sergeant Major Michael T. Hall, one among McChrystal’s closest employees members, said, “This could be a war zone, not an amusement park.” Since the foremost recent troop increase, Hall said they need had to form the foremost economical use of accessible resources so as to accomplish the mission. That meant doing away with non-essential facilities. McChrystal considers junk food simply as non-essential as alcohol, one thing the Puritan abolished from his headquarters many months ago.