October 15, 2019   don king , iraq war , military boxing

I am the White Don King of Baghdad

Promoting people beating each other up, during a war, was immeasurably fun.   Holding the bullhorn in a ring of my own making was greatl...

Promoting people beating each other up, during a war, was immeasurably fun.  Holding the bullhorn in a ring of my own making was greatly satisfying, the ulterior motive to providing a mega attitude boost for those seeking blood in Iraq.  As Engineers, we weren’t kicking down doors, running and gunning, or throwing lead downrange.

We had no expectations of when we may redeploy back to the world.  Being Operation Iraqi Freedom One (2003-2004), it was an austere environment.  Sleeping tents pitched over crushed rock, no hot water, no air conditioning, no internet describes our LSA (Life Support Area).  We’d sweat into our scrambled eggs.

I went old school and offered the opportunity for hate to manifest into violence, annotated as “combatives training” on an Army schedule.  The Executive Officer, who played Rugby at West Point, gladly signed off. Inadvertently, I volunteered to be my Battalions Morale Officer.  In 120 degree heat, sandy grit buried into fresh and old wounds alike as I scrounged for volunteers.  They weren’t far off.  A card of ten fights occurred every other Saturday night for a year.  When our outfit left Iraq so did the floodlights.  There’s no need to improve morale when Soldiers are going home.

Live performance is usually much more fun than watching sport on TV.  A play has actors whose performance will only occur once; the script can change slightly; a movie’s edits can’t.  Soldiers brought their folding chairs and surrounded the boxing ring within our LSA.  I bought live entertainment to bolster the spirits of my comrades and let grudges get settled.  If a Soldier said in anger,” I’m going to kick your ass.”  I provided a place to do that.

Not all fighters were amateurs though.  The three round matches didn’t gas all competitors.  A few had boxing experience and had to paired very carefully.  But the top of the card was always chick fights when I could get them.  Females fighting was the easiest way to advertise.  My friend Tony made book, but I never made a dime, I swear.

Now that I’m promoting my book, “Scoundrels in Iraq”, I’ve begun noticing similarities from those White Don King of Baghdad days.  The key is first to have fun.  If the book helps others heal that’s fabulous.  There’s no doubt it’s a very entertaining tale of war.  But this time I want to make many dimes.  And maybe even meet Don King.  Not that I would anything self serving.