The Hottie House
When a new unit inherits an area of operation, the old unit passes on information about friendly neighborhoods, hostile sectors, and other lessons learned. Perhaps one of the most treasured heirlooms handed down to members of the 1-8 Infantry Regiment’s Alpha Company is the “Hottie House.” No one’s quite sure how the old unit found the Hottie House, but for soldiers it’s a welcome reprieve from all of Iraq’s problems.
“This is the house where we come after a long patrol to relax,” says Specialist Juan Atuero as he strips off his armor and settles into the Hottie House. Another soldier says he trusts the Hottie House girls more than he trusts most Americans.
Though most of the Hottie House girls are attractive, no one in Alpha Company has plans to pin up their photos next to the posters of bikini and lingerie clad FHM models back on base. It’s just the name for the house passed down from the last unit, probably a play on the fact that it’s a house full of young women.
Populated almost entirely four 16 to 27 year old sisters the Hottie House appears something of an anomaly to American soldiers. In addition to the girls, there’s an aging mother and several boys but the oldest is about 14 years old.
Working in rural Iraq, which tends to be more traditional, soldiers rarely interact with local women unless they’re questioning them. The Hottie House provides a welcome exception and a window into a segment of Iraqi society normally closed to soldiers.
The role of women in Iraq constantly strikes soldiers as one of the biggest differences with life in Iraq. Men who seem to do nothing but watch women carry heavy loads and do farm labor baffle soldiers. Even though few people in the Army could be considered feminists, seeing women work in this capacity bothers soldiers.
In an episode of “Housing Swap” a retired husband treats his wife tyrannically and orders her perform chores around the house while he spends most his days relaxing at the gym. As Staff Sergeant Yeazel watches this he jokes that the husband “is just like haji.” Mimicking the lazy husband he says, “‘You might think I live a life of leisure, but this is what I do.’ Seriously, what does haji do?”
The Hottie House girls defy Iraq’s traditional gender roles. Lieutenant Tom Landsberger admires Lega’s independence. The oldest old Hottie House girl at twenty-seven, she spends her free time sketching portraits of friends, creating floral collages and dreams of studying art in Paris. Fearing that she’ll become what she describes as a “slave” relegated to kitchen chores, she tells the soldiers that she’ll never marry a local man.
Passing out candy soldiers often feel that they see early signs of a society that they believe diminishes the importance of women. Usually young boys throng around the soldiers while the girls stand to the side, eagerly watching. If one of the girls tries to get candy from a soldier she’s usually pushed to the back of the crowd. This irritates even the likes of Staff Sergeant Nicodemus who says the only two women he likes are his wife and his daughter. To combat this problem, soldiers often force the boys to stand aside and wait while they pass out candy and gifts to the girls first.
If an Alpha Company platoon plans a visit to the Hottie House, they try to come with gifts, like boxes of candy or other small trinkets. During other impromptu visits they give them whatever candy and snacks they brought out on patrol. More than gifts, the girls enjoy the opportunity to practice their English and chat with foreign visitors.
Specialist Wellsman Wells spends a substantial portion of his free time trying to learn Arabic. Since coming to Iraq, he’s taught himself how to read and write Arabic and is gradually acquiring a sizable vocabulary. Hottie House resident Lora finds her primary school Arabic textbook and guides Wells through a lesson about the letter ‘ayn. Private Jose Cordona sits next to Wells, more of a spectator than student. Cordona, who speaks fluent Spanish, begins to feel inferior for being bilingual in the wrong language.
With his rudimentary Arabic and desire to learn, Wells believes that Hottie House girls often eye him as a potentially appealing catch. Unfortunately, he’s a married atheist. Ultimately it’s his lack of faith that bothers the girls most. He tries to explain that he’s spiritual but not religious, but the idea doesn’t translate.
Soldiers have uploaded digital pictures on the girls’ computer or given them printed photographs so they have a record of their visitors. The Hottie House even started its own guestbook. Looking at one photograph they point to Private First-Class Francis “Romeo” Hernanadez-Gonzalez, who’s on another mission, and ask where he is. When told that the Hottie House girls missed him, Romeo, who’s had the nickname since he was 11 and dated a 15 year old, stays cool and in character. He believes they like him because he looks Arab, but it’s clear that the self-described flirt enjoys charming the locals.
When a new unit inherits an area of operation, the old unit passes on information about friendly neighborhoods, hostile sectors, and other lessons learned. Perhaps one of the most treasured heirlooms handed down to members of the 1-8 Infantry Regiment’s Alpha Company is the “Hottie House.” No one’s quite sure how the old unit found the Hottie House, but for soldiers it’s a welcome reprieve from all of Iraq’s problems.
“This is the house where we come after a long patrol to relax,” says Specialist Juan Atuero as he strips off his armor and settles into the Hottie House. Another soldier says he trusts the Hottie House girls more than he trusts most Americans.
Though most of the Hottie House girls are attractive, no one in Alpha Company has plans to pin up their photos next to the posters of bikini and lingerie clad FHM models back on base. It’s just the name for the house passed down from the last unit, probably a play on the fact that it’s a house full of young women.
Populated almost entirely four 16 to 27 year old sisters the Hottie House appears something of an anomaly to American soldiers. In addition to the girls, there’s an aging mother and several boys but the oldest is about 14 years old.
Working in rural Iraq, which tends to be more traditional, soldiers rarely interact with local women unless they’re questioning them. The Hottie House provides a welcome exception and a window into a segment of Iraqi society normally closed to soldiers.
The role of women in Iraq constantly strikes soldiers as one of the biggest differences with life in Iraq. Men who seem to do nothing but watch women carry heavy loads and do farm labor baffle soldiers. Even though few people in the Army could be considered feminists, seeing women work in this capacity bothers soldiers.
In an episode of “Housing Swap” a retired husband treats his wife tyrannically and orders her perform chores around the house while he spends most his days relaxing at the gym. As Staff Sergeant Yeazel watches this he jokes that the husband “is just like haji.” Mimicking the lazy husband he says, “‘You might think I live a life of leisure, but this is what I do.’ Seriously, what does haji do?”
The Hottie House girls defy Iraq’s traditional gender roles. Lieutenant Tom Landsberger admires Lega’s independence. The oldest old Hottie House girl at twenty-seven, she spends her free time sketching portraits of friends, creating floral collages and dreams of studying art in Paris. Fearing that she’ll become what she describes as a “slave” relegated to kitchen chores, she tells the soldiers that she’ll never marry a local man.
Passing out candy soldiers often feel that they see early signs of a society that they believe diminishes the importance of women. Usually young boys throng around the soldiers while the girls stand to the side, eagerly watching. If one of the girls tries to get candy from a soldier she’s usually pushed to the back of the crowd. This irritates even the likes of Staff Sergeant Nicodemus who says the only two women he likes are his wife and his daughter. To combat this problem, soldiers often force the boys to stand aside and wait while they pass out candy and gifts to the girls first.
If an Alpha Company platoon plans a visit to the Hottie House, they try to come with gifts, like boxes of candy or other small trinkets. During other impromptu visits they give them whatever candy and snacks they brought out on patrol. More than gifts, the girls enjoy the opportunity to practice their English and chat with foreign visitors.
Specialist Wellsman Wells spends a substantial portion of his free time trying to learn Arabic. Since coming to Iraq, he’s taught himself how to read and write Arabic and is gradually acquiring a sizable vocabulary. Hottie House resident Lora finds her primary school Arabic textbook and guides Wells through a lesson about the letter ‘ayn. Private Jose Cordona sits next to Wells, more of a spectator than student. Cordona, who speaks fluent Spanish, begins to feel inferior for being bilingual in the wrong language.
With his rudimentary Arabic and desire to learn, Wells believes that Hottie House girls often eye him as a potentially appealing catch. Unfortunately, he’s a married atheist. Ultimately it’s his lack of faith that bothers the girls most. He tries to explain that he’s spiritual but not religious, but the idea doesn’t translate.
Soldiers have uploaded digital pictures on the girls’ computer or given them printed photographs so they have a record of their visitors. The Hottie House even started its own guestbook. Looking at one photograph they point to Private First-Class Francis “Romeo” Hernanadez-Gonzalez, who’s on another mission, and ask where he is. When told that the Hottie House girls missed him, Romeo, who’s had the nickname since he was 11 and dated a 15 year old, stays cool and in character. He believes they like him because he looks Arab, but it’s clear that the self-described flirt enjoys charming the locals.
posted by Tom | 5:19 AM
1 Comments:
Keep up the good work. Do you have a separate place for your newspaper articles?
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