Soldiers in Haiti enjoy Super Bowl

XVIII Abn. Corps PAO

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The Super Bowl is an American institution, right next to Uncle Sam and mom’s apple pie.

Many people watch the annual game in the comfort of their homes or at sports bars.

For servicemembers deployed to more austere parts of the world, it is a much anticipated treat.

According to Peter Schwartz, of Forbes magazine, Super Bowl Sunday and New Year’s Eve are the two biggest party days in the United States. The New Orleans Saints’ victory over Indianapolis in the Super Bowl was watched by more than 106 million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of “M.A.S.H.” to become the most-watched program in U.S. television history, according to the Nielsen ratings.

At Logistics Support Area Dragon, where many servicemembers work and live, a projection screen was set up, and snacks, donated by the USO of North Carolina, Wal-Mart and other vendors, were passed out and enjoyed by all.

“I think it was a good experience, honestly I didn’t think we would be able to do that here,” said Marine Cpl. Jerry Vandyk, an artilleryman with Company  B, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

“It boosted our morale a lot. This is my third deployment, and I have never done anything like this,” he said.

“This has been the highlight of the Haiti mission, our morale went up, it was a good night,” said Army Pvt. Ricardo Frias of Company C, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps.

Army Pvt. James Chvala a combat engineer, also with Co. C, said that the Super Bowl event was one the greatest things done at LSA Dragon and was a real morale booster.

“Everything that we are doing here is for a great cause, and I am glad to still be here, doing my part, ” Chvala said, when asked about his mission in Haiti.

“The Super Bowl was a big morale pusher, especially with us being away from our Family and friends,” said Spc. Dannie Jones, a motor transport operator, also of Co. C. “This boosted our morale up, I am happy they put this together for us.”

“There was a lot of effort over the last week to bring it all together,”

said Lt. Col. Peyton Potts, chief of current operations for JTF-H and XVIII Abn. Corps.
Potts was instrumental in coordinating 11 other sites in Haiti where servicemembers got a chance to enjoy the Super Bowl with chips and soda.

“It was a fantastic set up,” said Potts.

Soldiers from the XVIII Abn. Corps and the 82nd Abn. Division among others, along with Airmen from Pope Air Force Base joined with Families of servicemembers helped to pack boxes of fruit, sodas and chips for the Haiti-deployed servicemembers to enjoy.

“I think this was a great break for everybody after all of their hard work,” said Potts.