FORWARD OPRATING BASE SPEICHER, TIKRIT, Iraq

 For many deployed Soldiers, fighting boredom and monotony can be just as difficult as battling the enemy.

Fortunately for Soldiers here, Puddle of Mudd, the rock band behind hit songs such as “Blurry” and “Control,” were able to help the troops do that by putting on a concert Sept. 12.

“All the men and women of the Armed Forces are over here working hard every day, and we figured coming out here and playing a show for them was the least we could do,” said Wes Scantlin, lead singer and guitarist for POM.

Soldiers around the FOB were delighted to hear of the band’s arrival.

“I couldn’t believe we were going to get a chance to see a live band in a deployed environment,” said Pfc. Rebecca Smith, 38^th Personnel Support Battalion Network Administrator.

“Not too many bands would agree to come out here and play like that.”

While the band jumped at the chance to play in front of Soldiers, getting to Iraq was a long journey.

“We traveled almost halfway around the world to get here,” Scantlin said.  “We flew from L.A. to Germany, Germany to Kuwait and took a C-130 from Kuwait to FOB Speicher.”

Once the band arrived at FOB Speicher, it was taken to the Dining Facility for dinner before being given a brief tour of the FOB and meeting with Soldiers at the hospital.

“Being over here has been a very humbling experience,” Scantlin said. “It makes me appreciate my life back in the states a lot more.”

Finally, it was time for the band to take the stage. The thousands of Soldiers who packed the stadium seats of the abandoned soccer stadium at FOB Speicher enjoyed every minute of the concert as they sang along to their favorite songs.

“I’ve probably played over 1,000 shows in my life and I can honestly say playing for the Soldiers here in Iraq was the best show I’ve done in my entire life,” Scantlin said.

After the concert the band stayed for several hours signing autographs and meeting with Soldiers.

“They interacted with us really well,” Smith said.  “They’re really cool people.”

The band was equally impressed with the Soldiers they met during their trip to Iraq.

“All the Soldiers over here are amazing,” Scantlin said.  “We had a great time and we’d come back and do it again any time.”

Prior to playing at FOB Speicher, POB had played for Soldiers in Baumholder, Germany.  (Story by Spc. Joe Alger, 1^st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office)