Soccer Provides Much Needed Distraction For US Soldiers Serving Overseas!

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AP) -- For one day, the soldiers who live a call from harm's way got to do something entirely ordinary.
They came to a party in the park fit for small-town America: bands, funnel cake, even pony rides for the squealing kids. And they did that most American thing of all -- cheer for their team, yell at the big screen.
Only the game on TV was soccer.
"You don't really get opportunities (like this) too often because you have your mind on the job," Army Sgt. James Insana said as he watched the U.S. team salvage its World Cup chances by gutting out a 1-1 tie against Italy. "A day like this, it's straight-up awesome."
For many back home, Saturday's game in this southern German city was a chance to root not for the Yankees or Cowboys or Lakers but for their nation. (Watch World Cup -- and national -- fever spill into the streets - 1:36)
For the hundreds of other soldiers watching on an Army base on the outskirts of town, the game meant even more. They represent the United States every day.
When the U.S. team was introduced before the game, the crowd of several thousand cheered, whistled and chanted "U-S-A! U-S-A!" At the first notes of the national anthem, everyone stood and sang, hands over hearts.
Then they hooted and hollered at bad calls, and shouted when an American threatened to score.
When the Americans tied the game on an own goal by Italy's Cristian Zaccardo, they jumped to their feet as if it were the Super Bowl. (Game highlights)
It was beside the point that many don't follow soccer that closely.
"It lets you get away from the stress involved with the job," said Army Lt. Tom Carnes, a military police officer who is stationed in Bosnia but is in Germany for treatment of a foot injury.
Kaiserslautern is the largest military community outside the United States -- more than 50,000 servicemen and women and their families live here. Nearby Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is one of the U.S. military's largest hospitals.
The American presence permeates the city. Downtown is "K-Town," where there's a Chuck's Diner and at least one bar takes both dollars and euros. So many SUVs and minivans roll through the base it starts to look like an American suburb.
Except the patients at Landstuhl have shrapnel wounds and have seen their buddies killed. The husbands and wives know one day their spouse will be gone to a place like Iraq. The ones who come back don't like to share what they've seen.
"We wanted to show our community how much we appreciate them," said Lt. Col. Erik Daiga, the commander of the Army base that hosted the party. "And, even for one night, to get them away."
As if anyone needed a reminder, a series of bombs in Baghdad killed at least 23 people Saturday and two U.S. soldiers were missing after an attack outside the capital. For one sun-kissed day of soccer, though, all of that was a world away.
Army Staff Sgt. Martin Iturralde arrived from southern Iraq on Saturday morning to undergo several days of tests and treatment for an undiagnosed illness.
But he wasn't sick enough to miss the afternoon party.
"When you're over there, you feel fear, and fear is what keeps you alive," said Iturralde, who was thrilled to be in jeans and a T-shirt, not his cumbersome flak gear. "Here, you just have to let go and know you're among people that aren't going to hurt you."
Athletes are fond of comparing their games to battle. Earlier this week, U.S. forward Eddie Johnson likened the Italy match to war, saying part of his motivation was knowing U.S. troops would be watching.
That kind of talk doesn't always ring true with troops.
"We always like to see the U.S. do well. But it's not life or death," said Daiga, the base commander. "For a lot of the folks here, what they do IS life or death."
Except on this day. On this day, the World Cup gave them a chance to be ordinary Americans.
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