# Platoon House



## Halifax Tar (5 Apr 2010)

Hey guys, 

With out encroaching on OPSEC and what not can someone describe what a platoon house is, how it functions and if possible what the average one is set up for in the way of eats, sleeps and the like ? 

Thanks guys,
Halifax Tar

PS I did a search for "Platoon House" came up empty


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## MJP (5 Apr 2010)

Think of it as a mini base usually (in Afghanistan) built around a compound or series of compounds.  Called a platoon house as that is usually what occupies it on a regular basis but that can be a misnomer.  Sleeping arrangments vary according to the amount of room you may or may not have, but usually it is more cramped than what you would get at a FOB or on KAF.  Food varies as well, my info is dated but we had mostly IMPs and MREs.  Most of the fresh food we had we bought off of locals, or was made by the ANA unit we had with us.


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## Halifax Tar (5 Apr 2010)

Great info MJP thats more than I new before!


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## 1feral1 (5 Apr 2010)

Hey HT an Australian prospective on the PL House. Since Operation Catalyst ended/ceased in Jul 09 (the offical time Australian combat troops were removed from Iraq under the then new leftist Kevin Rudd government election promise), so there is no OPSEC issues here. Our's was more like a Coy House.

Going back to 2006-2007. Where? FOB Union III, within our own AO, happily known as Anzac Cove (named from the Cove in Gallipoli campaign of 1915), near the former Baath Pty HQ along the Tigris River in Baghdad city. Union III was a smaller US FOB, on the western fringe of the IZ, and right on the southern IZ border of the Tigris.

I was a part of the only Australian Combat Team in the city. We had one major location and a sub-location were there was always a platoon present.

We occupied a former single story Iraqi republican Guard barracks, which was rectangular in shape, about 7 metres wide and 70 metres long. Very run down to say the least, and a bit fuinky in smell to say the least.

We also had the responsibility of a series off smaller buildings too, mainly our HQ, crap Mess, and improvised QStore, and the home-made poor excuse we had for a gym/laundry. This plus manning our strong points etc.

The accomodation building was an all concrete construction, with even the old shower area converted into accomodation for about 70 of us. The concrete gave us a liitle ballistic protection, which was better than nothing. Indirect fire was a 24/7 problem, along with harassing small arms fire from accross the river. We also had a line of 7 ft T-walls in front of the accomodation which allowed for more protection.

These T-walls saved lives, as there was a 122 Katushya HE rocket slam in to a T-wall, which took most of the force, but blew in an accomodation wall, injuring 5 Diggers, and luckily no one was killed. Lucky too it was around just before 0600h, and most were still in there rooms, if later, there could have been more casualties. 

The room I shared was 7 x 7 metres square, and there were 5 of us there in our own rooms which we made with plywood walls and real doors, which allowed some type of semi privacy. Windows were rape taped (gun tape) again for blast reasons, and we rigged up air-con, so it was liveable. We worked long days, and never had a day off while in theatre.

Showers and toilets were demountables which KBR maintained. We did our own cooking, which no one came for seconds, and had about 6 meals per week at the US local DFAC.

Overall it was a busy place, with ASLAV mounted outings into the Badlands, a regular occurance.

Again, hope this sheds light on the house situation.

As usual, edited for spelling.

Cheers,

OWDU


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