Originally Posted by SchmeckFlyer
I have a friend who works in and from the Green Zone with USAID. She was issued with an official (sort of like diplomatic) passport for travel. From that I assumed all personnel going to Iraq had some sort of passport, whether the civilian blue or something more official. Have to admit, I find it odd that they do not, if only to simplify travel or at the very least R&R.
I agree, it is odd. I'd feel so uneasy to be in another country without a passport. Although if you consider that the cost of a passport application ($100ish?) is a lot of money for a newly enlisted soldier making $15K-$20K per year, coupled with the fact that many of the soldiers I've met don't really have an interest in international travel it makes a little more sense.
In hindsight, they should have had a passport before they left, but I think they were a bit distracted.
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As for the US Military being able to go where they want without passports: It's just another example of the US Government not following rules it expects the rest of the world to follow...
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