Email   Print   Share By Spc. Lisa A. Cope, 13th ESC PAO

Facebook Digg Delicious September 10, 2009 | Leisure

Servicemembers try out the new theater located in the existing USO on opening night. Spc. Lisa A. Cope, 13th ESC PAO

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – The Joint Base Balad, Iraq, branch of the United Service Organizations opened its doors as the first USO in Iraq, February 2008. On Sept. 1 it became the first USO in Iraq to feature a movie theater.

Eugenio A. Oliva, a duty manager for the USO, said the theater features a 94-inch screen, surround-sound speakers and theater-style seating, which accommodates 25 servicemembers at a time.

Maj. Brian H. Nomi, chief of client services at the consolidated legal center for the 304th Sustainment Brigade, attended the theater’s opening night.

“The new theater is the best that I have seen so far in Iraq,” Nomi said. “It’s got great digital sound, crystal-clear picture and there aren’t any bats flying across the screen.”

“The theater equipment was made possible by donations from the folks back home,” said Teresa Cherry, the JBB USO director.

The theater is available the same hours as the USO, so servicemembers can watch whatever they want, Cherry said. At 8 p.m., the scheduled movie of the day is shown.

“There will be a different themed movie each night of the week,” Cherry said.

The theater opening is one step in a complete USO renovation project that is scheduled for completion in November, Cherry said. The completed facility will include two video-game rooms – equipped with Xbox 360s and Nintendo Wiis – the theater and a lounge, in addition to the services already available, Oliva said.