Last month, we praised the top U.S. commander in Iraq for his decision to allow American troops in the country to have a few beers while watching the Super Bowl. It was a one-time exemption of alcohol prohibition for American troops in the Middle East.

The Associated Press reported that the Super Bowl parties went off without a hitch Sunday, beer and all. But we at Shutdown Corner wanted a more detailed account of what it's actually like to watch the biggest football game of the year in the middle of the night, half a world away in a war-torn desert. So, my sister put me in contact with two Army captains who were kind enough to write about their experience.

First, we have U.S. Army Captain Alex Dorko of the 14th Engineer Batallion. He's a man's man who enjoys NFL football and beer (not necessarily in that order) but chose to pass up both. He explains:

I didn't drink anything on Super Bowl Sunday. Nor did I watch the game. Not because I don't like beer or football, but to me the whole operation seemed a bit like a chore. And I'm a Browns fan so watching Big Ben win a Super Bowl would be my own personal hell.

After a work day spent fighting the war on terror, I went back to my little trailer where I sleep and contemplated whether or not I should wake up for my quota of two beers. The game kicked off at 2:28 a.m. in Nasiriyah. Hypothetically, I would have slept for five hours, woken up, put on a complete uniform (which is a hassle, I hate wearing what other people tell me to), and walked ten minutes to the dining facility where they were giving out the beer. Then, I'd have had to wait another ten minutes in the line to get inside.

No one would actually opt to watch the game in the dining facility, but that's where the beer was handed out and you had to drink it while you were inside the dining facility. The game was on all of the flat screen televisions in there. The DFAC has ten of them (thanks, tax payers!). Then I guess I would have left with my mild buzz and found a more comfortable place to sit and watch those tools beat the good-for-nothing Cardinals.

More likely than not I would have then gone back to my little room and fallen asleep again, only to have woken up in a couple hours to use the bathroom. Since my room is 300 meters from the nearest toilet or shower, I tend to intentionally dehydrate myself on a regular basis in order to avoid such things. That second middle of the night field trip would have been the icing on the proverbial Super Bowl-cake and I would have woken up later in the morning with a tiny little hangover and cotton mouth.

Instead of all that, I slept... And I woke up, sharp as ever, and ready to fight the terrorists once again from behind my computer.

Had it been the Browns in that Super Bowl... who am I kidding, Army has a better chance of actually beating Navy than seeing I do of seeting those idiots in the big game.

In case you were wondering, they had Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Light, Heineken and Guinness. Most of the Joes drank from the Bud family with Heineken and Guinness sitting right there. I guess they thought they were paying for it.

Sorry you missed out on the brews, Captain Dorko, and I'm even more sorry that you had to wake up and hear about a Steelers victory. If you make it to D.C. whenever you get back to the States, shoot me an email ... the Heinekens are on me. 

I also received an email from Captain James Douglas of the 570th Sapper Company. Captain Douglas did watch the game and filed the following report:

It was a great opportunity and a big morale booster for Soldiers in Iraq. It was very well organized and just about every safety precaution was taken. We started out standing in line for about 20 minutes while the start of the Super Bowl was being broadcast on every large screen TV in the chow hall. The Soldiers handing out the beer called us to the counter and verified your military ID and asked you to dab blue ink on your index finger. This is the way the MPs and DEFAC worker could identify you've received your two beers.

Our selection was Guinness, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Heineken. They also provide a large selection of finger foods. The opportunity to watch the Super bowl and have a few beers reminded us of home and gave us a break from reality, if only for a few hours. I really hope the chain of command looks at other special events like the Army Birthday and Independence Day to allow Soldiers to drink a few beers as a morale booster.

Agreed, Captain Douglas. From the sound of it, the beer distribution was a success, so there should be little reason not to bring it back for special occassions. If it can brighten the day of our troops and remind them a little of home, it would seem to be an easy decision.

Thanks again to Captains Dorko and Douglas for the letters. But, most importantly, we all thank you and the other troops for helping to protect our country. Be safe and we hope to have you back Stateside soon.

Photo: Getty Images