Since World War I, Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs of the military have supplied a lot of home to troops abroad, while also offering support to families at home. With a $15 million budget for deployments, the Navy MWR program buys 90,000 pieces of recreation equipment a year, including inflatable climbing walls, bingo sets, fishing gear and karaoke systems, which are particularly popular at sea. Operation Enduring Freedom brought a new luxury, “spa-in-a-box,” a whirlpool bath that the sailors can assemble–and disassemble–themselves. Though the next “steel-beach picnic,” when the deck is available for parties, is probably a ways off, the deployments to the Mideast are currently engaged in an intership fitness competition. If the fitness equipment breaks down–treadmills are especially sensitive to the heat and pitch of the ship–backup supplies are ready for shipment from Bahrain, Singapore or Pearl Harbor. The 600 movie titles available onboard offer another break. After 9-11 the major studios started donating films still showing in theaters. “A lot of folks like those high-adventure, action-packed films,” says Capt. Kevin McNamara of the Navy’s MWR department.
