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Green, Green Grass of Home–But Where’s Home?

November 10, 2009  - By

By: Jim Novak, Turfgrass Producers International

Although this photo of a soldier using scissors to trim grass on a tiny plot of turf at what appears to be some remote location has been circulating on the internet for several years; who and where the soldier is has been a mystery.

The soldier has been identified on various web sites as an Australian, a Canadian and an American. Some sites suggest the photo was taken in Afghanistan; others suggest it is in Kuwait; one report states it was taken near a small village in Iraq, and another pinpoints the location as a camp outside of Baghdad. And yet another site suggested the photo wasn’t taken overseas at all, but photographed at an unidentified training camp somewhere in the Carolinas.

So who is this celebrity soldier, where did he come from and where was the photo actually taken?

National Public Radio (NPR) has identified the soldier as U.S. Army Warrant Officer Brook Turner. Turner is seen trimming grass with scissors in a camp north of Baghdad in July 2004.  NPR went on to add, “He missed the green of his native Oregon. His wife sent him grass seed, but ants ate it. Undeterred, he acquired natural turfgrass sod.”

Further confirmation came from an even more reliable source, Turner’s wife, Kimberly who provided this second photo:

“This is my wonderful husband, Brook Turner of Stayton, Oregon, battalion maintenance officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation. He deployed out of Schofield Barracks in January 2004. The photo above shows him cutting grass that he planted in his “back yard” so he could have a little bit of home with him in Iraq. – Kimberly Turner

Natural turfgrass – –  it’s not only great for the environment, it’s brings back fond memories of home, no matter where home might be.

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Turfgrass Producers International – TPI

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