In the early-mid-90s I penpal’d with a punk rocker in the US Army during the Balkan “Conflict” – properly titled the Yugoslav Wars. I still have the letters but not with me at the moment – I think her name was Mari Segren – yes, a female Army Private, in the ’90s. I met her through Maximum Rock’n’Roll or Slug and Lettuce, I forget. I was amazed at the idea to meet a punk rocker who decided to enlist, and I wanted to give her the support I could from abroad, even as a teen (I was 14, 15…). And I found a certain irony in her being stationed at “Camp Punxsutawney” – I mean, c’mon, PUNX! Images were taken Nov ’95-May ’96; I’m dating them May ’96 for the purpose of Timeline. Captions are her notes written on the back of the photographs. Thanks for reading.

A lovely piece of real estate complete with skylight. Bosnia February ’96
Here’s my modest little living area. 6 feet by 6 feet. For a year?!! No fuckin’ way! It looks different now, too. More shit.
Županja, Croatia This was our backyard for 2 months. I had to get the barbed wire in the picture
The whole city, flattened. Croatian/Bosnian border February ’96
Another beautiful home with sun-porch and air conditioning. Bosnia February ’96
Here’s our wonderfully close camp. Someone farts in the tent next door and it vibrates your cot. It looks different now, though. They built walkways. Camp Punxsutawney, Lukavac Bosnia
This is the scenery where I live. Camp Punxsutawney Lukavac, Bosnia
Obvious, isn’t it? All that beauty and it even has a built-in minefield. Bosnia February 96

For further reading, here’s one of the earliest mentions of “Camp Punxsutawney” on the web, courtesy of Gordoncooper.com.

Five years in Bosnia

stuffs