In temperatures upward of 130 degrees Fahrenheit, American soldiers in the Middle East sag under the weight of their supplies and chemical weapons gear. Clouds of fine dust puff into the air from beneath each booted step.
This is what sheriff’s Deputy Artie Thompson described after he returned from 20 months of active duty near the Persian Gulf, and what inspired him to spearhead a local effort to provide air conditioning to U.S. troops. (Go to The Signal for more on this story)