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Samantha Hayes ReportingLife in the military is not one of perks, especially if you are serving in the Middle East right now. But service men and women in Kuwait got a break from the grind with what you might call May Madness, military style. I talked to them via satellite about playing basketball and their celebrity coaches.
Their work is important, but you wouldn't call it glamorous. Men and women serving in the 478th Personal Service Battalion make sure everything is running right.
Ammon Stevens, 478th PSB: "Day after day, the same thing over and over. You just get tired of it."
Specialist Ammon Stevens from, Sandy, Utah, felt like a star today though, meeting one of his all time favorite college basketball coaches.
Ammon Stevens: "Tubby Smith is a good guy. I have a lot of respect for that guy."
The best military players are competing in a championship tournament and "Operation Hardwood" brings in top college names to coach them. Tubby Smith - University of Kentucky, Rick Barnes - University of Texas, Bobby Lutz - University of North Carolina, Charlotte, Tom Izzo -Michigan State and Kelvin Sampson- University of Indiana are a few.
Sgt. Athena Ah Chong, 478th PSA Battalion: "The opportunity to meet NCAA Division One coaches, people we see on TV, really exciting."
Sgt. Athena Ah Chong is from Eagle Mountain, Utah. She says the tournament has lifted the spirits of everyone on base.
Sgt. Athena Ah Chong: "For me, I miss my family a lot. It's a good way to keep my mind off that and play basketball, like we do in the States."
And if you think it would be intimidating to play under a top college coach, Specialst Stevens says its nothing like someone he knows back home.
"I've been to a lot of basketball camps but these coaches here aren't anything like Rick Majerus, he was pretty intimidating."
