“I really wanted to swim in the Persian Gulf,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Mary Phillips, from Boone, N.C., enjoying her last day participating in the U.S. Central Command rest and recuperation pass program at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Nov. 28. She did swim in the Gulf waters, during three separate occasions, along with three other soldiers from the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team operating outside Baghdad, Iraq.