FORWARD OPERATING BASE DIABLO, Afghanistan (AP) – U.S. paratroopers taking part in NATO’s latest Afghanistan offensive wound up hours of digging foxholes on a sandy hilltop here Monday with a special treat – news about the NCAA tournament.

The 82nd Airborne soldiers are the first Western troops to move into this remote and mountainous terrain on the border between Kandahar and Helmand provinces as part of Operation Achilles, a new NATO offensive launched just last week. They’re far from any U.S. or NATO base, and still settling in by digging holes in the ground to sleep in.

But thanks to Army technology, they knew where their favorite NCAA basketball teams were playing only hours after the seedings were announced back home.

“Hey, they’re playing in Buffalo? Gosh darn it, I would’ve liked to have been there,” said Lt. Col. Brian Mennes, 40, of Buffalo, N.Y., the commander of the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment based at Fort Bragg, N.C., referring to one of the Midwest Regional sites.

Pfc. Matt Ward, a 21-year-old on the artillery team, also keyed in on his hometown – Memphis, Tenn., whose 30-3 Tigers were seeded No. 2 in the South Regional behind Ohio State.

“Memphis is going to win it all. Who’s going to beat them?” said Ward. “The only competition Memphis is going to have is from Ohio State.”

Talk of mid-majors replaced Army majors – whether in the commander’s tent or around the soldiers’ Humvees.

“Gonzaga, that’s all I got to say. I always go with Gonzaga,” Spc. James Tolson, 22, of Germantown, Md., announced to half a dozen soldiers eating their MREs.

1st Sgt. Timothy Edwards, 34, of Ashburn, Ga., printed out copies of the tournament brackets using the one Internet connected computer the company of soldiers has here to stay in touch with the outside world.

“They’re like kids in a candy store,” said Edwards. “This is my third deployment, and I know if there’s something you can give a young paratrooper as a morale boost it helps him focus on other stuff.”

Because of Army rules against gambling, the soldiers here aren’t playing for money. But Edwards promises a gift for the winning bracket – and says he’ll keep that gift if he wins.

For that to happen, though, Ohio State and its sensational freshman star Greg Oden will have to come through.

“The reason is Greg Oden. I think he’s going to dominate in the tourney,” Edwards said.

AP-ES-03-12-07 1225EDT