Trick or Treat

Greetings from Baghdad. I'm pleased to report that plans for this year's Grand Halloween Cotillion are really moving along. The refreshment committee has announced the caramel apples will be available in green and red variety (thus heading off that fearsome debate that was developing between the Army and Marines) and the decorations committee has declared that they found a few of the pumpkins that survived those damned insurgents smashing party last week - so jack-o-lanterns will be available. Those who volunteered to help carve are reminded to bring their bayonets to the bingo tent Thursday night at 1900 hours.

In case you folks at home are wondering about the popular costume choices, most of the guys are coming as GI Joe, but I'm going to be Steve Prefontaine.

And yes - that's a joke. There is no Halloween Ball, though with dress and appearance guidelines being what they are (we can only wear DCUs or PT gear) on Halloween and every other night we will indeed be GI Joes or famous track stars.

There is some flexibility in uniform wear though. Make all the rules you want and people will still find ways to express their individuality. This go 'round it's all about how you wear the famous boonie hat.

This from the "local guidance":

Floppy hats must be worn with the brim flat and the drawstring under the chin, behind the head, or tucked inside the hat. The floppy hat will not be worn ?cowboy? (hung around the neck with the hat on the member?s back) or ?Aussie?style (brim rolled up).

But the younger troops found the obvious option: weaken the brim so it droops downward rather than staying somewhat parallel to the ground. The result, a hip hop style bucket hat that makes a subtle contrast to the "cowboy style" I've mentioned before.

To the best of my knowledge, none of the other senior folks have noticed the option being exercised. Maybe I'm a bit more keyed in to the environment; whatever means by which the style is spread it's not an information chain I'm in. It's no big deal, and as you can see above, the rules don't say you can't do it. So I'm inclined to let them have this one. Like I said, people find ways to express themselves...

I won't point out their proud Gilligan / JJ Walker heritage either. I'll just smile and wish them a fine day as I walk on by.

Speaking of make believe, you know what's fun to do on a slow day? Speak French to an Iraqi. When he looks confused explain to him there are thousands of you here but the deal is you get to wear U.S. uniforms, 'cause it's on le down low'. Man they get pissed, especially the "former regime loyalists" who thought they had a deal.

Hah - I'm kidding again!

I kid the French. I live near there, when I'm not liberating people. I visit all the time and enjoy the visits. I live near this too:

The Porta Nigra, the Black Gate in Trier, Germany. Trier boasts the largest collection of Roman Ruins north of the alps. Rome civilized the western world through strength in the first centuries AD, then for a number of reasons weakened and fell, leaving the world in a centuries-long dark age. Unless you've seen the ruin up close you really can't fully appreciate the majesty of what once was, and how far it fell, and how long it took to recover.

But like it or not America is going to be Rome for Halloween this year. What's unknown as of yet is whether we'll be the Rome of the first century or that of the fifth.

Trick or Treat.