Army/Navy Week (Baghdad)

back in college, all those many long years ago, the first week of december--the week of the army/navy football game--was always the most anticipated of the autumn semester. i remember it especially fondly as the week of one of the few football games we conistently won during my tenure as a mid. it also heralded the close of the fall term, and was (is) cause for much celebration in the way of "midshipman hijinks." cadets and midshipmen try to kidnap one another's mascots, flight teams "bomb" noon formations with ping pong balls... and this generally good-natured hilarity carries over, upon commissioning, into joint activities such as the pentagon. hanging out in the desert leaves one not a little time for nostalgia, and since september i have been pondering how well-received army/navy shinanigans would be in a combat zone.

at usna, upperclassmen mercilessly punish the freshmen all year, but army/navy week allows the silly pledges--if not a respite--at least an oppurtunity to turn the tables. in early september milk cartons with the leavings of the back-to-school crabfest are placed in the overhead [ceiling, for my less nautical readers] and left to fester, awaiting the moment they'll be spilled into an unwary room. not one for wanton destruction, or offensive nasal offense, my personal favourites were waxing alternate-lifestyle pornography and hole punch holes into the deck [floor], and taking off a shower head and rigging it with kool-aid powder. then there were the midnight raids over the wall to hang sheet posters throughout annapolis... i was only caught by the police once, and only because a buddy fell behind and we had to go back for him; there we at least eight of us, so rather than call for backup, the kindly cop sent us packing.

perhaps i could band some navy brethren together, and we could sneak outside the wire at night to hang sheet posters on the road to baghdad? instead of the traditional "go navy! beat army!", i'm thinking that in light of my current situation "go navy! save army!" would be appropriate... maybe i could paint a huge bill the goat over the big first infantry division sign at headquarters? i still have plenty of time to plan, but right now all i know is: i can't wait to chalk up another win so i can engage in some celebratory fire!