11/27/06

I read somewhere, the pilgrims made 7 times more graves than huts, yet they set aside a day to give thanks.

This in mind, with our current circumstances, we did the same.

The DFAC put out another great Thanksgiving meal I heard. You can tell because it is the only time the line to get in is as long as I heard it was.

As Thanksgiving is such a traditional family event, so as not to make everyone miss home even more, we held a Thanksgiving Luau.

It was excellent. We must have had over 500 soldiers show up from all around. We had all the luau trimmings, (lei's, decorations, games, and luau music), thanks to Patty, Donna, Sam, Cynthia, and their friends.

I was also able to obtain some beer, albeit it fake beer.

We played various games, everyone loved the limbo and other games we played that I received.

But as strange as it may seem, musical chairs seemed to be the favorite. We must have played it 5 or 6 times. It was hilarious to see soldiers, with their weapons, and leis hanging from their necks, running around the line of chairs in the tent anticipating the music stopping, with many circled around watching and laughing.

One time when it was down to one chair and two soldiers, they started pushing each other around the chair for the best position, and ended up 5 feet from the chair wrestling on the ground to everyones laughter before I got them back up on their feet and around the chair again.

Everyone had a great time, and the place was full of smiles and laughter all night long. It was very heartwarming to see, after what these soldiers endure day in, and day out, here a long way from their loved ones.

We had several soldiers at our party that have finished their tour and are about to go home. They pulled me aside, shook my hand, and told me they will miss the good times they had here in this tent.

It is all the reward I could ever ask for.

It makes the lack of sleep, usual crappy food, and everything else life in a combat zone brings, all worth it.