Quick, if you're a parent thinking of taking your children to a safe, wholesome, family-friendly fall activity, what's the first thing you think of?
If you try to tell me that a, "Nasty Haunting hosted by the 172nd Chemical Company" was the first thing that came to mind, I'm afraid I'm going to have to call "BS"...or as Joe Biden would say, "Malarkey." Impossible!
Well, my friends, let me tell you - that is an actual event. Here. On Fort Riley.
Only in the military.
So let me break this down (since I am sure you must be completely intrigued by this concept):
Every unit has an informal "call sign" of sorts. Our Battalion's is "Crimson Talons"....some are a little more, um, creative. The 172nd Chemical Company's is "Straight Nasty" (admittedly, somewhat controversial).
So, when the "Straight Nasty" hosts a haunting, it becomes a "Nasty Haunting." Get it?
Interestingly, the mission of chemical companies is to defend the Nation against nuclear, radiological and biological attacks on US soil (so they don't deploy)...they run continuous scenarios for the benefit of homeland defense. Perhaps that makes you reluctant to take your kids to an event that's located
at military Chemical Company? I get that...it is slightly less than
traditional ;)
But, surprisingly (or, perhaps, unsurprisingly) this is a pretty well known and much anticipated event. They had folks dressed as zombies passing out fliers at the Commissary (subsidized grocery store on Post) and the PX ("Post Exchange" - general merchandise store on Post) and emails have been whirling around about the event. This Unit hopes to raise at least $1000 so they can hold a Ball for the Soldiers and Family members in December. And, since they are a loosely related/affiliated Unit to EOD (explosive ordnance disposal), we were all too happy to help them reach their goal!
Gotta admit, it was very well done. There's no telling how many hours were spent setting up the haunted house (which was constructed in their "bay" - the large warehouse/storage space with concrete floors and heavy metal lockers). There were at least 20 volunteers in costume and admission is $4 for adults and $2 for kids. The parking lot was full last Saturday night so I am hopeful that they'll bring in the cash and their goal will be fully funded!
Again, only in the military.
:)
For more information about the 172nd Chemical Company, you can click here.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The Custer House
Let me tell you the story about Custer. Yes, that CUSTER.
Actually, allow me to cut/copy/paste a portion of Wikipedia's story about Custer:
Custer was appointed lieutenant colonel of the newly created U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment, headquartered at Fort Riley, Kansas. As a result of a plea by his patron General Philip Sheridan, Custer was also appointed brevet major general. He took part in Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock's expedition against the Cheyenne in 1867.
On June 26, 1867 Lt. Lyman Kidder's party, made up of ten troopers and one scout, were massacred while in route to Fort Wallace. Lt. Kidder was to deliver dispatches to Custer from Gen. William Sherman, but his party was attacked by Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne (see Kidder massacre). Days later, Custer and a search party found the bodies of Kidder's patrol.
Following the Hancock campaign, Custer was court-martialed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for being AWOL, after having abandoned his post to see his wife. He was suspended from duty for one year. At the request of Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, who wanted Custer for his planned winter campaign against the Cheyenne, Custer was allowed to return to duty in 1868, before his term of suspension had expired.
Under Sheridan's orders, Custer took part in establishing Camp Supply in Indian Territory in early November 1868 as a supply base for the winter campaign. Custer led the 7th U.S. Cavalry in an attack on the Cheyenne encampment of Black Kettle—the Battle of Washita River on November 27, 1868. Custer reported killing 103 warriors; estimates by the Cheyenne of their casualties were substantially lower (11 warriors plus 19 women and children); some women and children were also killed, and US troops took 53 women and children prisoner. Custer had his men shoot most of the 875 Indian ponies they had captured. The Battle of Washita River was regarded as the first substantial U.S. victory in the Southern Plains War, and it helped force a significant portion of the Southern Cheyennes onto a U.S.-assigned reservation.
In any case, last week I went on a guided tour of Fort Riley (long-time Fort Riley museum director Dr. Bob Smith was, in my estimation, THE best person to lead this tour - he did such a great job!). We toured all around Historic Main Post and capped off our tour with a visit to the Custer House. Think of it as the cherry on top!
You're probably wondering - when did Custer reside at the Custer House?
He didn't.
It's believed that his actual quarters burned down in a fire a half a century ago...but don't worry - if Custer were alive today, this is one of only 4 original buildings on Fort Riley - so Custer would surely at least recognize the house. :)
See what we did there? Cute, right?
It's OK - even if it isn't the true dwelling place of Custer, we can at least appreciate the real world depiction of howimpossibly difficult life was back then. I took lots of photos, mainly because it's a building that's been around since the mid 1880s!
So, if you can't make it to the Custer House yourself, this is for you!
Now it's time for me to study all my notes of things I learned so that I can share this information with visitors who tour the Custer House!
Cheers:)
Actually, allow me to cut/copy/paste a portion of Wikipedia's story about Custer:
Custer was appointed lieutenant colonel of the newly created U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment, headquartered at Fort Riley, Kansas. As a result of a plea by his patron General Philip Sheridan, Custer was also appointed brevet major general. He took part in Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock's expedition against the Cheyenne in 1867.
This is the first reported time we see Custer show up at Fort Riley.
On June 26, 1867 Lt. Lyman Kidder's party, made up of ten troopers and one scout, were massacred while in route to Fort Wallace. Lt. Kidder was to deliver dispatches to Custer from Gen. William Sherman, but his party was attacked by Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne (see Kidder massacre). Days later, Custer and a search party found the bodies of Kidder's patrol.
Seems tame now but, at one time, Kansas was a wild, wild frontier. It looked less like "Cowboys & Indians" and more like "US Govt & Indians."
Following the Hancock campaign, Custer was court-martialed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for being AWOL, after having abandoned his post to see his wife. He was suspended from duty for one year. At the request of Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, who wanted Custer for his planned winter campaign against the Cheyenne, Custer was allowed to return to duty in 1868, before his term of suspension had expired.
On a docent training tour I took last week, we learned that Libbie Custer was likely very ill from influenza that was rampant during this time. This part of the text made it sound like Custer went AWOL just to pop in and say, "Hey" to his wife.
Under Sheridan's orders, Custer took part in establishing Camp Supply in Indian Territory in early November 1868 as a supply base for the winter campaign. Custer led the 7th U.S. Cavalry in an attack on the Cheyenne encampment of Black Kettle—the Battle of Washita River on November 27, 1868. Custer reported killing 103 warriors; estimates by the Cheyenne of their casualties were substantially lower (11 warriors plus 19 women and children); some women and children were also killed, and US troops took 53 women and children prisoner. Custer had his men shoot most of the 875 Indian ponies they had captured. The Battle of Washita River was regarded as the first substantial U.S. victory in the Southern Plains War, and it helped force a significant portion of the Southern Cheyennes onto a U.S.-assigned reservation.
Even though this story has nothing at all to do with Fort Riley (the actual location of the battle was in Oklahoma) I included it just because I got so gosh-darned tickled that this was considered the "first substantial U.S. victory in the Southern Plains War" when no one really knows for sure if 103 Indian warriors were killed or 11 warriors + 19 women and children. Hmmmm....
In any case, last week I went on a guided tour of Fort Riley (long-time Fort Riley museum director Dr. Bob Smith was, in my estimation, THE best person to lead this tour - he did such a great job!). We toured all around Historic Main Post and capped off our tour with a visit to the Custer House. Think of it as the cherry on top!
You're probably wondering - when did Custer reside at the Custer House?
He didn't.
It's believed that his actual quarters burned down in a fire a half a century ago...but don't worry - if Custer were alive today, this is one of only 4 original buildings on Fort Riley - so Custer would surely at least recognize the house. :)
See what we did there? Cute, right?
It's OK - even if it isn't the true dwelling place of Custer, we can at least appreciate the real world depiction of how
So, if you can't make it to the Custer House yourself, this is for you!
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| Front parlor |
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| Walking towards the dining room |
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| Upstairs Childrens' room |
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| Upstairs Master bedroom (yes, you are looking at the "bathroom sink" also!) |
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| Master BR |
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| A necessity in Kansas for every Master BR - a fireplace |
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| Really old sewing machine with some of the latest fashion sketches |
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| Creepy doll that has become the center of several Ghost stories. |
Now it's time for me to study all my notes of things I learned so that I can share this information with visitors who tour the Custer House!
Cheers:)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Fall Fun - CGMCG
Fort Riley, as I may have mentioned before, began as a "frontier post" as America expanded westward and, as such, was home to many Cavalry or horse units. In fact, a somewhat lesser known fact is that the Buffalo Soldiers were a part of this Post's history.
Ahhhh....a brief walk down memory lane:
Over time the role of the horses of Fort Riley has evolved - whereas, in the past, their job was to provide the means for defense and protection, their primary function today is pageantry. These horses are hand-selected for their color (the fewer white markings, the better), their train-ability (there's virtually no limit to what these horses can do in professional competition) and temperament (they must have nerves of steel and be able to perform well despite the presence of crowds, children, dogs, cannons & gunfire). They can be found on Fort Riley at Change of Command Ceremonies and often appear on the national stage at Ceremonies (including Presidential Inaugurations) and Parades (Memorial, Independence Day, etc).
And....
Week before last....
Our small group arranged to guided tour of Historic Main Post by horseback.
Video from last May's Change of Command Ceremony - Lex doing his thing!
To say that we had an amazing time would be an extreme understatement. It was a wonderful day, shared with good friends, enjoying an incredible experience.
It sure can be great to be a part of the Army Family!!
Ahhhh....a brief walk down memory lane:
- In 1853, the War Department approved the location and "Fort Riley" was birthed to provide protection for American movement westward. Obviously, that's just a really sanitary way of saying, "The west was a wild and dangerous place as America pushed westward and encountered Native Americans who called the region home." Thus, the need for, "protection."
- As the expansion pushed westward and the hostilities lessened, many Forts were closing...but Riley escaped that fate when it was named by Congress, "Cavalry Headquarters of the Army" in the late 1800s.
- Around this same time, it was decided to establish the "Cavalry and Light Artillery School" at Fort Riley, thus further reinforcing the significant ties between Cavalry/horses and Fort Riley.
Established in 1992, the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard provides a link to Fort Riley's historic past. Troopers and horses of this unit are outfitted in the uniforms, accoutrements and equipment of the Civil War period. Soldiers are detailed from the ranks of units assigned to Fort Riley and receive instruction from manuals used by Civil War cavalrymen.
From privates to officers, these men and women recreate the colorful spectacle of the American Horse Soldier. They demonstrate their horsemanship for professional rodeos, community events, parades, school groups and official ceremonies.
From privates to officers, these men and women recreate the colorful spectacle of the American Horse Soldier. They demonstrate their horsemanship for professional rodeos, community events, parades, school groups and official ceremonies.
- Source: Fort Riley website
Over time the role of the horses of Fort Riley has evolved - whereas, in the past, their job was to provide the means for defense and protection, their primary function today is pageantry. These horses are hand-selected for their color (the fewer white markings, the better), their train-ability (there's virtually no limit to what these horses can do in professional competition) and temperament (they must have nerves of steel and be able to perform well despite the presence of crowds, children, dogs, cannons & gunfire). They can be found on Fort Riley at Change of Command Ceremonies and often appear on the national stage at Ceremonies (including Presidential Inaugurations) and Parades (Memorial, Independence Day, etc).
And....
Week before last....
Our small group arranged to guided tour of Historic Main Post by horseback.
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| Arriving at the Stables on Post |
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| 10 horses for our morning Ride. |
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| All Aboard! |
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| In the practice ring - making sure we knew how to "operate" :) |
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| A pair of gorgeous draft horses! |
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| Draft horses pulled a restored wagon filled with kids & others from our group. |
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| A gorgeous Day! |
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| Posing in front of Angi's house - my horse is smiling :) |
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| Our entire group in front of Angi's house. We lined up in less than 2 minutes' time! |
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| This lineup took a little longer - some of the horses were a little wary of the over-sized Cav School Statue :) |
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| Riding down "Officers Row" on Historic Main Post |
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| My view for the morning - most awesome! |
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| My horse - Lexington "Lex" |
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| Property of the "US" |
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| The first photo I ever took of "Lex" - front horse. At a Change of Command Ceremony in May |
Video from last May's Change of Command Ceremony - Lex doing his thing!
To say that we had an amazing time would be an extreme understatement. It was a wonderful day, shared with good friends, enjoying an incredible experience.
It sure can be great to be a part of the Army Family!!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Fall Fun - Pumpkin Patch!
One of the neat things we did when the in-laws were in town visiting several weeks ago was to visit our local pumpkin patch! We went with a really great group of friends (there were about 16 of us!) and we enjoyed a perfect Sunday afternoon. The weather was perfect (convincingly Fall-ish with a bright blue sky).
Pumpkin patches are really novel things - and something I only recently discovered as an adult. I don't recall our family ever frequenting them when my brother & I were little and, even when I lived on my own, I dismissed pumpkin patches as a place that only families with small children would enjoy. It all seemed to me like a really long drive to a very crowed place only to purchase an overpriced pumpkin.
Well.
Let me tell you.
I am now a fan! :)
Kansas does the pumpkin patch exceptionally well (most likely because it is a "harvest" state?) and, if you ever get a chance to visit one of the 2 major ones in the Fort Riley area here's what you're likely to find:
Pumpkin patches are really novel things - and something I only recently discovered as an adult. I don't recall our family ever frequenting them when my brother & I were little and, even when I lived on my own, I dismissed pumpkin patches as a place that only families with small children would enjoy. It all seemed to me like a really long drive to a very crowed place only to purchase an overpriced pumpkin.
Well.
Let me tell you.
I am now a fan! :)
Kansas does the pumpkin patch exceptionally well (most likely because it is a "harvest" state?) and, if you ever get a chance to visit one of the 2 major ones in the Fort Riley area here's what you're likely to find:
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| Obviously, you can purchase a great pumpkin |
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| You can watch your husband try to coax a small pig out from under a trailer at the petting zoo |
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| The kiddos can go wild on the bales of hay |
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| Fallish cutouts can be fun photo opportunities |
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| I need 2 more sunflower people! |
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| You can pick your own pumpkin in the patch! |
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| Have you ever picked a pumpkin at the source? |
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| Giant slide for the kids (yes, that is me up topside) :) |
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| More pumpkin picking! |
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| Corn mazes - 2 options: easy & difficult :) |
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| Fall-scapes for picture-taking! |
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| The in-laws try out the cutouts. |
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| Feeding the barnyard animals |
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| We look JUST LIKE the painting, no? ;) |
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| Hayride around the farm!! |
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Apple Day {Part 2}
Last month's Post about Apple Days was a little bit of a downer...and our fundraiser really would be considered a success, but it was a lot of work.
So let me tell you about the WONDERFUL and the FUN and the COOL things we saw at Apple Day 2012!
The day was absolutely perfect - the kind of cool in the morning time that meant you'd need sleeves and a warm beverage. As the morning hours gave way to the afternoon hours, the sunshine provided that the right amount of warmth that meant you could ditch the jackets.
The entire Artillery Parade field was taken over by vendors, static displays, obstacle courses, and a good-sized stage with live music (acts rotated every hour or so).
This event was PERFECT for kids of all ages - the amount of things that people could see, do & touch was so impressive. So cool.
Much of the "cast of characters" wore period attire - there were moments that really did feel like a scene from back in time!
After clean-up was all done, a few of us stuck around to see the dismantling of the displays...there was, perhaps, no cooler experience than watching the Artillery Parade Field being cleared of the helicopters! Below, I leave you with 2 wonderful videos (every young boy's dream) showing a Kiowa take-off (it got within about 70 yards of where we were standing!) and a Blackhawk take-off. This left me smiling the rest of the day!
So let me tell you about the WONDERFUL and the FUN and the COOL things we saw at Apple Day 2012!
The day was absolutely perfect - the kind of cool in the morning time that meant you'd need sleeves and a warm beverage. As the morning hours gave way to the afternoon hours, the sunshine provided that the right amount of warmth that meant you could ditch the jackets.
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| An old war-time jeep! |
The entire Artillery Parade field was taken over by vendors, static displays, obstacle courses, and a good-sized stage with live music (acts rotated every hour or so).
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| Soldiers playing "show-&-tell" with some of the stuff they work with on a daily basis. |
This event was PERFECT for kids of all ages - the amount of things that people could see, do & touch was so impressive. So cool.
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| Climbing wall for the kiddos. |
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| Bounce houses on hand for the kiddos. |
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| Photo courtesy of PAO: Honest Abe in front of the Commanding General's home |
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| Photo courtesy of PAO: horse exhibit |
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| Photo courtesy of PAO: Lincoln in front of an old Howitzer |
After clean-up was all done, a few of us stuck around to see the dismantling of the displays...there was, perhaps, no cooler experience than watching the Artillery Parade Field being cleared of the helicopters! Below, I leave you with 2 wonderful videos (every young boy's dream) showing a Kiowa take-off (it got within about 70 yards of where we were standing!) and a Blackhawk take-off. This left me smiling the rest of the day!
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| A great day to be an American...and ARMY! |
Friday, October 12, 2012
Armor-all!
Did you know...
That, according to the online dream dictionary, "To see an armadillo in your dream represents your need to establish certain boundaries. You may be putting up walls between you and those who want to know you better. You need to be more assertive and not let others step all over you."
Am I the only person who dreams about a mess of armadillos hiding in the home?
At present, I'm bumping shoulders with some pretty aggressive individuals...so maybe I'm feeling the need to retreat beneath the safety of some serious armor?
Or, perhaps, it's simply a reminder of my fondness and affection towards The Lonestar State :)
That, according to the online dream dictionary, "To see an armadillo in your dream represents your need to establish certain boundaries. You may be putting up walls between you and those who want to know you better. You need to be more assertive and not let others step all over you."
Am I the only person who dreams about a mess of armadillos hiding in the home?
At present, I'm bumping shoulders with some pretty aggressive individuals...so maybe I'm feeling the need to retreat beneath the safety of some serious armor?
Or, perhaps, it's simply a reminder of my fondness and affection towards The Lonestar State :)
Monday, October 8, 2012
LOVE
The in-laws have been in town visiting since Friday and it's been great having them visit. I'll try to re-cap their visit sometime in the next day or so but it's been action-packed and very "seasonal" (the weather has been very Fall-ish this weekend!).
Fall always makes me reflective and introspective so this is what's on my mind today:
1 year ago, on a bright, beautiful, cloudless Fall day at the Outdoor Chapel on Fort Riley, I was the recipient of a heartfelt question and became engaged to the most wonderful man.
6 months ago, I had just moved from Memphis, Tenn and was just getting settled in my new home and new life here in Kansas.
When I think about these events, I'm reminded of the saying, "I had cast my lot with a Soldier and where he was was home to me" ~ Martha Summerhayes
And what a wild, unexpected and fulfilling journey it's been since!
Fall always makes me reflective and introspective so this is what's on my mind today:
1 year ago, on a bright, beautiful, cloudless Fall day at the Outdoor Chapel on Fort Riley, I was the recipient of a heartfelt question and became engaged to the most wonderful man.
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| Pretty happy kids that day! |
6 months ago, I had just moved from Memphis, Tenn and was just getting settled in my new home and new life here in Kansas.
When I think about these events, I'm reminded of the saying, "I had cast my lot with a Soldier and where he was was home to me" ~ Martha Summerhayes
And what a wild, unexpected and fulfilling journey it's been since!
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