This last Saturday we had the chance to go to the Army Ball!  It was great to get all dressed up and have a fun evening :)  Well, I think it was fun to get all dressed up anyway…..

This last week we celebrated the Army’s 235 birthday, and also the 65 Anniversary of the Battle on Okinawa.  Of course that was all addressed at the Ball and it was really the best presentation we’ve ever seen!  They had special VIP guests, members of the Japanese Military were there with their wives, and also a few soldiers who were actually present here on the island during the battle.  That was just really special, what would it be like to come back to a war torn place that you fought so hard on?   To see the progress made and what the people are like now.  Just very cool!  But not the coolest part, haha!  OK, the coolest part was the Streamer Ceremony.  Battle streamers are something the Army earns every time they are in a battle.  I may be simplifying that a bit, but that’s how I understand it.  So in the ball room, they turned the lights all the way down, and in walks a man dressed the Revolutionary war uniform.  He slowly marched over to the flag to place a few streamers on.  As he’s marching, the announcer explains what war he’s from, names a few of the battles, the year it took place, things like that.  Oh, and how many battle streamers the Army earned for that particular war.  They did this with Revolutionary War, Civil War,  War of 1812, WWI and WWII,  Korea, Vietnam, one I forget….Desert Storm/Shield, and of course ended with OIF/OEF.  I wish I could have gotten pictures of that, but for one, my camera battery died, two…we were not cool enough to be seated anywhere close to the ceremony, and three…it was dark anyway!  So you’ll just have to picture it!

Of course the food wasn’t all that great and we left hungrier than when we got there.  But they did have a real live band playing while we were eating, so that was awesome!  Of course when it was all said and done and it was time to let loose and dance….it was the “Smoove and Hypnotic rhythms of DJ Somebody…”  OK, if you’re going to actually say “smoove” then we’d better go!  So here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!