Wog Day

Glenn is officially a Shellback now and no longer a Pollywog!

Let me explain. One of the oldest traditions in the Navy is the Line-Crossing ceremony where they celebrate a sailor crossing the equator for the first time. Before you cross the equator you are a Pollywog and once you have crossed the line you become a Shellback. The "ceremony" isn't so much a ceremony but a day of hazing in which the Shellbacks get to pick on the new guys.

In the past from what I have heard, it was a much more arduous day full of true old fashioned hazing. Of course in this day and age though, and a world of whistle blowers and sexual harassment it is much more mild.

I got to talk to Glenn on Saturday after his Wog Day (two phones this week, I know!) and he said it was fun, but somewhat nonchalant about the whole matter. Lots of chanting and singing and doing stupid things (I'm a little teapot for example) and crawling around the flight deck and getting hosed down, but a Navy tradition none the less.

I'm hoping someone took pictures of the event. Perhaps the Public Affairs Officer for the squadron so maybe I'll get some pictures when I see him this week! This week!

Here's a link to a friends blog with pics from the 2007 Wog Day to give you an idea of what it's like. The neon green stuff is water died with sea dye (the stuff in their flight gear so planes can find you in the water if you crash into the ocean).