Memorial Day and the Ramadi Mule
by Paul O’Leary
May 27, 2016
Memorial Day is quickly approaching and that means different things to different people. We will be reminded, no doubt, that the purpose of Memorial Day is to honor those who fell in service of our country. To honor those who paid the ultimate price for defending America.
While this holiday is not, as many people seem to think, an opportunity to drink, barbecue, and welcome the summer, it is important to remember that sometimes honoring the dead means celebrating the living. Like the Irish wakes of old and the celebrations of life today, we might honor our fallen brothers and sisters by enjoying every day to the fullest and celebrating their memories by having the fun and enjoyment they can no longer have.
It is in this spirit of celebration that we here at the Havok Journal introduce a new libation – one specifically created by us to honor the memory of the men and women who have, since the days following the 9-11 Attacks, fought the Global War on Terror.
Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the Ramadi Mule.
When we set out to create a drink to celebrate the GWOT warriors, we knew there were only a couple of choices to go with when it came to the selection of alcohol. We chose Gold Star Vodka. Gold Star Vodka is a veteran owned and operated business that uses a portion of their proceeds to help Gold Star Families – those who have lost a family member in combat.
Based on the popular fifties vodka drink, the Moscow Mule, the Ramadi Mule celebrates those who spent their time in the dusty streets of Iraq and the snow-capped mountains of Afghanistan…and a few other select places where we’ve exported freedom in 5.56 and 7.62. But we needed another ingredient. Something that sets the GWOT veterans apart and could serve as a symbol of the great times and of the worst times. We knew just the right ingredient.
With few exceptions, if you’ve deployed in the last decade and a half, you’ve ingested more Rip Its than you ever care to remember.
Why “Ramadi Mule”? Good question. We wanted to replace the name Moscow with the name of another city – something with meaning to the GWOT era veterans. Since the infamous Rip It energy drink plays a major role in this drink, we couldn’t think of a better place than the location where Ranger Regiment veteran and Havok Journal author, Shane Snell, had his very own graphic misadventures with Rip Its. If you’re not familiar, you can read his story “Case Study” by clicking here.
So here it is:
1.5 ounces of Gold Star Vodka
6 ounces Goslings Ginger Beer
1 ounce of Rip It (your choice of flavor)
½ fresh lime
Shake and pour over ice. Then serve in a traditional Moscow Mule brass mug…or, for the truly Infantry among you, in a canteen cup.
We’re having a little fun with this because we truly believe it is how our fallen brothers and sisters-in-arms would want us to act. It is certainly how we would like those we leave behind to act.
To help us celebrate this Memorial day, post a picture of your Ramadi Mule with the name or names of those you are remembering along with the hashtags #RamadiMule and #NeverForgotten. Tag the Havok Journal, Article 107 News, and Gold Star Vodka.
Raise a glass to the fallen and live every day to the fullest.
Till Valhalla!
Editors Note: Although Article 107 News is normally a satire site, this article is real and reposted from The Havok Journal.
Article 107 of the military’s Uniform Code of Military Justice covers “False Official Statements.” As our name implies, we are a satirical site, and you shouldn’t think anything we publish is real. You should, however, mercilessly mock anyone who does. You can follow Article 107 News on Twitter at @Article107News. If you’re looking for real news, check out our sister site The Havok Journal. Or you can follow us on Twitter at @HavokJournal.
Paul O’Leary is a writer and veteran who has written for Havok Journal and Article 107 News. You can follow him on Twitter at @PJOLeary66
We here at Havok Media wish you a safe and thoughtful Memorial Day. Please remember to drink responsibly.
An Article 107 News Publication
The best place to get the facts before they happen!
Article 107 of the military’s Uniform Code of Military Justice covers “False Official Statements.” As our name implies, we are a satirical site, and you shouldn’t think anything we publish is real. You should, however, mercilessly mock anyone who does. You can follow Article 107 News on Twitter at @Article107News. If you’re looking for real news, check out our sister site The Havok Journal. Or you can visit us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @HavokJournal.