Soldier finds PT belts to be a hit on Facebook

Photo By Sgt. Neil Gussman | Sgt. Jason Guge of Billings, Mont., a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic, wears several physical training belts in a hanger at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. Guge built a humorous web page dedicated to the belts which has 1,000 followers and counting.  

TALLIL, IRAQ

10.03.2009

Story by Sgt. Neil Gussman 

28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq — Sgt. Jason Guge, who is serving in Iraq as a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic in Company D, 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment, became a minor Internet star recently.

On Sept. 5 Guge created a humorous page on the popular social networking site Facebook devoted to the physical training belt, a highly reflective belt worn by everyone at night at Contingency Operating Base Adder, and throughout Iraq, for safety purposes. Guge is not the first Soldier to find humor and irony in the wearing of the fluorescent adornment in a hostile zone, but he is the first to give Facebook users a place to exchange pictures, opinions and jokes about the glowing band.

In the month since Guge created the page, he has attracted more than 1,000 followers. He passed the threshold at which Facebook assigns a dedicated URL to a page, acknowledging his page is popular enough for its own address: www.facebook.com/ptbelt.

Fans talk about their views on the wear, care and sometimes adoration of their mandatory waist band. There is a PT belt creed for the truly devoted, a PT belt historical timeline, a PT belt prayer and Guge's personal favorite, a picture from the HBO series Band of Brothers with the World War II heroes clad in PT belts. In addition, there is a PT belt adoption application, lost belt amber alerts and fashion advice for those who want to dress their fluorescent best.

• Date Taken: 10.03.2009
• Date Posted: 10.08.2009 05:59
• Story ID: 39815
• Location: TALLIL, IQ