A couple from the battlefront:

1- If you can stash it in your pants pocket, it's officially travel-sized. Ladies, take note, the entire bathroom sink-worth of your cosmetics is most definitely NOT.

2- Consult with the local tourism board for wherever it is you are headed. Be prepared to have to read between the lines, though... Baghdad's Tourism Board slogan is "Come visit historic Baghdad... IT'S A BLAST!"

3- Your carry-on should include at least one clean shirt and a miniature toiletry kit. Layovers at faraway Air Bases waiting for the next hop back to the US can get a little on the LOOOOOOOONG side, and you're not smelling any better with time...

4- This should be common sense, but then again, if common sense were so common, more people would have it... Don't even THINK the word "BOMB" around TSA or flight crew folk. They tend to get a little agitated. I say again, don't even THINK it. Some people have a problem with thinking out loud...

That's about it for me this week, sorry I had to piggy-back ya a little, DS.