BAGHDAD - The news of the end of stop loss reached the Victory Base Complex -- home of Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry Regiment -- wrought a quickly dashed dream.

Most of the 81st Brigade Combat Team soldiers hadn't heard the story. And the first question was often, "Does this mean I/we/they get to go home early?"

It does not. National Guard units deploying from September 2009 onward will stop using the policy.

Most soldiers, it seem, didn't really care that much. Either they were on stop loss and have accepted the situation or the policy shift didn't really affect them.

One soldier, though, seemed annoyed at the news. The soldier -- not from Charlie Troop but requesting anonymity -- was placed on stop loss just before the 81st Brigade mobilized in August.

"I wanted to get out before they sent me here," she wrote. "I wish they had done this a bit earlier, so I could've gotten on with my life."

(Anyone else out there been stop-lossed and want to talk about it for possible use in a story? Shoot me an e-mail at scott.fontaine@thenewstribune.com)

BAGHDAD – Interpreters working with American troops don’t always like their real name being known.

It’s for obvious reasons: Many Iraqis still dislike the American military’s presence in Iraq. And some try to exact revenge on the locals working with the United States by going after their families.

Most interpreters often wear Army-style camouflage but without any patches – but with a nametape with a fun nickname they’ve chosen. It can be anything from Billy to Terp (milslang for an interpreter). But there are a few really good ones.

One guy who works with the 81st Brigade Combat Team in Q-West (that’s him in the photo) goes by the name "Captain Kirk." Even the troops who have worked with him for months still just call him Kirk.

But an Iraqi working at Forward Operating Base Shield in Baghdad has chosen the greatest alias. Ever.

McLovin.

Of course, those folks who haven’t seen "Superbad" won’t get it. But I almost fell off my chair when I first saw it stitched on his uniform.

BAGHDAD – I caught the Rhino from the International Zone (that’s Green Zone for the rest of us) to Camp Victory today.

The armored bus service has a new crew taking over. And check out the patches they’re wearing.

(OK, didn't realize how bad the photo was until I just uploaded it. But it's I Corps.)