One story we covered this year transcends the traditional characteristics of Halloween and—more poignantly—our way of life. In May we learned that a tool typically used for cabling installation is being employed by U.S. Army soldiers and U.S. Marines to locate, dig up and disable improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan. The fiberglass, telescoping push/pull rods are manufactured by CMD Cable Management and sold to troops by CableOrganizer. Troops use tape to attach a steel hook to the end of the pole, which can extend up to 26 feet. The sharp-bladed hook is used to detect IEDs, access them and cut their wires. CableOrganizer reports it has sold more than 100 of these poles to the armed forces for shipment to Afghanistan.
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to shoe-horn this story into the “trick/treat/fright” theme. Cable installers know it often takes some innovative tricks-of-the-trade to get a cable from one point to another. The idea of implementing one of these tricks when the stakes are so high is at the same time gratifying and awe-inspiring. The treat comes from what CableOrganizer’s COO Paul Holstein said when they brought this news to the public: “We’re most thankful for the opportunity to assist U.S. troops in their front-line efforts in Afghanistan.” The treat is CableOrganizer’s, and all of ours, and comes courtesy of the brave troops in what remains very much a war zone. And that of course is the fright of it all as well. I have the luxury of sitting at a desk and reflecting on a year’s worth of goings-on in our industry, in large part because brave men and women risk (and, sadly, still give) their lives so that I can live in an environment that allows me to do so.
Halloween is a time of often-sophomoric antics and celebration. Once it’s gone, those of us in the U.S. look just a few weeks ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday. However, it’s always in season to be thankful for those in our industry—and in our lives—who provide the treats, watch out for the tricks, and ease the frights that we encounter.
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