The day? December 25, 2005.
The time? 12:00am to 2:00am.
The place? Ioannina, on the Northern board of Greece near Albania.

I am guarding on Christmas Eve. It is snowing lightly. Temperature is at -7 Celsius (about 19 degrees Fahrenheit). It is very quiet. The only thing you hear is the wind and the cows from beyond the fence moving around. I am moving back and forth trying to stay warm. I have to keep my eyes open for any unexpected midnight raid. I always thought it was funny that we ended up guarding for our superiors raiding from within the base rather than looking out for a raid from the other side of the fence.
At 1:00am I heard a noise near the fence. I stayed quiet to try to see or hear what or who it was. Just when I was about to yell “Halt” I see it….

It was the mad cow. For no particular reason the cow decided that on this time and on my watch it was going to raid and cross the barb wired fence…

“You got to be kidding me” I yelled at the other guard who was about 400 yards east of me on the other corner of the base. We started walking towards the cow but the cow wanted no part of it and started running away on the dirt road now inside the base.

It was time to make the call. We are supposed to report anything that happens before we even make a move… I went to the booth and called it in. I thought to my self… this should be fun.

I called the front office. A captain was on overnight duty that night and he was not a happy camper. Who would be? It was Christmas Eve.
I explained to the private on the phone the situation. Of course he thought it was a prank and refused to wake the captain. I called again and this time I was more convincing.

Captain on the phone now… I say: “Captain this is private Dimitrelias Basilios, NW corner guard number two. We have a situation. A mad cow has crossed the fence!”

Captain: "What do you mean a cow crossed the fence?"

“Sir… one of the cows outside the base has crossed over to our side and it refuses to go back.”

The captain paused for a couple seconds then used language that I am not going to repeat even though it was in Greek and then hung up the phone.

Ten minutes later the captain's jeep is coming up the road. I was a little worried of the captain's response, but I must admit I did giggle a little too as the cow started looking straight at the jeep lights. I was picturing the captain’s face when he saw the large beast in the middle of the road and realizing….”Holy Cow!...he was serious?”

They pulled up and unlocked the gate and then with the jeep blocking the one side of the road and me walking and yelling at the cow on the other side the cow had no other choice than to exit the base peacefully (later the next day it was reported that the cow did leave us a nice pile of souvenirs...)

The captain did not say a word. The jeep backed up and headed back.

The adrenaline was pumping and I was not cold anymore. My replacement was only 10 minutes away now and I knew that I would never forget this Christmas Eve… My Christmas in the Army.

The story of the cow had spread quickly the next morning and was the joke that would last for many years. Anytime a new guard is sent up to the NW corner of the base his sergeant would have one thing to say to him…

“Keep your eyes open for mad cows now newbie”