US Civil War Reenactor in Iraq

By Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

HAWIJA, Iraq - While most families pass on traditions to their children like grandma's famous recipe, some households participate in something more unique.

Spc. James Burnette poses in his Civil War uniform that he hand sewed. The project took 17 days to complete. Photo: Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Spc. James Burnett, a Soldier in the 1st Brigade Combat Team's Military Police Company, 101st Airborne Division, shares Civil War reenactments with his family.

"My mom got us into it, my little sister, me and my step dad," said Burnett. "It's a big family deal."

Burnett has been reenacting for 17 years now and has started sewing his own clothing. The Soldier had fabric and patterns shipped to him, in hopes the sewing project would occupy his free time.

However, the project only took him 17 days to complete.
"It didn't take me as long as I thought it would, but I'm really proud of it," said Burnett. "It's the first project I've done like this, and it turned out pretty well."

Hand-crafted costumes are highly regarded in the reenactment world because they are considered more authentic. Because authenticity is important for the living history actors, this hobby tends to be costly.

Historically accurate weapons can run as high as 600 dollars depending on what a person chooses. Because of the costly investment, re-enactors like Burnett's family invite people to join them at an event.

"We'll take people to events and lend them clothes and weapons just to see if they like it," explained Burnett. "If they don't, then they didn't waste a lot of money on trying it out."

Spc. James Burnett is a military policeman out on a patrol with the Iraqi Police in Hawija, Iraq. Photo: Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

In addition to cost, there is a lot of research involved in being a re-enactor.

"I love history," said Burnett. "I'm a big history buff."
Burnett's reenactment unit is the Kentucky Orphan Company, based off of a Civil War company that was comprised of stragglers from left-over units.

Ironically, the military policeman is a provost marshal in his reenactment battalion. The provost marshal is basically an MP of the 1860s.

Burnett joined the Army in June 2002.

"I have a lot of family that is military," said Burnett. "It was always my childhood dream to go to the military, be a big war hero and say I served my country."

When Burnett returns to the States he plans on going to a reenactment in Perryville, Ky.

"I tell everyone all the time I have 3 families, there is my real family, the military family, and my reenactment family," said Burnett.