Grantville resident Todd Key

is better known to local residents as part of The Zucchini Brothers, which

perform annually at the Georgia Renaissance Festival. He started performing

as a Zucchini Brother at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in 1982 and

now performs at both the Georgia festival and the Michigan Renaissance

Festival. It was through his festival connections that Key was invited

to be part of a USO tour that took him to military bases in the United

Arab Emirates, Qatar and Djibouti, Africa.

"It was a life experience,"

said Key, who said he felt a surge of patriotism when asked to do USO

shows overseas.

Members of the USO saw the

swordfighting duo Hack and Slash perform at the Maryland Renaissance Festival

and had them do two USO tours in Europe. When they wanted them to tour

the Middle East, they wanted the show to expand from one hour to 90 minutes.

It was at this point that Hack and Slash asked their old friend Key to

come along for the ride. Their show was called Operation Swashbuckle and

featured swordfighting, juggling, comedy and more. The group had T-shirts

made up and would throw them out to the troops at the end of the show

and would also trade them.

The first show of Operation

Swashbuckle was at Al Dhafra Air Force Base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab

Emirates. Key was forced to piece together a costume as his luggage was

lost but the show went well and he received a squadron coin, which featured

the base logo.

The group then traveled to

Qatar for several shows, the first of which took place at Al Udeid Air

Force Base in Doha. The show was for 1,200 people and Key found the morale

of the troops to be high. All of the members of Operation Swashbuckle

had their heads spontaneously shaved and they also watched some NFL football

on an outdoor screen.

At the As Sayliyah Army Base,

Key and friends performed two shows. They got a chance to e-mail friends

and family back home, ate at a Chili's and Burger King on base and

shopped and haggled at the Souks, the markets, off base.

"Each deal was haggled

for and ended with a handshake," said Key, who also stated that he

never felt in danger while off base, though the sergeants accompanying

him did check the vehicle for bombs every time they returned to the vehicle.

The members of Operation Swashbuckle

were given military ID's and orders to get them through military

checkpoints quicker. They also got a taste of military life by sleeping

for most of the trip in either tents or barracks. They also got to witness

the phenomenon referred to as "Groundhog Day" first hand, which

means that every day seems the same over there and it is performances

like theirs that change things up a little."

The final stop was at Camp

Lemonier Marine in Djibouti, Africa, where Key and the members of Operation

Swashbuckle had the most fun, but also saw why people like them were needed.

Key was told that they were the first comedians to ever perform at the

base. He explained that Djibouti had mountains of garbage everywhere,

describing it as a landfill that goes on forever.

"We felt the most needed

at that base," said Key. "They needed a distraction big time

and were our most receptive audience."

The surroundings did give the

group a great joke that got a big laugh from the troops: "Would the

owner of the upside-down rusted-out pickup truck please move it ... it's

blocking the ditch full of trash!"

"It was an amazing trip,"

said Key, who plans to go back for more shows in the next month or two.

"After every show, these troops would come up and thank me and I'd

think, 'Why are you thanking me? It's me who should be thanking

you.'"

Key also stated that he is

very proud of the service people in the Middle East and backs them 100

percent. "I hope the transition of power keeps progressing in Iraq

so our GI's can come home soon."

Key will return to the Georgia

Renaissance Festival in the spring, as will Hack and Slash.