Photo By Sgt. Mitch Armbruster | Lt. Cmdr. Eric Taylor, Coilition Military Assistance Training Team (CMAT) Officer,...... read more read more
FOB ENDURANCE, Iraq - Music affects people across all economic, cultural, and social boundaries.
Servicemembers and civilians deployed to the Middle East use music to escape or elicit a mood they may be missing.
David Saucedo, a coordinator with the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Center, inherited a program called Q-West Unplugged, which offers servicemembers the opportunity to listen, play and explore music Sunday nights at Forward Operating Base Endurance.
Saucedo teaches guitar lessons at the MWR facility Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. Q-West Unplugged was an idea the area MWR manager had before leaving the FOB.
Saucedo took the idea and put the project in motion. Students of Saucedo's guitar lessons were invited and Saucedo advertised the event at every location available on post.
"This is a way to jam," Saucedo said. "Song writers can come out and offer their style of music."
The servicemembers bring a variety of music to the event. Rock, blues, jazz and country are some of the popular styles people play.
"The Army is our main crowd," Saucedo explained. "We had a group of Air Force guys, but they left."
The MWR has hosted the event, for more than two months, to a small group of servicemembers. Saucedo is encouraged by the people coming to listen or those willing to share songs, but he believes there is room for more.
"I have two boys at home," said Staff Sgt. Scott Rosignol, a Soldier with the 6-27th Field Artillery attached to a recovery team with the 317th Maintenance Company. "At home I never had time."
Rosignol is learning to play because he wants to introduce his 6-year-old and 3-year-old boys to music. This is his third deployment to Iraq and he feels something as simple as music can help Soldiers.
"In this environment you need a creative release," Rosignol said. "Something to get away."
Spc. Jeremiah Bascomb, a Soldier from the 53rd Quartermaster Company agreed with Rosignol's belief that Soldiers need a creative release. Bascomb plays guitar in a band from Dallas, Texas, and this is a good way for him to keep his skills sharp.
"This is a fun time and you get to learn something new." Bascomb said.
Saucedo's invested time and effort make the Q-West Unplugged successful. He, along with the entire MWR staff at Q-West, want to give back to the servicemembers as much as possible.
His passion for music keeps his students interested, while the music played on Sunday nights has caused people to stop and listen, even if only for a minute, to the talented and creative side of servicemembers in Iraq.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2006 04:10 |
| Story ID: | 6284 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 640 |
| Downloads: | 417 |
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