3rd Sustainment Brigade soldiers celebrate Black History Month with song and soul

Photo By Spc. Rochelle Prince-Krueger | U.S. Army Spc. Latrice Jones, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, sings the Negro Anthem, "Lift Every Voice," during the Black History Month Observance at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Rochelle Krueger/Released)  

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN

03.04.2013

Story by Spc. Rochelle Prince-Krueger 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan —February is Black History Month. Many people across the nation take time out to celebrate Black Americans, and 3rd Sustainment Brigade soldiers joined in the festivities at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

During an equal opportunity-sponsored observance, Feb. 25, two ‘Provider’ soldiers stood in the spotlight: Chief Warrant Officer Leo Scott and Spc. Latrice Jones, who sang with the Kandahar Airfield Gospel Choir. Scott led the choir, while Jones also sang a solo. Singing is very important to both.

“I’ve sang all my life,” said Scott, a human resources technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Sustainment Brigade and Columbia, S.C., native. “It started with my family, and it grew into a passion.

Scott began singing with the gospel choir shortly after his unit arrived to Afghanistan in December of 2012.

“Chief Scott has that natural leadership quality, especially when it comes to the choir,” said Capt. Coraetta Robinson, a native of New Orleans, La., and fellow member of the choir and 3rd Sustainment Brigade. “He knows the songs, and at practice we would point at him and say ‘Chief get out there and direct us on this song’ because he knows what pitch everyone needs to be on.”

Singing for both Scott and Jones is more than just reciting a few verses; they put their soul into every syllable that comes out of their mouth when they hit the stage.

As part of the observance, the choir sang songs from the late 1800s and early 1900s that represented Negro spirituals. Jones sang the Negro Anthem 'Lift Every Voice.'

“My grandmother always said ‘If God gave you a talent, you should always use it because you never know what your talent can do for someone else, and, if you don’t use it, He can take it away as easily as He gave it to you,’” said Jones, a human resources specialist from Evington, Va. “I try not to shy away from using my talent because it can be a blessing to someone else.”

Jones said her ancestors were slaves, who would also sing or hum while they worked to get through the tough times and help uplift their spirits.

“I believe some slaves used music as a mental getaway, to keep them motivated,” said Jones. “Kind of the way some soldiers use cadence as motivation while they run. Likewise, singing and being part of the choir is my sweet escape on this deployment.”

Scott said that singing gives him something other than the ordinary while deployed.

“It helps the time pass by,” he said. “I also get to meet new people and experience new things.”

Both agree that Black History Month is something that is needed and allows people to understand and celebrate where others have come from and the accomplishments that have been made.

“I would tell you that participating in an observance makes you feel good about bringing your heritage to life,” said Scott. “Sometimes we don’t realize the impact we have on people when participating in an event.”

Robinson said the Kandahar gospel choir plans on participating in as other equal opportunity observances. Additionally, the team sings at the gospel services held weekly.

• Date Taken: 03.04.2013
• Date Posted: 03.04.2013 09:27
• Story ID: 102862
• Location: KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF
• Hometown: COLUMBIA, SC, US
• Hometown: FORT STEWART, GA, US
• Hometown: NEW ORLEANS, LA, US