Photo By Master Sgt. Jerry Saslav | Sgt. Maj. Duane Harb, a native of El Paso, Texas, who serves as the division...... read more read more
Sgt. Jerry Saslav
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Public Affairs Office
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq -- It was a family reunion of sorts.
Sgt. Maj. Duane Harb, a native of El Paso, Texas, and his daughter, Spc. Victoria Harb, a native of Killeen, Texas, both on their second tour to Iraq, were reunited for the first time in six weeks. Sgt. Maj. Harb serves as the division maintenance sergeant major with Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Spc. Harb serves as a mental health specialist with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B.
They were hoping to let Mrs. Harb see the two of them together for the first time since they deployed, via the monthly 4th Infantry Division Town Hall meeting. Sgt. Maj. and Spc. Harb are both in Baghdad; Mrs. Harb is in El Paso, Texas.
The Town Hall meeting, held once a month, is a live satellite broadcast from Camp Liberty, Iraq, to Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Carson, Colo. friends and family of deployed Soldiers can interact with their distant loved ones from locations at the two Army posts. The meeting is also broadcasted through the internet.
"We do this because the most important part of our lives is our families. This is a way we have of keeping them informed firsthand on what it is we're doing," said Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., commanding general of the 4th Inf. Div. and MND-B.
Hammond began the meeting with a few words and then turned the proceedings over to Command Sgt. Maj. John Gioia, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., and the senior enlisted leader for the 4th Inf. Div. and MND-B. He touched on the importance of Soldiers communicating consistently with their Families back home.
"As I travel across the battlefield here and I talk to Soldiers, one of the first questions I ask them is 'when is the last time you talked to home,'" said Gioia. "The answer the majority of the time is within the last 72 hours," he said. "(Talking to their families) gives them a focus to continue doing their mission. ...And not worry about what's going on at home."
Gioia then introduced four civilians who work at the Victory Base Complex supporting MND-B troops.
Ron Barfield, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service team leader for the Post Exchange at Camp Victory, was the first guest invited to speak. He is on his fourth deployment for AAFES and his second time in Iraq.
"It's amazing to see the transformation that has taken place in Iraq since my first deployment in early 2003," he commented. He went on to explain his motivation for continuing to serve deployed MND-B Soldiers.
"The AAFES slogan is 'We go where you go' and 'Serving the Best Customers in the World,'" said Barfield. "I have lived and experienced what both of these slogans identify with and, without a doubt, both have meaning which no other retailer in the world can offer or experience. We truly 'Serve the Best Customer in the World.'"
He was followed by Tandra Landry, a native of Houston, who is the supervisor at the division's Ironhorse Oasis Dining Facility for civilian contractor KBR. Landry's 160 person staff prepares, on average, 1,750 pounds of fresh fruit, 850 pounds of chicken, 800 pounds of beef, 650 pounds of pork, 400 pounds of seafood, daily.
"Despite the difficulties and dangers of working in a combat zone, I am honored and committed to supporting the 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers while they are deployed to Camp Liberty, Iraq," said Landry, who has been working for KBR food service section in Iraq for five years.
Marvin Muna, a U.S. Army retiree from N.C., who is the laundry supervisor for Camp Liberty, and Matilde Gunao, a member of the laundry team, were the next to step up to the microphone. The laundry at Camp Liberty averages approximately 370,000 bags of laundry per month. Despite the huge amount of laundry that passes through Muna's doors, he and his team pride themselves in a track record of exceptional service.
"To date this year, the KBR laundry has received only two lost item claims and not a single lost bag claim," said Muna. "I am dedicated to serving this generation's great-war fighters," he said.
Next, it was the Harbs' turn in front of the camera, and after brief self-introductions, both father and daughter commented on being service members in today's military.
"I have enjoyed my experience everyday that I have been in for over 29 years," said Sgt. Maj. Harb.
"For me, joining the Army wasn't a difficult decision," said Spc. Harb. "Watching my dad get up early in the morning and putting on his black boots, it was something I wanted for myself. Since then, I have learned that watching a Soldier and being a Soldier are two very different things," she said.
After the Harbs finished speaking, Maj. Gen. Hammond introduced Lt. Col. Darrin Werner, the commander of the 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, and Lt. Col. Bill Geiger, the Deputy Chief of Staff for 4th Inf. Div.
Lt. Col. Geiger presented a short, but humorous video that showed him lightheartedly attempting to explain exactly what he does as the DCoS. The video garnered more than a few laughs.
The only glitch of the Town Hall meeting came at the end, before the question and answer period. The lines of communication were interrupted by a technical problem which caused a situation in which the people back in the states were able to see and hear those in Baghdad, but the personnel in Baghdad could not hear the folks in the states. Preparedness and Soldier ingenuity came to the rescue and the show continued through the use of questions prepared before the broadcast, and the commander and his guests were able to field and answer some of those questions.
Following the brief question-and-answer period, Hammond closed the program with a few remarks, followed by the traditional singing of the 4th Infantry Division March, accompanied by members of the 4th Inf. Div. Band.
As they headed back to their units, the Harbs said they would try to see each other in another six weeks.
"Day's fly by here so fast, it's hard to tell," said Harb in reference to how long it had been since he had last seen his daughter, a comment that reflected his desire to keep up on fatherly duties even while deployed.
"I try to talk with (my wife) at least four times a week," he said. "If I find out that she (Spc. Harb) hasn't talked to her mom, then I usually call her and nudge her that way," said Harb.
"I get the dad calls," added Spc. Harb. "He calls me and lets me know 'talk to your mom, write home letters, make sure you call me if you need anything.'"
And it is precisely that reason, keeping Soldiers and their Families in contact with each other and creating those little Family reunions, for which the 4th Inf. Div. Town Hall meetings are so important.
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2008 09:15 |
| Story ID: | 20962 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 340 |
| Downloads: | 298 |
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