Photo By Sgt. Catherine Graham | Slava Gooz tells his audience about the personal equipment necessary to wear on the...... read more read more
By the 926th Engineer Brigade Public Affairs Office
BAGHDAD – The 890th Engineer Battalion hosted a Russian embed reporter for Ren TV, a Russian television station, from Sept. 27-30 to assist with filming a documentary on Soldiers from different countries.
At Slava Gooz's request, Lt. Col. Joe Hargett, the 890th Eng. Bn., commander, granted an interview where he explained the importance of the Battalion's mission in Iraq and how the battalion's Soldiers support the government of Iraq in assumption of route clearance operations.
The following day, Gooz and his camera man, Vladimiar Molchanov, observed Soldiers as they performed a variety of duties. They focused on Staff Sgt. Kenon Lopez, a combat engineer with the 688th Mobility Augmentation Company, as he conducted vehicle maintenance and prepared for his next route clearance mission.
Over the course of three days, Gooz and Molchanov recorded many hours of video footage of Lopez and various Soldiers working in their jobs.
"Staff Sgt. Lopez was articulate, professional and very comfortable in front of the camera. He did a wonderful job and should be very proud of the image he conveys," said Sgt. Catherine Graham, 890th Eng. Bn. public affairs liaison non-commissioned officer.
They observed Lopez while he did routine personal hygiene, talked on the internet, received a haircut, ate and worked out at the gym. However, the most exciting adventure came when Lopez went to work. The reporter and crew were permitted to accompany Lopez and second platoon on a route clearance mission through Baghdad.
The Russian reporter and his camera operator were elated to film the Soldiers in action while they staged their vehicles in preparation to leave. During the mission, they patrolled the route searching for improvised explosive devices and executed a humanitarian effort by dismounting to give away candy, soccer balls and pop-tarts to the local children and their parents. A Soldier from the platoon even took a few minutes to play soccer with the children before leaving. The Soldiers and film crew also made a stop on the route at a local produce market for the reporter to get additional footage of the country.
"Working with Slava Gooz, who was from another country, was an extraordinary opportunity that does not happen often," said Lopez about the experience. "I have been given the opportunity to work with them, so people around the world will see how American Soldiers fight everyday, was an honor. It is a memory that will remain with me forever."
By the end of the mission, Gooz and his camera operator were tired but very pleased with the footage that they had received. Gooz stated that their next stop would be with another Army unit in Taji, Iraq, to continue footage for the documentary.
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2008 08:28 |
| Story ID: | 24941 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 225 |
| Downloads: | 200 |
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