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Christmas concert

Photo By Staff Sgt. Miles Elder | FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IRAQ (December 24, 2005) - Three wisemen bow before...... read more read more

TIKRIT, IRAQ

12.27.2005

Courtesy Story

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

by Spc. Lee Elder
133d Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
24 December 2005

TIKRIT, Iraq (Dec. 24, 2005) " The division band, a gospel choir, a troupe of makeshift actors and a couple of sheep joined forces for the 101st Airborne Division's Christmas Eve service.

The division presented a program called "The Christmas Story" at the base gymnasium here. The presentation featured music from both the 101st Airborne Division Band and the Rendezvous Chapel Choir. The story also included a nativity scene acted out by Screaming Eagle Soldiers.

We wanted to do a full nativity scene," said Capt. (Chaplain) Matthew Wysocki, chaplain for the 501st Special Troops Battalion, who organized the event. "We wanted to have camels and donkeys to give it a live feel, but that wasn't possible. We were able to get some sheep and we found somebody who could handle them."

The sheep were kept in a pen in the 501st Special Troops Battalion Headquarters for four days prior to the program. They served as a good promotional tool for the event.
More than 300 Soldiers and civilians packed into the gym for the program.

"We're all away from home this Christmas and missing our friends and families," Wysocki said. "We wanted to give them a little bit of home tonight."

Due to mission requirements, Wysocki said he was not able to assemble his troupe of actors and musicians until the day of the service. The participants practiced throughout the day and Wysocki was pleased with the results.

"This has been a blessed production," Wysocki said. "We wanted to have full participation."

The part of Jesus" mother, Mary, was played by Spc. Mary Montes, a supply specialist. She said she was pleased to play the role even though she was a bit nervous.

"I always kind of wanted to be Mary," Montes said. "I didn't hesitate when they asked me."

She was paired with Spc. Xavier Gutierrez, also a supply specialist. Both work in the battalion logistics shop and the familiarity proved useful.

"I'm comfortable with her," Gutierrez said. "We work together all the time."

Spc. Jessica Walker, Company A, 501st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, usually serves as a gate guard here. On this night, she portrayed the Angel Gabriel who visited shepherds to tell them of Christ's birth.

"It's been fun," Walker said. "I really liked it. I've gotten to talk to a lot of people."

Walker said she was nervous at first, but the role became easier "when I found out it wasn't a speaking part."

One who did have a speaking role in the evening's presentation was the 101st's Division Chaplain, Lt. Col. Ronald Thomas. He delivered the evening meditation.

"In the fullness of time, we will all go home," Thomas said. "In the fullness of the time, there will be peace in this land."