MWR helps 'Ready First' soldiers stay in touch with family

Photo By Spc. Jessica Luhrs-Stabile | Staff Sgt. Brown, a non-commissioned officer with 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, calls his family at the MWR on Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

12.05.2009

Story by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs-Stabile 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq— A worry for soldiers while they are deployed is their family. But with a communication facility like the Morale, Wellness and Readiness center at Joint Service Station McHenry, being able to get in touch with family and friends is easy for the "Ready First" Combat Team Soldiers.

Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, began arriving in northern Iraq this month and the MWR on JSS McHenry is already packed with Ready First Soldiers placing phone calls and getting on the internet to stay in touch with their families.

"I try to call my wife and three kids every other day," said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Sierra of Miami and a squad leader with 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1/1 AD. "It means a lot to them to know that I am OK, talking to them helps me also; I think I would go crazy if I didn't get to hear from them.

To use the phones at the MWR soldiers can purchase minutes on the computers

Internet is also available to soldiers at no charge in the MWR, opening up the doors of communication with the states, according to Spc. Elizer Cubero, the local area network manager, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-37 AR, 1/1 AD.

A lot of the soldiers are using social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Skype to get in touch with their families, according to Cubero.

"My family likes to talk to me on Skype, they can see me through the video chat, it is like I am back home with them," said Cubero.

Even though it might take a little longer to communicate there is also a postal drop at the MWR, according to Cubero.

Some of the soldiers still like to use the postal services, it is a little more personal, said Sierra. When soldiers get letters or packages from their families it shows them that someone took the time to sit down and write them a letter.

Being able to communicate with the states means a lot from the highest ranking to the lower enlisted soldiers, said Cubero. It offers a sense of stability for the soldiers.

The MWR offers internet, television, books, educational computers and phone calls on holidays for free to the soldiers, said Cubero. Soldiers can also make phone calls to the states for 8 cents a minute.

• Date Taken: 12.05.2009
• Date Posted: 12.29.2009 08:54
• Story ID: 43237
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ