Deployed Thanskgiving

Photo By 1st Lt. Sean Carstensen | Sgt. Audree Temple, A Battery, 1st Bn, 125th FA, receives her Best Buy care package from Chief Warrant Officer Michael Pickar, force protection officer, 1st Bn, 125th FA, Dec. 9, 2011, here at Camp Patriot, Kuwait.  

CAMP PATRIOT, KUWAIT

12.11.2011

Story by 1st Lt. Sean Carstensen 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division

CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait - Thanksgiving is normally a day of family gatherings, reflection and eating far too much. This year, most of the soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery, celebrated Thanksgiving with their brothers- and sisters-in-arms here at Camp Patriot, Kuwait.

For many, the day was like any other day during the deployment, with the exception of a larger meal. Others were lucky enough to have the day off or have a half day due to the holiday. Walking into the dining facility, however, there was a noticeable difference. For the first half of the lunch period, senior enlisted members of the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard were serving the Thanksgiving meal.

The second half of the lunch period was served by the senior officers from the various services as well as the Canadian forces here. The menu for the day consisted of smoked turkey, roast turkey, ham, roast beef, bread dressing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole, corn, shrimp cocktail and many desserts, including pumpkin cake.

During lunch, several of the 1st BN, 125th FA soldiers were asked, “What are you thankful for?”

“No serious injuries or accidents during the deployment,” said Lt. Col. Troy Soukup, commander, 1st Bn, 125th FA.

“My wonderful wife and family. Without their support, I could not do this job,” said Master Sgt. Jody Hirman, environmental sergeant, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st BN, 125th FA.

“The support of my family back home, having an awesome squad and being on the water instead of in the middle of the desert,” said Staff Sgt. Holly Jenniges, security forces sergeant, A Battery, 1st BN, 125th FA.

Along with the special meal, there were special visitors that came to Camp Patriot on Thanksgiving Day. The Ambassadors of Hollywood tour sponsored by the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation office arrived around 3 p.m. The visitors were Scott Adsit from the NBC show “30 Rock,” Kristanna Loken from “Terminator 3” and Cassidy Lehrman from the HBO show “Entourage.”

As the stars arrived, a small group of soldiers was gathered for a special promotion ceremony. Staff Sgt. Travis Kaufman from Firestone, Colo., assistant platoon sergeant, 1st platoon, A Battery, 1st BN, 125th FA, was being promoted to Sgt. 1st Class. Loken was given the opportunity to pin his new rank on his uniform. It is tradition to receive a punch to the chest, on the new rank, when a soldier is promoted. Loken did not hold back on her punch; the actress responsible for defeating Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Terminator 3” wound up and delivered “one of the hardest promotion punches I’ve ever seen,” according to one soldier that witnessed it. Kaufman absorbed the blow and received an apologetic hug from Loken afterward.

After the promotion ceremony, the Ambassadors of Hollywood received a tour of the base and visited soldiers and sailors that were working around the base. They received a tour of one of the Army boats in the harbor and stopped to make paper snowflakes with the crew, who were decorating for the Christmas season. They ate dinner in the dining facility with some soldiers and then moved to the MWR movie tent for pictures and autographs.

Throughout the day, greetings of “happy Thanksgiving” could be overheard all around camp and in the dining facility. The special meal and the visit by Adsit, Loken and Lehrman made this Thanksgiving away from home one to remember for many of the servicemen and women here at Camp Patriot.

• Date Taken: 12.11.2011
• Date Posted: 12.29.2011 03:40
• Story ID: 81831
• Location: CAMP PATRIOT, KW