FOB Kalsu fights Christmas blues

Photo By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky | Pfc. Christina Cordova, property book clerk, property book office, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga., stands in front of the Christmas tree in her office, Dec. 8. The tree, sent to the brigade S4 shop by the rear detachment, has brought many Soldiers into the office to see the little piece of Christmas.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

12.11.2007

Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Even before deploying to Iraq, Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, knew it would not be a white Christmas. To keep holiday blues away, many Soldiers are turning to Christmas greens.

Christmas trees are sprouting up all over Forward Operating Base Kalsu. While the trees are only synthetic, the cheer they bring is authentic.

"If there wasn't a Christmas tree out it wouldn't feel like Christmas," said Pfc. Christina Cordova, clerk, S4, property book office.

The Christmas tree decorating her office brings holiday feelings to more than her fellow property book office workers. The tree, sent to the section by Sgt. 1st Class Karen Bell and Warrant Officer Denyi Johnson, both 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., rear detachment S4, draws many people into the office, Cordova said.

The six-foot-tall tree dwarfs the miniature trees more commonly found in brigade offices.

"We get a lot of comments on the tree," added Cordova, who set up and decorated the tree along with Staff Sgt. Mayreny Matias and Warrant Officer Shirley Goodman.

The S4 shop is not the only office putting up holiday decorations. Though responsible for supplying the company with materials needed to perform their jobs, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., is also trying to supply the unit with Christmas cheer.

Decorations such as garlands, wreaths, stockings and tinsel give their otherwise-plain office a holiday feeling. A miniature Christmas tree has also taken up residence in the office.

"It's tradition; you bring your life with you," said Sgt. San Juana Arreola, a nuclear, chemical and biological specialist with HHC supply. "Your traditions don't just disappear because you're somewhere else. You keep your traditions."

In keeping with tradition, many sections in the brigade are also playing secret Santa. Cordova said her section and several others all placed their names in a hat and picked one name to get a gift for.

Many communities back home are also playing Santa by sending thousands of packages to 2nd BCT Soldiers.

Chap. (Maj.) Jay Hearn, brigade chaplain, said there will be a variety of religious services offered at the base for Christmas. Video teleconferences with families back at Fort Stewart, Ga., will also be offered for Soldiers to get in touch with their families.
For those whose families may not be at Fort Stewart and can't attend a VTC, Hearn said there are other ways to keep them close by. Digital pictures frames, which display uploaded pictures, are great gifts that allow Soldiers to keep plenty of photos around their work area.

Soldiers can also take advantage of the free postage on regular-sized letters to send their loved ones Christmas cards. Several vendors in the Hinesville, Ga., community outside Fort Stewart sent Hearn boxes of Christmas cards to give to Soldiers to ensure they were able to keep in touch with loved ones.

While all this can help Soldiers from catching the blues around Christmas, Hearn acknowledges that families at home can still feel saddened by having their Soldier away for the holidays. For these families, Hearn recommended visiting with other family members, or taking a trip, like his family is, to get their mind off of the separation.

Families in the Fort Stewart area can also partake in the many family readiness groups and chapel holiday-themed programs offered to families of deployed Soldiers.

Although Hearn said there will always be a little bit of sadness being away from family during the holidays, it does not have to bring a Soldier down.

• Date Taken: 12.11.2007
• Date Posted: 12.11.2007 10:59
• Story ID: 14606
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ