Photo By Amy Phillips | Melinda Way-Bonner, Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) employee, veteran and Army spouse placed...... read more read more
FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. – Melinda Way-Bonner, Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) employee, veteran and Army spouse placed third in the national 2015 Operation Rising Star (ORS) competition held at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in December.
“It was one of the most amazing experience that I’ll ever have,” said Way-Bonner, “It was life changing.”
FHL, with only a small population base of about 400 competed against big installations such as Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, with a 40,000 military and 15,000 civilian population base to vote for their contestant.
No worries - FHL was out in full-force to support Way-Bonner which resulted in her getting the top online votes in her team throughout the competitions.
“My husband stayed up all night one night voting on four devices,” laughed Way-Bonner.
"Mrs. Way-Bonners’ accomplishment was monumental in enhancing our sense of community and it also helped put FHL on the map for the world to see how great of a community we have here," said Rick Bosch, her supervisor and Chief of Community Recreation & Business Operations Division Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (FMWR).
This was FHL's third year participating in the Army Entertainment program but the first time the winner of our local competition was selected as a top 12 finalist.
“We all rooted for Melinda and voted until the wee hours of the mornings.”
“It was humbling to see so many people vote for me. I really appreciate the Fort Hunter Liggett community, my old friends from Fort Sill [Oklahoma] and my little home town [Monmouth, Illinois], especially Rick Bosch and Ramona Tinae,” said Way-Bonner. “There were people I hadn’t spoken to in 10-15 years suddenly telling me they’re voting for me.”
It all started with an innocent karaoke performance after a spouse appreciation event. Remembering her singing, her co-workers strongly encouraged her to join the ORS competition in November.
“I only participated because we needed at least four people to enter the competitions,” said Way-Bonner.
After winning the FHL ORS competition, Way-Bonner competed with performers from 22 garrisons throughout the world for the top 12 finalists to face-off at Fort Sam Houston from Nov. 29 through Dec. 5.
“Never, never did I think I’d win,” said Way-Bonner.
She spent almost three weeks at Fort Sam Houston with professional performers, voice coaches and choreographers. “They were the real deal!”
The competitors spent an average eight-10 hours a day training and practicing their songs. Some of the mentors included Debra Byrd who is the head vocal coach with American Idol and Canadian Idol, Amy Miles who performed with Ricky Martin.
“We were all very supportive of each other,” said Way-Bonner.
She said she was “a wreck” and lost six pounds during the whole experience.
“The whole thing is so opposite of what I like,” said Way-Bonner. “I don’t like to have my picture taken which is weird because I wanted to be a reporter.”
She studied television production in college and during rehearsal recalled the technical aspects such as lighting of the sets and people.
Way-Bonner believes that all the experiences, bad or good, we have in life make us who we are. She was worried about how she sounded and how she looked but “it all came together,” said Way-Bonner.
“It was one of the most uncomfortable yet freeing experience,” said Way-Bonner.
Would she had do it again if given the chance? “Absolutely,” she said without hesitation.
Her best takeaway from the whole Operation Rising Star experience is “Be confident in who you are … use the gifts God gave you … fulfill your own purpose.”
Melinda Way-Bonner is the FHL FMWR Special Events coordinator and served nine years in the Army as a corrections specialist, aka, prison guard. She has no formal singing training but enjoys singing in church.
Video footage of the competitions and information are available at http://www.armymwr.com/recleisure/promotions/operation_rising_star.aspx.
| Date Taken: | 12.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.28.2015 16:53 |
| Story ID: | 185393 |
| Location: | JOLON, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 248 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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