Photo By Sgt. Robert Adams | CAMP VICTORY, Kuwait - Sgt. Jeff Johnson, 233rd Transportation Company gunner,...... read more read more
Spc. Robert Adams
11th Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP VICTORY, Kuwait -- Public Warehousing Company Logistics brought comedians and two professional athletes to Victory and Camp Arifjan and to perform and interact with troops.
Volleyball greats test Kuwait's sand
Two of sand volleyball's top female players stepped into Victory's sandbox to play with troops and showcase their talent Thursday.
Elaine Youngs, who won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and Rachel Wacholder, named the 2005 Association of Volleyball Professionals Most Improved Player and Best Defensive Player, traveled to Kuwait to play volleyball with troops.
After warm-up games with Arifjan troops the night prior, the two took their A-game up to Victory, not knowing what to expect out of the competition.
The first game showcased the two females against a team of four Soldiers.
On paper, the Soldiers looked to have the sure advantage since they were able to cover more of the court and had the crowd support. But these weren't your average bump-set-spike girls.
With the game tied 6-6, the two pros looked to be in rhythm as they nailed four straight shots down the throats of their opposing force.
"They are tough and we realized they were taking it easy on usâ?¦ It was all good fun," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Patrick D. Southern, Company C, 1st Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, an Army Reserve unit out of Clearwater, Fla. "We've been in Iraq for a year and this gave us a chance to relax, see some nice girls and play some volleyball."
After the game, the two females split up and played on opposite teams with any troop willing to play.
Even after witnessing the female's hard spikes that could have dented the strongest of body armor, troops didn't shy away from the chance to play side-by-side with them.
"It was fun to get people out and play," said Youngs, who goes by "EY" out on the court. "I would love to do this again."
Another reason the two wanted to visit troops was to learn about how they live and hear their experiences. They both got to try on body armor, lift a duffle bag, hold .50-caliber rounds, learn about the humvee and view the inside living areas of Soldiers.
"I feel like I got to experience a little of what war is about by seeing everything," Youngs said.
"I'm going to leave here with a lot of positive stories and feelings toward the military."
The teammates also got the chance to talk to Soldiers about their experiences while signing autographs and taking pictures with them.
"This is real," Wacholder said. "This is so much more than I expected â?¦ and it makes me realize how removed we are from it," Wacholder said. "We are lucky that we have you guys out here fighting for us."
Comedians bring laughs to servicemembers
The "Comics on Duty" world tour showcased four comedians who brought their stand-up acts to servicemembers at Arifjan and Victory Nov. 2 and 3.
Jack Mayberry, Robert Hawkins, John Bizarre and Tom Foss are no strangers to troops having performed all over the Middle East.
"I'm here to put on a good show," said Hawkins, who was an Army combat medic with the 2nd Armored Division from 1985 to 1988. "I want to give the troops a solid laugh while I'm on stage for 20 minutes."
Bizarre has had the opportunity to entertain troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, on three Navy ships in the Persian Gulf and now Kuwait.
"They are the greatest audience in the world," said Bizarre, whose brother is a Marine and father a retired Airman. "The most rewarding part is when guys line up to shake your handâ?¦ You can tell it means something to them."
Some of the comedians involved troops in their skits.
"I like John Bizarre because he picks on meâ?¦ That's what makes it the best," said Staff Sgt. Erica Sanders, Company B, 51st Signal Battalion from Fort Bragg, N.C.
Sanders said she also got to see him perform in Iraq.
Sanders, like most of the troops at Victory, recently redeployed from a tour in Iraq and appreciated the show.
Even though she thought the comedians were great, Sanders said, "I can't wait to get home because this is the longest I've been away from my daughter."
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2005 14:51 |
| Story ID: | 3628 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 187 |
| Downloads: | 29 |
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