4th Combat Aviation Brigade celebrates Black History Month

Photo By Sgt. Sean Harriman | Sgt. Maj. Rose Thomas, operations sergeant major, 401st Army Field Support Brigade, the guest speaker for a Black History Month ceremony held at Camp Marmal, Feb. 25, speaks about her accomplishments and the challenges she has faced during her tenure in the U.S. Army. The ceremony was a celebration intended to inspire and educate service members about the history and achievements of black Americans.  

CAMP MARMAL, AFGHANISTAN

02.25.2011

Story by Sgt. Sean Harriman 

1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – Since 1976, February has been the month chosen to promote awareness of African American history and the cultural, social and technological advances in American society made by black Americans.

In keeping with this tradition, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division hosted a celebration at Camp Marmal, Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, Feb. 25, featuring guest speaker Sgt. Maj. Rose Thomas, operations sergeant major of the 401st Army Field Support Brigade who began her Army career in 1974 as part of the Women’s Army Corps.

Thomas spoke about a time in the Army when she was told by her company commander she couldn’t wear braids. Army regulation stated women could not wear outlandish hairstyles and her commander considered braids to be an outlandish hairstyle. Thomas, 15 years later, was reminded of how far the rights of soldiers of all races had come when a guest speaker at an event she was attending spoke about that young specialist and her battle for braids.

The event, held in the recently constructed Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent, was an observance of past and present black culture in America, featuring events such as a praise dance, a spoken-word poem, a skit celebrating the musical contributions of past black Americans and ‘Who am I?’, a game in which soldiers describe a famous black American and someone in the audience then guesses who it is to win a prize.

Staff Sgt. Brian Rosette, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the store section, Company A, 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th CAB, 4th ID, began the ceremony by singing “The Negro National Anthem.”

“It went really well,” Rosette said. “Everyone showed great passion and because of that we produced a great show,” he said.

Rosette, a native of Houston, Texas, also performed in a musical skit that was intended to bring awareness of older, more influential music to a younger generation raised mostly on newer popular music.

The audience at the ceremony was a visual testament to the gains made by multi-cultural acceptance and awareness, bringing to mind the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his “I Have a Dream” speech: “…we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands… ”

“It gave soldiers the opportunity to embrace the culture and heritage,” Thomas said.

Planning for the ceremony began in early January, organized by the 4th CAB Equal Opportunity Adviser, Sgt. 1st Class Chalon James, from Chula Vista, Calif.

“I learn something new in every ceremony we have,” James said. “I learn things that keep our history alive. These celebrations bring opportunities for cultural awareness and give people a chance to see history that isn’t told in the history books from a younger generation’s eyes,” she said.

When Rosette thanked the 4th CAB soldiers responsible for organizing and hosting the ceremony, he could have just as easily been thanking the numerous black Americans throughout history who made such large advances for freedom and liberty.

“Thank you for your vision,” Rosette said. “It was this vision that gave us all an idea of what we could do and how to do it.”

• Date Taken: 02.25.2011
• Date Posted: 03.02.2011 08:53
• Story ID: 66326
• Location: CAMP MARMAL, AF