101st Combat Aviation Brigade hosts 4th of July celebration

Photo By Benjamin Roberts | Sgt. 1st Class Steven Scancella, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, pops out of the water after being dunked during the Fourth of July celebration.  

IRAQ

07.05.2006

Courtesy Story

101st Combat Aviation Brigade

Several weeks ago, Sgt. Rocio Marquez and Spc. Regina Crump, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, sat down to discuss ideas for the upcoming 4th of July holiday with company commander Capt. Gina Sannicolas. The end result was the Independence Day Celebration July 4 at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, the biggest celebration held on COB Speicher to celebrate the Fourth.

Marquez said she thought the celebration was important for the Soldiers.

"I think the celebration was important for the morale of the Soldiers, for them to forget they aren't at home with their families," she said.

The celebration included various games, tournaments, and entertainment. The day started at 4 p.m. with games such as tug of war matches between the Army, Marines and COB firefighters, water balloon fights with the Marines, a dunking booth, desert bowling, and a DJ.

The entertainment continued with the Oasis Band (a group of Soldiers and civilian contractors), the 101st Airborne Division Band, another DJ and was capped off with a talent show which ran until 10:30 p.m. The day also featured two COB-wide sports tournaments in volleyball and softball, in which 12 teams participated.

Both tournaments were won by 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. Marquez said Sgt. Joel Mick, 1st Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, coordinated all the games between the teams in the tournaments.

Marquez credited the success of the celebration to cooperation from many groups.

"We had cooperation from Morale Welfare and Recreation, all the battalions in the brigade and Kellog, Brown and Root," she said.

• Date Taken: 07.05.2006
• Date Posted: 07.05.2006 16:09
• Story ID: 7048
• Location: IQ