NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – With a record contract for a Christian rock album and the potential of stardom, people may wonder why U.S. Army Spc. Caleb E. Smith joined the Army.
Smith, a military police officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Task Force Bayonet, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, TF Bronco, joined the Army as a catalyst to pursue his true passion – to serve the community as a military police officer.
Now, after two years of service, Smith uses his musical talents to sustain him during his year-long deployment to Afghanistan with Task Force Bronco.
“I got laid off my job as an environmental technician at Griffiss Air Force Base. I had a record contract, but it wasn’t enough money quick enough, so I joined the Army instead,” said Smith.
Smith, from Syracuse, N.Y., said he enjoys what he’s doing and “the Army has been a good influence on me.”
Smith joined the military police corps because he eventually wants to work in federal law enforcement.
“I really didn’t look into the other (military occupational specialties) at all and was dead set on being a military police officer,” said Smith. “If I was going to be in the Army I wanted to do something that’s more ‘Army.’ I’ve spent all the time training up for this ‘basketball game’ I want to go play, not sit on the bench the whole time.”
Even with his love for police work his true passion is in music. Smith learned to play 26 instruments. He taught himself how to play the majority of the instruments while in high school in Alaska. His favorite is the guitar.
“I play almost every instrument except violin and trumpet. The violin was always in the house, and my dad played it, but I couldn’t pick it up and play it [immediately] so it wasn’t interesting to me,” said Smith.
Smith’s father is a priest in the Orthodox Greek Church so they moved often as he was growing up between Canada and New York. Smith said he finds comfort in music, and because of his father’s influence, Smith continues to practice his religion and his music hand in hand by going to the chapel on Forward Operating Base Finley-Shields.
“I try to go to the chapel whenever I can,” said Smith. “The chaplain tries to get me to play a song every time [I go]. I actually play guitar in the chapel as my stress relief.”
Smith not only brings comfort to himself but also offers comfort and joy to those around him.
“Spc. Smith comes in the chapel twice a day, usually in the morning and after a mission in the evening. He plays guitar and sometimes brings his friends in with him. I’m sure some people come to the chapel just to hear him play and sing. He has the voice of an angel,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Lindsey Jones, chaplain assistant from Hendersonville, Tenn. assigned to 3rd BSTB, TF Bayonet, 3rd BCT, 25th Inf. Div., TF Bronco.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2011 17:33 |
| Story ID: | 72738 |
| Location: | NANGARHAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 321 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Multi-talented MP finds peace in music, by SGT Hillary Rustine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
