Photo By Spc. Cal Turner | Brig. Gen. John Campbell, deputy commanding general for maneuver, Multi-National...... read more read more
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By Maj. Kevin Inglin
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Families at Fort Hood were treated to a visit from a familiar face, make that faces, during a live Town Hall meeting conducted via satellite from Baghdad Feb. 22.
Brig. Gen. John Campbell, the Multi-National Division – Baghdad deputy commanding general for maneuver, with assistance from other members of the division's command group, addressed a crowd of more than 320 family members in Texas from the Media Operations Center here.
After brief opening remarks that included thanks to the families and central Texas community for their continued support of the troops, Campbell took questions from the audience. When asked a "hardball" question from Phelps, however, Campbell turned to his counterparts from the MND-B command group for assistance.
A member of the Fort Hood audience asked if the tour length for the 1st Cavalry Division headquarters would be impacted based on the recent announcement that Fort Stewart's 3rd Infantry Division headquarters will be flowing into theater in the coming months, the deputy commander looked to support from a "higher authority."
"I'm going to have to defer that to somebody else," said the general as he held up a photo cutout of Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil, Jr., the commanding general, MND-B, in front of his face.
"General Fil told me he doesn't want to answer that question, so I'm going to defer that to another person," continued Campbell, as he held up another photo, this one of Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, the MND-B deputy commanding general for support.
Campbell went on to display two additional photo cutouts – the MND-B senior noncommissioned officer, Command Sgt. Maj. Philip Johndrow made an appearance, as did his ever-present sidekick, the Cav Kid.
The cutouts were met with rousing applause and laughter from the family members in attendance at Fort Hood, highlighting the interactive component of the satellite connection.
The meeting was made possible through use of the division's Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System, or DVIDS, and allowed the deputy commander to interact with the family members in real time.
The meeting was conducted at 6:30 p.m., at the Fort Hood Catering and Community Center Feb. 21, which meant an early morning for Campbell -- 3:30 a.m. Baghdad time.
Col. Larry Phelps, rear detachment commander, 1st Cavalry Division, relayed questions ranging from what kind of living conditions Soldiers could expect at the new Joint Security Stations going up throughout Baghdad, and how the security situation is changing for Soldiers stationed outside of Baghdad, to what types of items Soldiers most need to be sent from home.
"It's important to stay connected to our family members and to provide them with information. We owe that to them," said Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, MND-B spokesperson and public affairs officer.
The live satellite connectivity allows the unit leadership to interact with their home station in a way that truly makes the family members feel joined with their troops while they are deployed, Bleichwehl added.
The live Town Hall was the second such meeting conducted by 1st Cavalry Division senior leaders since the unit deployed to Baghdad in October. It has become the standard, Bleichwehl said, for how the meetings will be conducted for the duration of the unit's deployment.
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2007 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 9218 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 266 |
| Downloads: | 175 |
This work, Tough question brings smiles, laughter at satellite-delivered Town Hall meeting, by LTC Kevin Inglin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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