By 1st Lt. Shawn Clark
Multi-National Division - Baghdad
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – With $2.7 billion passing through her hands, 1st Sgt. HuDene Wright, who serves with the 24th Financial Management Company, 10th Sustainment Brigade Troops Battalion, which supports Multi-National Division – Baghdad, as well as all Multi-National Division commands headquartered around Baghdad, is surrounded by big numbers.
Where the native of Savannah, Ga., really begins to shine however, is in helping her fellow Soldiers in crunching different numbers – those associated with extra pounds and waistlines every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Moral, Welfare and Recreation gym behind the DeFleury Dinning Facility on Camp Liberty.
Yelling a barrage of "nine more ... eight more ...," Wright instructs students to step up, throw punches, contort bodies and sweat until they drop. Working her crew of voluntary Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and civilians, along with anyone lucky enough to get a space in her high-intensity, heart pounding, music thumping and body sweating aerobics class, she gives a bonus to anyone willing to try.
If a service member gives her three weeks, she said she will help them with higher Army Physical Fitness Test scores, lower pounds on the weight scale and a tighter waist line.
"It even comes with a money-back guarantee," she said.
Wright has helped her decidedly fanatic followers achieve truly dramatic results for no pay and no outward recognition other than a grateful smile and a tired but happy class.
She started doing step aerobics more than twenty years ago following a personal injury that demanded a different type of exercise for rehabilitation. After researching what would most benefit her needs, Wright settled on step aerobics.
"It was exactly what I was looking for in an exercise program after my injury," she said.
The rest is history as she was hooked in doing it for herself and in helping to keep the troops motivated to stay in shape.
This is the third deployment for Wright where she has offered her services, helping Soldiers lose weight, increase their aerobic conditioning and increase APFT scores.
Capt. Jared Corsi, company commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 926th Engineer Brigade, MND-B, said that after stumbling into this class a few months ago, it has become his "stress reliever."
"You can get lost in the music. 1st Sgt. Wright pushes you to your limits, especially at the end where she finishes with 10 minutes of intense abdominal crunches," said Corsi, who has lost more than 17 pounds and increased his APFT score by 35 points.
"This class works your core, your legs and whole body which contributes to your overall cardio ... which, in the Army, is very important."
The class has proven valuable for those attempting to remain faithful to their personal fitness goals.
In the past, said Sgt. 1st Class Kristina Scott, it has been a challenge to keep true to one of her goals – that of getting in shape.
Wright's step class turned out to be just what she needed to reach her goals and get a jump on this year's resolutions, added the combat historian, who works with the 101st Military History Detachment, attached to 4th Infantry Division, MND-B.
"Well, last year, my New Year's resolution was to get in shape, and I didn't do so well when I was in the states. But when we arrived here and I found out there was a step aerobics class – I was ecstatic! I knew I had found what I was looking for."
First and foremost, Scott said she loves the results she sees on her physical appearance from doing step aerobics.
"It's an unbelievably challenging class, and the work we do really shows on our bodies. I can actually see the changes in the way my body is composed after just a few months of attending the classes," Said Scott, adding that she has gone down a complete pant size in the Army Combat Uniform in less than three months. "How cool is that?"
In addition to looking better, Scott said that she has improved her APFT score by 30 points since starting the class, not to mention the 20 pounds she has lost.
"I should have no problem sticking to this year's resolution of staying in shape by continuing to attend the step aerobics class," she added.
Another Ironhorse Soldier who attends the class is Staff Sgt. Garfield Martin, an air traffic controller for the Army Airspace Command and Control, who works in the air operations section, 4th Inf. Div. At 33 years of age and with 11 years in the Army, Martin has always maintained a good physical condition but was looking for something more.
"At first I started going on just Fridays. Now I go three times a week," he said.
He initially went because he was invited but found he started to like it after the first couple of times.
"It took me a few weeks to get the steps down, but once I did, it gave me more of a work out. I have noticed a change in my body and have since lost about 13 pounds – even though I did not want to."
Getting hooked was easy for Martin because he had a special goal in mind.
"When people ask me why I go to step, I tell them to work on my redeployment body."
He eagerly reports that Wright is a good instructor and keeps the class motivated with her selections of music and high energy.
"It is an awesome service she offers for 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers. We are very lucky to have her," he said.
Life-altering is the description used by Master Sgt. Gena Winston, who serves as the communication security non-commissioned officer in charge with the network operations section, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, on her thoughts of Wright and her class.
"When I first came here, I felt like a 54-year old woman. Now I feel like a 34 year old. I'm able to move more; I have flexibility, and I feel 20 years younger.
With "don't cheat your body" ringing out from the sweaty room where this powerhouse conducts her classes, Wright is duly impressed with the numbers: 35 points shaved off an APFT score by one stepper, 17 pounds lost by another, and feeling 20 years younger for yet another. Compared to the $2.7 billion from her day job, these numbers have a greater impact on the health and fighting capabilities of her fellow Soldiers because, as one of her students said running into class, "If we can't fight the fight, who will?"
"10 more ... nine more ... Don't cheat your body..."