U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Grace Enriquez, a communications specialist with Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, received the Navy Expeditionary Warfare Badge at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 28. Photo by Senior Airman Kaitlyn Johnson

Beyond the pride one carries by simply being a member in today’s all-volunteer U.S. military, there is no greater honor for a service member than accomplishing a challenge in an expeditionary environment, especially when that achievement is normally accomplished by a different branch than the one you serve.

This statement holds especially true when attached in support of Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa, a forward-deployed base comprised of airmen, sailors, soldiers and Marines, all sharing in the responsibility of strengthening defense capabilities and stability in the region.

On Sept. 28, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Grace Enriquez, a native of Baguio City in the Philippines, became the first non-Navy service member assigned to CJTF-HOA to receive the Navy Expeditionary Warfare Badge. The award of the warfare device, first introduced Navy-wide in 2006, attests to a sailor’s proficiency of combat tactics, expeditionary fundamentals and core Navy knowledge. At CJTF-HOA only 79 sailors have received this pin since it was re-introduced in April of 2011. The distinction and honor of wearing the device is now shared by an airman here.

“Being in a diverse unit and a joint environment showcases many interesting bits of tradition from the Air Force, Navy, Army and the Marine Corps,” said Enriquez. “I felt this was a fascinating part of Navy culture and I really wanted to be a part of it.”

The EXW badge is not an easy device to achieve. To begin this process, a service member must make a special request through their chain of command. After being approved and committing to complete the necessary training and qualifications, prospects must complete Personal Qualifications Standards of core Navy knowledge, unit-specific corps training and practical knowledge of communication radios. After passing a written exam and practical exercise with a M16A2 semi-automatic rifle and Portable Radio Communication series field radios, there are two oral boards among peers to test all EXW knowledge.

Enriquez’s decision to achieve the EXW device did not go unnoticed among her co-workers.

“Here at CJTF-HOA, we are faced with a unique mission and an opportunity to work closely with all services, militaries, coalition partners and civilians,” said U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Josh Hildreth, Enriquez’s senior enlisted leader. “By Enriquez embracing that jointness and stepping up to the challenge of completing a Navy-centric warfare qualification, I believe that she has set a new standard here. With that, perhaps she has inspired others to follow in her path to have a better understanding of our mission as a whole and how each service is part of that mission.”

Enriquez was not alone in the pursuit of the warfare device. Her shop supervisor, U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Haupt, an electronics technician, studied and tested alongside Enriquez and was awarded the badge at the same time.

“I’m ecstatic for her,” said Haupt. “There was no doubt, even early on, that she had the necessary study habits down. She definitely made the Air Force – and all of us – proud.”

Enriquez’s impact at CJTF-HOA goes beyond the EXW device. Day to day, she shares responsibility for ensuring vital communications equipment is functional and ready for any mission. When the workday is over, she doesn’t simply go home for the day; she volunteers at multiple locations in the Djibouti City area.

“We are guests of Djibouti and it’s important that we give back to our hosts,” said Enriquez. “I find it to be a very rewarding experience. The most important part of volunteering is loving what you do for others.”

Enriquez spends time weekly caring for orphaned babies at a church in Djibouti City, and she also teaches English three days a week to Djiboutian students, policemen, and members of the Japanese military.

She began teaching English at her home station at Misawa Air Base, Japan, where she is a communications specialist with the 35th Communications Squadron. She began working with the Japanese two years ago, when she decided she wanted to learn Japanese. Members of the Japan’s military offered to teach her Japanese in exchange for English lessons.

By day, Enriquez ensures smooth communications, and when the workday is through, she selflessly donates her time to help others. Now, she holds to her name the first non-sailor to achieve an Expeditionary Warfare Device, setting the bar for others at CJTF-HOA to step up and go the extra mile.

Story by Senior Airman Kaitlyn Johnson
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New York native Staff Sgt. Vanessa Parrish, assistant supply chief for 2nd Marine Division (Forward), holds a photo of her with her husband and son. Parrish’s husband, Staff Sgt. Timothy Parrish, is also a deployed Marine, and their son stays with her sister. Parrish said communication with her son is the key to keeping their relationship strong. Photo by Cpl. Jeff Drew

Her family arrived in the United States from San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic more than 28 years ago. She grew up as the second youngest in a family of eight children. Her mother, with four children, married her step-father, also with four children, and they lived as a modern-day Brady Bunch. They loved having large Dominican meals and dancing. It was never a dull moment in their three-bedroom New York City apartment.

“It was loud; it was fun; there were always a lot of people around – you could never be bored,” said Staff Sgt. Vanessa Parrish, the assistant supply chief for 2nd Marine Division (Forward). “Every holiday is always a lot of fun; any excuse to have a party — birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, whatever – we’re always trying to have fun.”

The resilient bond Parrish built with her family at a young age endures, providing strength to her as a Marine currently deployed to Afghanistan. Parrish, the mother of a four-year-old, knows well the sacrifice of giving up priceless time with loved ones to serve her country.

“The hardest part of deployment is being away from your family,” said Parrish. “Not being able to be with my son is very hard. As a mother you want to spend every second with your child, but I had to leave him with one of my sisters.”

Being a deployed mother and having to leave her son is difficult, but another challenge she faces daily is the fact her husband, Staff Sgt. Timothy Parrish, is also deployed to Afghanistan as a supply chief with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. Parrish explained that in the case of a dual-military household such as hers, communication is the key when keeping in touch with family back in the United States.

“You have to send constant e-mails – because of the time difference you can’t just always pick up the phone, and sometimes the lines don’t work,” said Parrish, a 2000 A. Philip Randolph High School graduate. “My husband is with (an infantry unit) and out in the battle space, so whenever he gets a chance to communicate, he sends an e-mail to let the family know everything is alright. It can be just a one-liner, just to let them know. It doesn’t seem like much, but it means a lot.”

Parrish said she knows being absent for those big moments in a child’s life, like the first day of school, is important, but may be difficult for deployed service members to be a part of. For the moments she can’t be there, Parrish has her sister e-mail pictures.

Parrish said, “It doesn’t matter (what it is); it can be pictures of him playing in the park or going to the carnival. I’d like to see him every day, but I can’t so I ask for a picture every week, and it doesn’t seem like I’m missing as much.”

She displays the photos near her desk and in her room as a way of keeping her family near.

Parrish’ situation as a dual-military household is not unique among military members, but it is also not overly common in the Marine Corps. The Marines she works with said they appreciate the challenges Parrish faces and are very supportive.

“I’ve never had a Marine work under me (who was part of) a dual-military family,” said Baltimore native Gunnery Sgt. Bryan J. Alberts, the supply chief for 2nd Marine Division (Forward). “Being a parent myself, it’s hard (being away) from my civilian wife, but being dual military must be really hard, especially with both of them deployed. I think she deals with it very well. She’s very patient; I see pictures and they communicate all the time.”

Parrish is nearly two-thirds of the way through a year-long deployment, and although she must be away from her son, she is thankful for all the opportunities and benefits the Marine Corps has provided her family.

“I’d like to stay in the Marine Corps,” said Parrish. “I’ve met a lot of wonderful people, and I’m hoping to make a career out of it and retire at 20 or 30 years.”

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew
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Sgt. Allysa Turner hand paints each letter on the new regimental sign on Rose Barracks. Photo by Sgt. Audrey Glynn

Every now and then, a soldier who embodies the true meaning of the word professional steps forward. Someone to whom the Army values are not just words but rather a guide to live their life.

Sgt. Allysa Turner, a young paralegal in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, is one of those individuals. After joining the regimental legal team as a private, this motivated soldier worked her way through the enlisted ranks and became a non-commissioned officer in less than 12 months. Not only was that an amazing accomplishment, but Turner was also named the distinguished honor graduate of her Warrior Leadership class, the non-commissioned officer development school.

Joining the Army was like carrying on a family tradition for this 24-year-old Augusta, Ga., native. Turner’s mother and father both served in the military and her older sister is currently stationed in Europe. While she admits the idea of being a soldier was instilled in her at a young age, it wasn’t until after two years of college that she decided to signed up.

“I was just managing a restaurant,” she said, “and I decided I wanted to do more.”

“I wanted to have something I could be proud of doing,” she added. “That is what helped me make the decision.”

According to Turner, it’s the discipline and structure instilled by the military she enjoys the most. To her it cultivates a type of honor not found in many civilian jobs.

“It’s more than just putting on the uniform and going through the motions,” she said. “It is something I can truly be proud of everyday.”

Since joining Regimental Headquarters, Headquarters Troop, Turner has continued to impress her supervisors and coworkers.

“Her attitude as a soldier and now as a young sergeant inspires me to be a better example and mentor for soldiers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Alejandra Robinson, non-commissioned officer in charge of the Vilseck Legal Center. “Many young soldiers and NCOs work for themselves, but she truly epitomizes what it is to be a leader.”

“She takes her role as a leader very seriously,” Robinson said. “She is giving back to the lower enlisted, molding them to be great soldiers and eventual NCOs.”

Turner’s dedication to the regiment extended well beyond the normal duty day while deployed to Afghanistan. An amateur artist in her spare time, she applied her talents to creating designs for the regimental coin, t-shirts and several inspiring murals including a memorial honoring the Dragoon’s fallen heroes. While her efforts have brought her accolades from her superiors, Turner admits she never did it for the recognition.

“It gave people something to look at around the FOB [Forward Operating Base] that wasn’t dull and drab,” she said. “It was more of a morale thing.”

“I never signed any of my work because I didn’t need the recognition,” she continued. “Seeing other people taking pictures in front of it to send home, made me happy.”

It is this type of pride in a job well done without the pursuit of recognition that epitomizes the Army value of selfless service. It is this type of dedication that most leaders try to instill in their young recruits.

Though Turner has left the regiment and is headed back to Georgia to join the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, she has left behind one last mural of the regimental crest which will adorn the Dragoon’s home on Rose Barracks for many years to come.

Story by Sgt. Gerald Wilson
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The Devil Dog Derby Dames roller derby league played its quarterly bout at the gymnasium here Sept. 24 to keep their competitive edge.

The league, which was created a year ago, is made up of status of forces agreement personnel and service members, and boasts two teams, the Machine Gun Mollies and the Blitzkrieg Betties.

The league has a month-long training evolution, called the “dog pound,” where participants learn proper sportsmanship and the safety rules of roller derby.

“The dog pound lasts about a month and trains the girls in roller derby,” said Alisa Helin, a skater for the Blitzkrieg Betties. “It starts with the basics of how to roller skate and teaches players the rules of the sport.”

Roller derby is a contact sport, so the rules must be followed or players can easily be hurt.

“We wear protective gear from head to toe,” said Erica Kelcinski, the assistant captain of the Blitzkrieg Betties. “We wear a helmet, mouth piece, elbow pads, gloves and knee pads to help prevent injuries.”

In addition to the protective gear, there are strict rules regarding good sportsmanship that keep the competitors playing fair.

“It’s a very aggressive sport,” said Nikki Hacker, the main pivot for the Machine Gun Mollies. “You can’t push opponents with your hands; you can only use your hips and shoulders, and it must come from the front.”

There are three different types of skaters, and all are identified by their helmets.

There is a jammer, who is identified by a star on her helmet. This player scores points by completing laps around the track. There are three blockers who form a wall, so the opposing team is unable to pass through. The pivot, identified by a stripe down the center of her helmet, clears the path for the jammer to get through the pack of blockers.

Even though the sport is naturally aggressive, the members of the league still operate as a family-oriented team.

“What happens on the rink stays on the rink,” said Hacker. “We are all very aggressive and competitive, but after the jams, we all hang out. It’s almost like a sisterhood.”

A “jam” is the term roller derby uses instead of game.

The newly established league plays every three months, using the off months in between to recover.

“(The derby) is a new concept on island,” said Kelcinski. “We are always looking for more girls to come out and join the team.”

For more information on the Devil Dog Derby Dames, visit devildogderbydames.com or look for the team on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Devil-Dog-Derby-Dames/158946617476048

Story by Lance Cpl. Alyssa Hoffacker
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1st Lt. Eboni Sherrer displays her prize for winning first place in the Operation Rising Star singing competition. Fellow contestants Spc. Candace Heishman -left- and Sgt. Sherri Burch -right- show their support for the winner. Released photograph by U.S. Army Specialist John A Montoya

Camp Bondsteel has wrapped up its Operation Rising Star competition and chosen the soldier who will represent Kosovo Forces 14 in the main competition in the U.S. 1st Lt. Eboni Sherrer, an intelligence officer with the 221st Military Intelligence Company based in Fort Gillam, Ga., won over Bondsteel by singing hits like “At Last” by Etta James and Tina Turner’s version of “Proud Mary.”

Since the competition began in early August the soldiers on Bondsteel had the opportunity to watch it live and vote for their favorite singer to represent them in the main competition held in the U.S. in October. The competition began with eight vocalists and Sherrer was chosen after several rounds of voting. Each round had the singers perform different musical genres such as country, oldies, Broadway and classic rock.

Sherrer said the most difficult part of the competition was choosing songs in genres she was not familiar with. She said, “Anything gospel or soul, Christian music or anything on the contemporary side I’m comfortable with. When we got to the week where we had to sing a country song, I had no idea. ‘What do I sing?’”

As well as learning new genres of music, Sherrer was able to make new friends through the competition. Many times deployed soldiers may only spend time with soldiers in their individual sections, but this competition gave the contestants a chance to mingle over shared interests. “It gave me the opportunity to know some of the people from other sections and it broadened my friendship spectrum,” said Sherrer.

Another unique part of this competition is the fact that Bondsteel is the only deployed environment where soldiers compete in Operation Rising Star. That can add another layer of difficulty in two different ways. First, the soldiers must perform their duties above all else to keep the mission going, and second, they now compete against soldiers and their families in garrison.

“The things you want, you make time for,” said Sherrer. “Yes I’ve lost some sleep, because I still have to work. I still have tasks and things I have to complete and it’s always mission first.”

Renee Favors, the Moral, Welfare and Recreation program specialist for Camp Bondsteel, said, “It’s difficult when you’re in a deployed area. Garrison is so much easier, because you have so many more people to pull from, plus you also have family members and such in garrison, whereas we just have our soldiers here.”

In addition to winning the competition Sherrer also won a $500 gift card to the Post Exchange. The runner up, Sgt. Mario Montoya, won a $250 gift card and the third place contest, Capt. Kellie Whittlinger, won a $100 gift card.

Even though the competition is complete on Bondsteel, the excitement and anticipation is only beginning for Sherrer. If the past is any indication of the future, Sherrer has a lot to look forward to. Previous contestants who’ve won at the Bondsteel competition have also done well in the U.S.

“The last two years we’ve actually gotten to the first round in D.C., so we’re hoping for a third year. The third time’s the charm,” said Favors.

Although hopes are high, the rest of the competition is still very daunting for Sherrer. Favors and Sherrer are submitting a video package to the judges in D.C. which highlights Sherrer’s singing abilities. But for the one video Bondsteel sends to the capitol, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions from service members and their families worldwide. After the judges go through all the videos only 12 contestants are chosen for the next phase of the competition, said Favors.

Despite the odds Sherrer holds out hope for a chance to represent Kosovo Forces 14. “Me personally, I believe in prayer, and I’m going to pray over my envelope, cover it with a special blessing and make sure when they open it, it has that special glow that comes from within,” said Sherrer.

Although she is a natural singer, Sherrer wouldn’t have signed up for the contest without being persuaded by her fellow contestant Sgt. Sherry Burch, who brought her the application. “I’m thankful for Sergeant Burch, because she’s the one who said, ‘Hey ma’am! You should do this!’,” said Sherrer. “Without someone like her, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Even with the joy of her personal triumph, Sherrer has a lot of respect for her fellow singers and she gained some deep and meaningful friendships with the other soldiers in the competition.

“It’s not easy, whether you have a great voice or a not so great voice, the courage to stand before people is worthy of an applause,” said Sherrer.

With the Bondsteel competition behind her all she can do is wait until the 12 contestants are chosen from the different worldwide contests on Oct. 13. The winner of the entire 2011 Operation Rising Star wins a trip to Los Angeles, where they record a three track demo compact disc. The trip also includes air fare, lodging, $1,000 spending money and three days and nights of studio time with the support of top-rate musicians and recording technicians.

Story by Spc. John Montoya
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