Spc. Stacy McCane (left), an awards specialist with the administrative section of 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, chats with her husband, Sgt. James McCane, an awards and officer evaluation report non-commissioned officer with command group, 34th Inf. Div., during a break at Contingency Operating Base Basra Sept. 5. The McCanes were recently married in St. Paul, Minn., while home on leave. Photo by Staff Sgt. Derek Smith

He was looking for something to break the ice with her. He first noticed her during mobilization training at Camp Ripley, Minn., and wanted to get to know her, but needed a way in.

One day, he noticed she had a bootlace out and decided this would be a perfect conversation starter. This on-the-spot correction to her uniform, however, did not have the desired effect and he felt disappointed after the encounter.

“All I know is, (a non-commissioned officer) was telling me to fix my uniform,” said Spc. Stacy McCane, an awards specialist with the administrative section of 34th Red Bull Infantry Division and native of Frazee, Minn. “I was fresh out of (advanced individual training) and dealing with drill sergeants all the time, so I just took it like he was correcting me.”

Sgt. James McCane, an awards and officer evaluation report NCO with the command group of 34th Inf. Div., said he botched the encounter badly.

“I was just trying to start a conversation with her, so we could get to know each other,” the Honolulu native said. “I didn’t mean to come across like I did.”

James said their second encounter was more casual, but Stacy still didn’t pick up on the idea that he was interested in her personally.

“I kept trying to get to know her, but she didn’t get the intent,” said James. “I finally had to spell it out for her in a text message one day while we were at Camp Ripley.”

The text message did the trick. The two began talking more frequently and discovered a number of common interests, such as music and views on life in general. They also discovered something that changed their relationship drastically.

“We had a very comfortable feeling together,” said Stacy. “It just sort of all clicked into place for us. I don’t really know how to describe it.”

James said the “clicking in place” was something Stacy needed, but he knew he loved her from the first time he saw her. Stacy discovered the same feeling for James later, and in something of an unusual place.

“We were at the rifle range at Camp Ripley in October,” she said. “I had a little trouble zeroing my weapon and I was starting to get frustrated. I saw him leaving the range after qualifying and I took comfort in knowing that I could do it too. His presence just gave me that.”

Stacy took that inspiration back to the zero-range and finally got it right. She went on to the qualifying range, where she really achieved success.

“James tells me I got a better qualifying score than he did!” she said with a laugh. “I didn’t believe him at first; I thought he was just trying to make me feel better. He still swears that I did, though, so I believe him now.”

Their relationship blossomed not long after that, but they felt it would be better to keep it out of the public eye, especially considering they were members of the same military unit.

“We wanted to be discreet about it,” said Stacy. “We are both dedicated to maintaining our professionalism.”

They managed to keep their careers and their relationship separate, especially with James working in the command group and Stacy in the administration section. They knew, though, that their relationship was a keeper.

“We began talking about getting married before coming to Iraq while we were still at Fort Lewis,” said James. “We decided before leaving to wait until the end of the deployment to get married, though.”

Stacy said they kept growing closer and closer during the deployment, which changed their outlook on marriage.

“We knew we wanted to get married anyway,” she said. “I was kind of hesitant at first, but when we managed to get our leave dates scheduled for the same time we decided to get married before we came back.”

The McCanes were married Aug. 11 in St. Paul, Minn., three days before boarding a plane to return to Iraq.

Stacy said she was nervous about the situation when she returned to duty.

“James gave me one of his nametapes to put on my uniform, but I didn’t at first,” she said. “I asked my supervisor if I should put it on.”

Stacy’s supervisor, Sgt. 1st Class Angela Amundson, awards and actions non-commissioned officer-in-charge for 34th Inf. Div., quickly put her fears to rest.

“She ripped off my nametape and put it on me herself!” Stacy said with a smile.

James said he realizes now Army Regulation 670-1, which governs the wear and appearance of Army uniforms and insignia, is not a good way to break the ice. However, for him, the journey that began with that misstep has definitely turned out well.

DVIDS
Story by Staff Sgt. Derek Smith

The familiar refrain of “There’s nothing to do around here after work” will hopefully be a thing of the past with the opening of a new center for rest and relaxation.

The local United Service Organizations (USO) office and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) coordinator for 34th Red Bull Infantry Division are teaming up to create an oasis in the middle of the Basrah desert for servicemembers and civilians to escape the pressure of operations.

Sarah McConnell, USO director here, said the center, housed in a former dining hall, already has undergone a “soft opening,” meaning there are some services already available.

“We have 13 Internet stations set up already, along with 18 phone lines for people to call home,” McConnell said. “Both services are free of charge to anyone who uses them.

“We wanted to get something started for the troops here right away,” she continued. “We’re not fully functional yet, but we got the computers and phones set up so we could at least offer some services.”

The USO center is designed from the same template as a similar facility that opened recently at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, according to Army Col. Ronald Albrecht, deputy chief of staff for the 34th Infantry Division.

The USO will share the space with MWR, Albrecht said.

The fitness center is under construction now and has a target opening of July 1, said Army Sgt. 1st Class Deborah Allen, MWR and event coordinator for the 34th Infantry Division.

In addition to cardiovascular machines already in place, the fitness center will feature Nautilus equipment, free weights and ample space for aerobic training and various self-defense classes, including Modern Army Combatives, she added.

“We will be putting padding on the floors and walls in one of the large rooms for combatives training,” Allen said. “We will still have a large amount of space on the other side of the room for additional fitness machines.”

Albrecht said the fitness center will be an important part of the division’s emphasis on physical fitness.

“We wanted to create a clean environment for Soldiers to work out,” Albrecht said. “We’ll have all new machines in place for them to train.”

Though the USO and MWR areas will be separated by a wall, extensive cooperation between the two has marked a positive beginning for the cohabitants.

“Cooperation with [the USO] has been splendid,” Allen said. “I really look forward to working with them in this building.”

McConnell added that she is appreciative of the help she has received from the military in making the USO presence a possibility here.

“I am very grateful to the military leadership here for the generous space allotted to the USO,” she said. “Thanks to them, their Soldiers will have a place to escape when they are able.”

Soldiers who are interested in volunteering with the USO may sign up at the center, McConnell said.

“The USO thrives on volunteers,” she said. “They are the backbone of everything we do.”

MNF-I
By Army Sgt. Frank Vaughn
Multi-National Division – South