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
DVIDS

Just as she did when they were deployed to Iran, Sarah Palin is visiting Alaskan National Guard troops deployed in Kosovo.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took time to pose for photos with military policeman at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. Palin traveled to Kosovo to visit Alaska Army National Guard troops stationed in the region as part of the Kosovo force peacekeeping mission. Photo by Sgt. Adam-David Pepper

Soldiers from the ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’ got a huge morale boost when Alaska’s governor, Sarah Palin, and the state’s adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, trekked the approximately 5,000 miles to see their National Guard troops from the 49th state and to show their support for the service members of the Multi-National Task Force-East KFOR 11 mission.

“Our Soldiers are America’s heroes and I want to do whatever I can do to show them support and take the time to do so, to travel and to see them,” said Palin, who became Alaska’s 11th governor in November 2006 and the first female to be elected.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was presented an Alaskan flag encased in a plaque; the flag was flown over Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, where Alaska Army National Troops are currently stationed as part of a peacekeeping mission to the region. Photo by Sgt. Adam-David Pepper

The 130 troops, assigned to 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, who wear the patch depicting the stars of the Big Dipper and the North Star, form the bulk of Task Force Arctic Eagle, who’s main contribution to keeping the peace in the Kosovo region is commanding the skies with their UH-60 Black Hawks.

“I truly appreciate you from the bottom of my heart. I have such a sincere, great appreciation for all that you are doing to serve your state and your country,” said Palin.

Camp Bondsteel Soldiers welcomed with smiles, flash bulbs and a whirlwind tour. That evening she met with senior leadership hosted by the commanding general of MNTF-E, Brig. Gen. Keith Jones, and was briefed on the current situation in the eastern sector. The next morning Palin was treated to a unique breakfast of pancakes and smoked salmon by her fellow Alaskans and to hear what the rank and file had on their minds.

“[The governor] is real down-to-earth and as a mother of a teenager, she is someone I can relate to,” said 1st Lt. Sarah Payeur, Task Force Arctic Eagle, aviation liaison officer, 1-207th Avn. Regt. “With her son in the Army, serving in Iraq, she completely understands what we are going through and to me that is important when it comes to knowing what family support is all about,” said the Eagle River, Alaska native.

Following a meet-and-greet opportunity, interested service members at the CBS theater, Gov. Palin and the Alaskan delegation were whisked away to visit a Task Force Arctic Eagle adopt-a-school program in the nearby town of Ferizaj/Urosevac.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin poses with children that the Alaska Army National Guard teach English to at the Ferizaj/Urosevac community center, Kosovo. The Alaska troops are currently deployed to Kosovo, as part of the United Nations Kosovo force mission bringing stability to the region. Photo by Sgt. Adam-David Pepper

“I think it is great what our troops are doing in helping these students learn English,” said Palin, who took a sidewalk tour of the town with one of the students, Albana Mani, who explained what the program is all about. The teenagers learned more about her during an exercise that involved reading and answering questions about her biography.

“We are very proud of our program and to show it off to the governor was an honor. It was important to let her see how we interact with the local community, to let her know the impact we are having with these students,” said Spc. Robert Sapp, a chaplain’s assistant with the 1-207th Avn. Regt., from Anchorage.

The tour of her short visit wound down when she returned to the flight line of CBS and took part in the pinning of newly promoted Soldiers and awarding achievements.

“The characteristics that you all embody; your self-determination and self-sufficiency, combined with teamwork that is needed in order to get the job done. You embody that. You have that discipline and tenacity and that patriotism that I pray our younger generation will adopt. Our country will be better off if we have more of you out there serving something greater than self,” concluded Palin.

“It was an honor to host Gov. Palin for her visit to Camp Bondsteel. The Soldiers were elated to see her and appreciated that she made the long trip from Alaska to show her appreciation for their service,” said Maj. Matthew Schell, the 1-207th’s acting battalion commander.

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Paul Wade