Victory Times. Happy Thanksgiving. Titus, McNulty bring comedy, laughter to troops

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1 Victory Times Vol. II, Issue 133 Telling the Camp Victory story Titus, McNulty bring comedy, laughter to troops Story and photo by Spc. James P. Hunter MNC-I PAO Comedians Christopher Titus and Jennie McNulty performed a comedy show for Coalition troops at the Victory Stage on Camp Victory, Iraq, Friday. For nearly an hour and a half, McNulty and Titus kept the crowd in constant laughter. The show was great. I used to watch the Titus show on Fox. When I heard he was coming I didn t think it was him, said Staff Sgt. Rodney Williams, Readiness Command Emergency React Team, 3rd Signal Brigade. It was good for the troops. It lets you know you have a lot of supporters back home. Even though you re in a serious situation, you can actually have a chance to relax. It s important for the Soldiers to know we have supporters who are willing to personally show their support in the tough situation. For both comedians, this was their first trip into Iraq and when asked if she feels scared, McNulty said, No I m not. No I m not scared. I m not scared because of the way you guys carry yourselves, and the way you guys do your jobs; you are so professional. With 21 years of comedic experience, Titus has traveled and performed throughout the world. Happy Thanksgiving He said there is nothing like performing for troops, because of their appreciation for his comedy, and the character and heart of each person who Comedian Christopher Titus performs for Coalition troops at Camp Victory, Iraq, Nov. 17. In today s Victory Times: dons a service uniform. Titus always has a mission when he performs for troops. If you guys are in a Humvee, and you re driving around and (you re worried) about an IED and some guy s shooting you, and you can get away for a couple of hours and laugh (hysterically) and take some of that tension off, that s all I want to do, he said. Once, when he performed for troops in Germany, Titus was greeted by military policemen, he told the audience. Mr. Titus, sir. Excuse me Mr. Titus, sir. Excuse me Mr. Titus, Sir! Thrown off by their extreme discipline, he said, Call me whatever you want, I m not doing push ups. Very funny sir, they responded. Their reason for approaching him was to get Titus to meet one of their sergeants, Sgt. Peppers. They walk half way across the post, the entire time Titus thinks he is in trouble. But then he sees Peppers. Except Sergeant Peppers is in a wheelchair, and Sergeant Peppers had the top of his arm blown off and Sergeant Peppers had his eyes blown out when he was in Iraq, Titus explained. And standing next to Sergeant Peppers is his pregnant wife. One of Peppers Soldiers said, Sergeant Peppers, comedian Christopher See COMEDY, page 4 Page 2: Chaplain s Corner, Camp Victory Three- Day Forecast Page 3: Motor City donates yellow ribbon, Letters from Home Page 4: Military History Page 5: Camp Victory operating hours

2 Page 2 Victory Times Struggle goes on By Chaplain Charles Herring MNC-I Chaplain Office This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. I John 5:2-5 My meditation started out as an argument with John. Vine and branches, sustenance, pruning, growth, born of God, parent, children, following commandments John, won t you just leave me alone and let me go my own way? Perhaps I don t want to be that religious. Perhaps I don t want to be that committed. Perhaps I don t want to be that holy. Perhaps I don t want to be that involved. I m just a normal person. (Anyway, I think I m normal some say I m abnormal!) Well, yes, I do understand that I have been called by Chaplain s Corner God, and yes, I do know that I have been born from above. Yes, I do hear God s Spirit calling me, even now, calling for more commitment, more love, more fruit. How much more? My argument and struggle still continue. I have many competing commitments to work, to pleasure, to family, to friends. How am I to handle all of this? How am I to give myself completely to God when I have already reserved portions of my being for other causes, other callings? What does God expect of me here? I guess I have to start at the beginning, as the song says, a very good place to start. I need to affirm my connection to the vine, affirm my existence as a child of God. Then, as I experience God s love, and as I am embraced by God s love, it seems that all my priorities are changed. Now I know the order in which things are to be done. Now I know, because I have been loved by God, the most important thing is to show that love to others. The burden is light. It is not burdensome, because it is the natural thing for me to do, to give myself completely to this relationship. I m working at it. How committed should I be? How committed will I be? How commited am I? Heavenly Father, help me understand the real priorities in my life and help me to live each day as You would have it done. Camp Victory Three-day Forecast Friday High: 71 F Low: 48 F Saturday High: 71 F Low: 49 F Sunday High: 70 F Low: 46 F

3 Page 3 Victory Times Motor City donates yellow ribbon Story and photo by Maj. Bobby Hart TF 3 MEDCOM PAO What started out as a search by a Detroit radio personality for a tangible way to show support for troops may have ended up as the world s largest yellow ribbon. Scott Grunwald, of WYCD in Detroit, said he was thinking back in January of ways Detroit residents could demonstrate their support for troops when he came upon the idea of the yellow ribbon. With families across America displaying the yellow ribbons as a symbol for our waiting for the return of our troops, we decided to take it a step further, Grunwald said. The response was overwhelming. I expected maybe one or two thousand people would respond, but we ended up with more than 15,000 s and thousands more people who showed up at various locations all around the Motor City to sign the ribbon. We had veterans, many from Vietnam, American Legion posts, firemen, police, little kids everybody you could ever imagine wanting to sign it, Grunwald said. There were families who have lost loved ones over here it was very important to them. It was the most emotional thing we have ever done at our station. The result was a ribbon nine feet tall and nearly 60 feet long with thousands of Steve Grunwald from WYCD presented troops at Camp Victory with what his radio station in Detroit is calling the world s largest yellow ribbon. The ribbon hangs outside of the Oasis dining facility. signatures and well wishes for America s fighting men and women that will hang in the Oasis dining facility here in Baghdad. Grunwald went to a manufacturer in Detroit and asked what the biggest roll of fabric was and sewed four rolls together. He visited a Detroit unit, the 1171st Medical Company (Area Support Medical Company) at Camp Victory and presented Letters from home the ribbon to Soldiers having lunch at the Oasis. This has been an experience of a lifetime, Grunwald said. But for me to do something like this is nothing compared to what the troops do. They make the sacrifice that allows me to do my job and have my lifestyle. Every single person we talked to or put on the radio felt the exact same way. Steve was genuinely impressed with the caliber of the servicemembers he met. I m sure he will return to Detroit and share with his listeners the details of his adventures, said 2nd Lt. Aaron Squiers, ambulance platoon leader, 1171st. I m also sure when he gets back, his listeners will have a better understanding of the fantastic job all the servicemen are doing in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Grunwald said despite the massive size of the ribbon, it is a small token of the appreciation his listeners feel. We just want to let the troops know we love you and what you do over here is well appreciated, Grunwald said. I know everyone in Detroit appreciates what the troops do. Come home soon and be safe and thank you from the bottom of our hearts. As far as the claim of being the world s largest yellow ribbon, Grunwald said, No one s challenged us yet. Happy Thanksgiving V Corps Artillery, It won t be long before you re all home with your family and friends. On Thursday, I will be giving thanks to all of you who have sacrificed one year of your life for our country. Thank you. A special Happy Thanksgiving to Sg.t 1st Class BJ Rowley, I can t wait to see you baby, I love you and miss you. Deborah Rowley

4 Page 4 Victory Times Military History with Lt. Tom Lewis, Australian Forces November 1944, 62 years ago, the Allies were fighting a fierce battle against a new weapon, the kamikaze. The equation was simple; one explosive-loaded aircraft with one pilot, for one Allied ship. The new weapon worked well at first. By mid 1944, Japan s war effort was being overwhelmed. Checked at the battle of the Coral Sea by American and Australian forces, and then defeated at Midway by the U.S. Navy. The planned denial of the Pacific to the Allies as a whole was not succeeding. The overall Japanese strategy was to seize New Guinea to deny access to Australia for American forces, but this had been stopped. The Imperial Japanese forces were reduced to trying to fight a holding action. Now General Douglas MacArthur, the American military genius behind the island-hopping strategy, was seeing his plan come to fruition. As 1944 went on, the Japanese position became increasingly more desperate. Their forces were simply being overrun by the logistics effort and massive firepower of the Allies. Although the Japanese fought bravely and usually to the last of their resources, this was not enough. The new weapon was devised by one of their senior officers, who conceived the plan of crashing a Zero fighter with a bomb on board, into one of the bigger Allied ships. The first attack by a kamikaze aircraft probably occurred on Oct. 21, The exact history of the initial attacks is clouded in uncertainty, more so than in usual military history - often shrouded in smoke and mirrors - simply because most kamikaze pilots died. But on that day the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia, participating in one of the early battles of the Leyte Gulf campaign, was hit. In a maelstrom of ships firing and aircraft attacking, one Japanese machine tried to hit the Australia, missed, and then swung around for a second try. Despite concentrated fire against it, the pilot managed to hit the ship behind the bridge, inflicting substantial damage and killing the ship s captain and 30 others. The bomb the aircraft was carrying failed to detonate. This was the start of many similar attacks. On Oct. 26, for example, 55 kamikaze strikes damaged or sunk seven U.S. aircraft carriers and several smaller ships. The term kamikaze aircraft has been applied to all such suicide attacks. However, the machine of choice varied widely. Before Oct. 21 there had been instances where disabled aircraft had tried or partly succeeded in attempts to hit Allied ships, probably as the last efforts of a dying pilot. At first, converted fighters and bombers were used. Then purpose-built aircraft began to appear. The Nakajima Ki-115, with a wooden frame and conventional engine, took off using a trolley-like wheeled landing gear, which was left behind as the aircraft would not be landing conventionally, so to speak. One type, the rocket-powered Yokosuka MXY-7, used in March 1945, was slung underneath a heavy conventional bomber and launched in mid-air. At the Battle of Okinawa in April 6, 1945, around 1, 450 suicide aircraft were deployed. Although they had proved more effective against the wooden-decked American aircraft carriers than the steel-plated British, by now the new weapon was neutralized. Allied aircraft and ship defenses were simply too good at shooting down the kamikazes whose fliers were now dying in vain. Around 4,000 gave their lives, for the probable loss of around 70 Allied ships. Comedy Titus standing right here. And Sergeant Peppers, a little bit drunk by the way, (screams), Titus, your show rocks. Sir, I want you to know I appreciate you coming over performing for my guys We can not tell you how much we appreciate it. Thank you, Titus continued. I didn t know what to say. He was thanking me for what you guys do. Another MP said, Sgt. Peppers would you like a picture of you and Mr. Titus? Sgt. Peppers turns his head and goes who the f*** is the picture for? Titus said as the crowd broke into laughter. And I rolled on the ground laughing. I couldn t believe he still had his sense of humor. And I thought is that who we are sending? Is that who you guys really are? Is that the kind of heart and character (the troops have), and if that s the case, the world (is safe) right now because of you guys. I (just) want to thank you guys for doing this job, Titus added. McNulty and Titus both believe the American people could see in person what the U.S. troops are doing in support of the War on Terror, but no matter what happens, the American support is there. I go around this country all the time, and the one thing (the American people) are aware of (is) you guys are busting your (butt), doing your job, Titus said. They have no animosity. They have no worries. What would I tell them (the American People)? I don t need to tell them anything. They get it. I think I need to tell you guys that you guys need to know that back home that they get it.

5 Page 5 Victory Times Operating hours Coalition Cafe Breakfast 5:30-8:30 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Dinner 5:30-8 p.m. Midnight Dining 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. Sports Oasis Breakfast 5:30-8:30 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Dinner 5-9 p.m. Shopette Open 24 Hours Camp Liberty Post Exchange Everyday 8 a.m p.m. Fitness Center Open 24 Hours MNC-I STB Mailroom Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. - noon 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Golby Troop Medical Clinic Sick Call Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - noon Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. - noon Dental Sick Call: Monday - Friday 7:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday 9-10:30 a.m. Combat Stress Clinic: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. - noon Post Deployment Health Briefings: Monday - Friday 1 p.m. Pharmacy: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - noon, 1-4:30 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 7:30 a.m. - noon Legal Assistance/Claims Saturday - Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Personnel Service Support Centers Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. ID Cards Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Submit letters from home Is your loved one deployed in support of Multi-National Corps-Iraq? Would you like to write him or her a message in the Victory Times? Send messages, three to four lines of text to curtis.squires@iraq.centcom.mil. Ensure to include Soldiers name, rank, and unit. Victory Times welcomes columns, commentaries, articles and letters from our readers. Send submissions or comments to jason.baker@iraq.centcom.mil. We reserve the right to edit for security, accuracy, propriety, policy, clarity and space. New Location For Army National Guard Retention Office NOW LOCATED IN AREA 51 GO INTO AREA 51 PAST FUEL POINT TURN LEFT AT BUS STOP GO THROUGH FENCE ON LEFT SIDE OF MWR LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM PBO TRAILER 51TR8 STOP BY AND CHECK OUT YOUR OPTIONS Sgt. 1 st Class JOHN GRAY, THEATER RETENTION NCO MNC-I Commanding General: Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli MNC-I Public Affairs Officer: Lt. Col. Michelle L. Martin-Hing MNC-I PA Sergeant Major: Sgt. Maj. Paul J. Stevenson MNC-I Command Info Chief: Sgt. 1st Class Laurence R. Lang MNC-I Production Chief: Staff Sgt. Jason B. Baker Layout/Design Chief: Spc. Curt Squires Victory Times Staff writers/ photographers: Sgt. Brian James Anderson, Spc. Curt Squires, Spc. James P. Hunter, Cpl. Jessica Kent, Spc. Sean Finch Victory Times is an authorized electronic publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of this electronic publication are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the Department of Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of Multi-National Corps Iraq.