New Years Bagram style: Servicemembers party like its 1999

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, sound off the men and women of Combined Joint Task Force-82 as they count down to midnight, Dec. 31. Though no one popped open a bottle of bubbly, Servicemembers here still found a way to have fun on the last night of 2007.
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines celebrated the count down to New Year’s 2008 here with live music and lots of laughs.
The tunes were courtesy of visiting Boston band Lansdowne and Level 82, part of the 82nd Airborne Division’s All-American Band. Two comedians, Daniel Kinno and Julie McCullough, touring Afghanistan brought smiles to the faces of everyone who came to listen.
“I’m here listening to live music, which is one of my passions” said Spc. Craig Chick, 82nd Airborne Division Aviation Operations Soldier. “It’s hard not spending time with my wife or friends on New Years Eve, but I got a good laugh listening to the comedians and I love listening to music.”

Lansdowne, who is on their first Armed Forces Entertainment Tour, kicked off the show and then came back for an encore before Level 82 rocked the stage.
“It has been educational; we’ve gotten a real view of everything” said members of the band. “We got to see what’s not on T.V.”
The band spent Christmas in Kyrgystan before traveling here for New Years.
“It is an honor to play for you,” said lead singer John Ricci. “Thank you all for what you do.”
Servicemembers might have been missing their families but took some time to enjoy themselves.

“I would like to tell my wife that I lover her,” said Chick, who has been in Afghanistan for 12 months. “I want to say ‘Happy New Years Eve’ to my family. I miss you all and I am coming home soon.”
The Servicemembers of CJTF-82 have been fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom for nearly one year and every second they counted toward 2008 is one more second closer to coming home. 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To: 91B; HiJinx; Spiff; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; TEXOKIE; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...

FR WAR NEWS!

WAR News at Home and Abroad You'll Hear Nowhere Else!

All the News the MSM refuses to use!

Or if they do report it, without the anti-War Agenda Spin!

Not for commercial use. For educational and discussion purposes only.

If you would like to be added to / removed from FRWN, please FReepmail Sandrat.

WARNING: FRWN can be an EXTREMELY HIGH-VOLUME PING LIST!!

2 posted on 01/01/2008 5:37:16 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)

OUTSTANDING! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR MAGNIFICENT TROOPS AND THEIR SUPPORT, WE’RE PROUD OF YOU!

3 posted on 01/01/2008 6:15:05 PM PST by AliVeritas (ah, the sheer grace! in darkness and concealment, my house being now all stilled.)

4 posted on 01/01/2008 6:38:47 PM PST by do the dhue (They've got us surrounded again. The poor bastards. General Creighton Abrams)

I welcomed 2007 while at Bagram. I won’t say anything about liquids being ingested though.

5 posted on 01/01/2008 6:52:36 PM PST by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Democrats spent that time trying to destroy it.)

6 posted on 01/01/2008 7:09:35 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.