Posted on 05/26/2008 8:02:36 PM PDT by SandRat
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – When Sgt. Sean McCormick packed his bags for his second deployment to Iraq, he decided to bring his video camera, laptop computer and 40 recordable DVDs to show his wife at home how he was doing.
“For my wife, it is very important to hear my voice and see my face,” said McCormick, chaplain’s assistant for 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. “I thought it would make being away a little easier and wanted her to know I was OK.”
After making his first video and learning his wife watched it three times in one day, he got the idea to make videos for other Soldiers deployed in Iraq.
He coordinated with 2-6th Inf. Regt. officers at Combat Outposts Carver and Cahill to reserve times at the chapel for Soldiers to send messages home.
McCormick, a native of Matawan, N.J., records Soldiers’ messages on his camera, each lasting typically 30 seconds to 15 minutes. However, they can talk longer, saying whatever they want, or even read a book for their children at home.
“I encourage the Soldiers to bring pictures and do whatever they want. It’s their project and I want them to feel comfortable,” McCormick said. “It can be as big or small as they want.”
McCormick compresses the video and puts it onto a disk for Soldiers to send home. All of this is done at McCormick’s expense. While he hopes for help with DVD costs, he says the project is for Soldiers and worth every penny spent.
“It’s not about the money, it’s about keeping families connected,” McCormick said. “These Soldiers are missing important days like holidays, anniversaries and birthdays. It’s a way to let their families at home know that they are thinking of them.”
McCormick does this process weekly at both COPs and hopes his idea will have an effect on Soldiers for years to come.
“It’s something that can be done anywhere weekly and only takes a few minutes,” McCormick said. “Hopefully this project will pick up and Soldiers all over Iraq will be able to send videos home.”
McCormick also offers a movie night at the chapel on both COPs once a week. While the movies may be slightly outdated, he says Soldiers appreciate it just the same and it provides them something to do outside of their rooms and away from their jobs.
“The first movie night we held, some of the outgoing Soldiers came to watch,” McCormick said. “They said that our movie night was the first movie night they had seen in 15 months. I know we are doing things right.”
McCormick believes his duty is to help fellow Soldiers any way he can.
“If you provide services, the Soldiers will remember you and know that you care,” McCormick said. “I don’t do this just so people will come to church. I do it because they are United States Soldiers serving our country and I want them to know that we care.”
The 2-6th Inf. Regt. is assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since April in the Mada’in Qada in southeastern Baghdad Province.
Kudos to this fine servant of God and country. Thanks for posting.
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