Published: January 28, 2007
Soldiers Show their 'Wild Side' During Fashion Show
By Spc. Ryan Stroud
Sgt. 1st Class Pamela Owens, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, plays with her eye protection while she performs a skit at the 215th BSB Fashion Show, Jan. 20 at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqubah, Iraq. The event was held "to have some fun and boost morale," she said. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)
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Saturday nights used to be the night for many Soldiers to get dressed up and head out for a night on the town. Since the Soldiers of the 3rd "Grey Wolf" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, those nights are temporarily over for the Soldiers - or so they thought.
Soldiers from the 215th Brigade Support Battalion put together a night of "wild" fashion to entertain the rest of the units stationed at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Jan. 20.
Members of Grey Wolf pilled into Faulkenburg Theater for a night of laughs as Soldiers "strutted their stuff" and competed in different fashion categories.
"We had a fashion show to have some fun and boost morale," said Sgt. 1st Class Pamela Owens, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 215th BSB,
Sgt. 1st Class Pamela Owens, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, throws magazines on the ground instead of magazines for her weapon during her skit at the 215th BSB Fashion Show, Jan. 20 at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqubah, Iraq. Owens was acting like an un-motivated Soldier on her way to guard duty. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)
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"The show was to give the Soldiers something different to do after work and to raise morale," added Sgt. Jacob Taylor, HHC, 215th BSB, and a native of Silver Spring, Md.
"Some of the categories the Soldiers competed in were most outrageous uniform, worst standards, and most athletic," said Owens, a Worcester, Mass. native.
The Soldiers participating in the show grouped together many different forms of their uniform to create many outlandish costumes and accessories, Owens said.
Soldiers mixed their physical training uniforms with their Army Combat Uniforms and created different ensembles to entertain the crowd of people. Many of the performers also put on small skits to add to the show, while others danced to keep the crowds attention.
"The whole event was crazy!" said Spc. Kisha Mathurin, HHC, 215th BSB, and a native of Long Island, N.Y. "[The event] was a way to show that even though we are in Iraq, we can still have some fun."
Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, laugh at the performances during the 215th Brigade Support Battalion Fashion Show, Jan. 20 at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqubah, Iraq.(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)
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"It was a good change of pace," said Sgt. Glenn Roberts, HHC, 215th BSB, and a native of Chicago. "It showed some outrageous ways Soldiers could express themselves with their uniforms and outfits, and to just have fun with it."
Owens, who performed a skit that was inspired from her time as a drill sergeant, was impressed by the how well received the show was.
"I liked the fact that the show was given to the Soldiers to run," she said. "I, as a [non-commissioned officer], didn't have anything to do to with the planning or the organization of the show. The Soldiers did everything and did a great job with the entire event."
"I do hope many more events like this happen," Owens added. "It really is good for boosting morale."
As the show came to a close, it was determined that the HHC, 215th Soldiers were the winners of the contest. For the Soldiers, it was a fun and proud moment.
Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, dance for the Soldiers in attendance during the 215th BSB Fashion Show, Jan. 20 at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)
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"We worked hard and had a good time with this," said Mathurin. "I do hope everyone had a good time and the Soldiers enjoyed themselves."
"It was a great turnout and the Soldiers seemed to really enjoy it," Taylor added. "I think it really went well."
Though Soldiers will never be aloud to express their true styles of fashion during the work day, Mathurin hoped the show would let the Soldiers know that they can still look good, even with a uniform on.
"Even if we are in ACUs, we can still be a little fashionable," she said. "You can make anything look good with a little imagination."
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