Published: April 03, 2007
Women inspire 3-25 Taskforce Hammerhead Soldier
By Spc. Bryanna Poulin
Spc. Lonnie Morris III, unit supply specialist with Foxtrot Company 3rd Battalion 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Contingency Operating Base Speicher sings during the 25th Infantry Division Equal Opportunity talent show for Women's History month. The theme "Generations of Women moving forward" was held at Building 1701 March 17. Photo by Spc. Bryanna Poulin
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Anyone that has deployed to Iraq realizes the daily stress and continuous pressure it brings on.
For one aviation Soldier channeling that stress enables him to get through the difficulty of being away from his loved ones.
Spc. Lonnie Morris III who is a unit supply specialist with Company F 3rd Battalion 25th Combat Aviation Brigade "Taskforce Hammerhead" at Contingency Operating Base Speicher is the proud father of a newborn son, who uses singing to minimize the strain of deployed life.
"If I am not doing physical training (PT), I spend my free time singing," Morris said. "It helps me get through being deployed and it eases the pressure of this environment."
Morris, who has been singing since he was 12, competed in a talent show March 17 which was sponsored by 138th Finance Battalion and 25th Infantry Division Equal Opportunity office in celebration of Women's History month.
Spc. Lonnie Morris III, unit supply specialist with Foxtrot Company 3rd Battalion 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Contingency Operating Base Speicher sings Brian Mcknights 6, 8, 12 during the 25th Infantry Division Equal Opportunity talent show for Women's History month March 17. Photo by Spc. Bryanna Poulin
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"To prepare for this talent show, the 3-25 chaplains would allow me to practice at the sharks' cove and use their equipment," he noted. "I would go in three to four times a week just singing away so I would be prepared."
Morris, who realized at the young age of 12 that he had a natural talent for singing, learned his basic abilities from his brother before moving onto singing with his church choir.
"I started performing because my brother also sang and I wanted to be like him," he said smiling as he was talking about his family. "I later joined my youth choir at my church where the choir director took me under her wing and showed me how to challenge myself as a vocalist."
The real inspiration behind him competing in the talent show was all the women in his life and the women of other service members deployed.
The judges for 25th Infantry Division Equal Opportunity Women's History month talent show make their final decision for the top three winners. The talent show was held March 17 at Building 1701 at Contingency Operating Base Speicher. Photo by Spc. Bryanna Poulin
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"When I am over here I think of all the women who are left taking care of the family in the rear," Morris said. "It means a lot to me and I appreciate my mom, my son's mother and all the women back home watching the children while their family members are deployed...they have just as hard time as we do here."
Morris who enjoys singing a variety of music from reggae to soft rock sang his heart out to Brian McKnight's song "6, 8, 12" where the crowd went wild with applause and although he didn't win the talent show it was evident by the crowd that all contestants were winners.
"All the singers did a great job," James Padgent, Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) employee and the audio and visual director for the talent shows. "It's pretty cool to come out here and watch Soldiers perform and see everyone having a great time."
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