204th Brigade Support Battalion Soldier becomes 'war' bride

Photo By Staff Sgt. Miguel Rivas | Pvt. Nichole Mangum, a human resources specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, displays a picture of her new husband, Nathan Newkirk, at Camp Echo on March 23.  

BASRA, IRAQ

03.31.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Miguel Rivas 

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Many married Soldiers would agree that the hardest part of deployment is being separated from their families for so long. Some have been married for decades while others have been married for days, such as those who marry while on environmental morale leave.

There are some married Soldiers who have never even had their first kiss as man and wife. Pvt. Nichole Mangum, a human resources specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and resident of Colorado Springs, Colo., became a bride after a series of emails, paperwork and a telephone call from Iraq to the Colorado Springs courthouse more than 7,000 miles away and married Nathan Newkirk via proxy.

"The idea of marriage had come up, but I knew I was deploying," said Mangum. They debated the pros and cons of saying their vows before a deployment. Mangum believed they should wait, but Newkirk would have none of that. He was ready to become a husband and tie his life to the woman he had met more than five years earlier.

Mangum deployed shortly after that, so the prospect of a quick marriage was scrapped.

When she left Fort Carson to join the rest of 204th BSB, Mangum learned that since she was deploying so late, she would not be eligible to take EML.

As she awaited transportation to Camp Kalsu after arriving in Baghdad, Mangum received an unlikely gift from a seasoned veteran, Sgt. 1st Class Sherika Gray, the support operations non-commissioned officer in charge for 204th BSB.

Gray noticed an ad in Stars and Stripes for a legal marriage procedure that would change the life of the young Soldier standing next to her.

Gray said she was wary about recommending marriage to all young Soldiers, but in Mangum's case she decided to give her blessing and help any way she could.

Through e-mails, phone calls and the wife of a member of the 204th BSB Rear Detachment, who served as Mangum's proxy to sign the documents, the ceremony was completed.

Unfortunately, the honeymoon beach house in Florida and their first kiss as man and wife will have to wait. For now, accomplishing the mission is what is on Mangum's mind. However, knowing her new husband is there to support her helps her focus on her duty and endure the hardships of deployment and separation.

• Date Taken: 03.31.2009
• Date Posted: 03.31.2009 12:31
• Story ID: 31818
• Location: BASRA, IQ