Phil Vandel brings entertainment to COB Speicher

Photo By Spc. Jessica Haney | Phil Vandel, singer and lead guitarist for The Phil Vandel Band, performs for service members and civilians stationed at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, at the North Morale, Welfare and Recreation center May 21.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IRAQ

05.21.2010

Story by Spc. Jessica Haney 

135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – After touring Kuwait City and bases across Iraq, The Phil Vandel Band performed for service members and civilians stationed at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, May 21.

Covering a variety of genres, the band entertained about 50 service members at the North Morale, Welfare and Recreation center.

"Anything you request," said Phil Vandel, a St. Joseph, Mo., native, "we will play it. When you come here to play music, the last thing you want to be doing is staring at a wall. So, if we can play, we're going to play."

Putting on a show longer than most bands that visit, Vandel invited service members on stage to help sing songs like "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Sweet Home Alabama."

"I enjoyed it," said Spc. Julie M. Frye, Clay Center, Kan., a battalion repairs and utilities specialist for 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, out of Fort Riley, Kan. "They have good energy. Concerts are a chance to relax. You don't quite forget you're in a war zone, but you get away for a bit."

The passion Vandel has for helping service members started with an organization from his home area.

"I was asked to go play a wounded warrior event," he said. "I remember sitting at a table, and they wheeled in five or six [service members] missing their legs – just home from Iraq. Something just absolutely changed inside me – I knew this was going to be a passion of mine."

Donating hundreds of hours to causes that support troops, The Phil Vandel Band is now on their second tour of Iraq.

During their travels through Iraq, The Phil Vandel Band stopped at a small base where service members thought the band was lost.

"They said they had never had entertainment before," said Vandel. "We just set up in the dirt next to the burn pit and played. They had a great time."

Wanting to support every Soldier in theater, Vandel's goal is to perform at as many small bases as possible.

"It's not that any Soldier is any less or more than another," he said, "it's just that if you're in Baghdad, there's something through there every day. If you're at Speicher or Sykes – smaller [forward operating bases] – some of them have never had entertainment."

Support of service members is important to Vandel. He said that all Americans should "keep their yellow ribbons out and their flags waving."

"Don't just do it on Memorial Day or 4th of July," he said. "Do it all year 'round."

• Date Taken: 05.21.2010
• Date Posted: 05.23.2010 11:19
• Story ID: 50128
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ