Photo By Sgt. Breeanna Pierce | Country music singer and song-writer Michael Peterson writes a special thanks you to...... read more read more
BAGHDAD – In 2005, country music singer and song-writer Michael Peterson was asked to tour Iraq on a United Service Organizations tour with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as part of his Annual Holiday Tour.
When the tour was done, Peterson expressed interest to USO officials in continuing to support deployed troops.
“It kept ringing in my mind that there must be places that don’t get to always see the ‘big show,’” Peterson said.
Since then, Peterson has toured Afghanistan twice and Iraq six times with the USO, prior to this Morale, Welfare and Recreation tour.
Once again Peterson is back, adding this second visit to Forward Operating Base Union III to his list of tour stops. It’s only been five months since his last visit to the International Zone, but the energy that overwhelmed him during his Christmas visit still lingers in his mind.
“It was one of the best Christmases I’ve had,” said Peterson, who received the U.S. Army’s Bob Hope “Spirit of Hope” award in 2008. “Even though people were away from home and loved ones, [service members] still found a way to celebrate.”
During his latest tour, Peterson continued to be amazed with the troops here, stopping every once in a while to greet a service member that he remembered from his last visit to Union III. As he toured the FOB, getting a sense of a daily life for a deployed service member, Peterson met with United States Forces-Iraq’s Deputy Commanding General for Advising and Training, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, at the Scott-Wolfer Fitness Center here as he finished up an intensive combatives workout.
Peterson’s visit concluded with a musical performance, showcasing his talents for service members at the MWR stage here, May 15.
Peterson opened his show with a comedic piece, “I am my own Grandpa,” getting service members to laugh, relax and enjoy the rest of the set.
Peterson continued to share his unique sense of humor throughout his show, continuing to fill the MWR facility with laughter.
“We try to bring laughter to our shows,” said Peterson, who has teamed up with Travis Tritt on the duet “Drink, Swear, Steal and Lie.” “We want to bring variety to the monotony of a deployment.”
Peterson’s humor took some of the audience members off guard; they were not expecting a comedy show as well.
“I was shocked by the level of humor in his show,” said Idaho Edokpayi, an employee with USF-I’s International Zone Sharepoint office. “He’s funny. It’s like getting two shows in one.”
Although he had the audience cracking up between songs, his first tour to Iraq had a different mentality.
“The more I’ve come [over here], the better I’ve had the understanding of [what it means] to be here and really make a contribution, not just give a concert,” he said.
However, just the fact that Peterson made the effort to come to Union III to support the troops spoke volumes to appreciative service members.
“[Performers] could easily choose to stay in their comfort zone,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Allen, the International Zone Support Element’s Information Systems Management Officer operations non-commissioned officer. “Instead, they choose to come over here, risking their own personal safety, to show appreciation for what we do.”
As Peterson’s show continued, he shared music from his own repertoire, and included pieces from musicals like “Oklahoma,” to which he added an alternative verse of his own, inspired by service members.
“They’re stronger you see for their adversity, their future is better than they thought it might be …,” he sang, earning a special appreciation from his audience.
Peterson finished his show with performing a heartfelt song entitled “This Old Army Hat,” which highlights the importance of memories between veterans and their family members, and passing those memories on to future generations.
“It’s an important story to tell,” he said, referring to the challenges veterans face.
No matter how difficult the mission is, Peterson said that he is always impressed with the motivation and strength of America’s Armed Forces.
“I will never down-play the challenges service members face,” said Peterson, who was also recognized as country music’s top-selling new artist in 1997 and 1998. “When they face adversity, they’re stronger for it, not weaker.”
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.18.2011 09:25 |
| Story ID: | 70584 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 217 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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