Rocking Iraq

Many soldiers appreciate visits from performers who volunteer their time to visit and provide entertainment that helps break up the monotony of deployment. Less than a year after their last visit to Iraq, Vertical Horizon returned April 9 for another tour.
Sgt. Raymond Mandap, a Jersey City, N.J., native, performed on stage with the band.
The band performed for nearly 200 service members and civilians here at Memorial Hall. They also brought copies of their new CD, “Burning the Days,” for each audience member.
Sgt. Ashlee Ibarra, an entry control point administrative and project manager with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, and a Frisco, Texas native, attended the show with three other soldiers.
“I’ve been a fan of Vertical Horizon for a long time,” Ibarra said. “We were jamming out to them on the way over here.”
Ibarra, whose favorite Vertical Horizon song is “Best I Ever Had,” said this was the first morale, welfare and recreation event that she has attended during this deployment, but she went to most of the events offered during her previous deployment.
“I think these events build morale, especially as things begin to close down here,” Ibarra said.
First Lt. Cale Smith, a physician’s assistant with HHC, 4th STB, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 310th ESC, was present to provide medical coverage at the event, but he said he was enjoying it even though he was working.
“I volunteer to work at all of the MWR events,” he said. “This is fun, and I like Vertical Horizon. [Also] it allows one of my soldiers to have the time off if I work.”
As fans cheered for them, the band expressed their appreciation with a standing ovation for the soldiers. After the show, band members signed autographs and posed for photos.