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Voice of Kingsport - The Model City's Newspaper !
Keep Soldiers Safe
By Army Pfc. Evan Loyd
Special to American Forces Press Service
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq, Nov. 21, 2008 – Navy Cmdr. Ed Fischer and Air Force 1st Lt. E.J. Wong would seem to be out of place in an Army heavy brigade combat team conducting operations in Iraq.
Fischer, whose career field is nuclear engineering, and Wong, an air battle manager, are electronic warfare officers for the 1st Armored Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and they play a critical role in ensuring the safety of brigade soldiers.
“We maintain, field and upgrade the electronic countermeasures throughout the brigade,” Wong, a San Francisco native, said.
Electronic warfare officers keep soldiers safe by ensuring that electronic equipment designed to counter enemy tactics -- such as the Warlock system, which protects soldiers from roadside bombs -- is maintained and working properly.
With electronic threats to the U.S. military evolving constantly, the means of fighting that threat must change to keep up, Wong explained.
Prior to arriving to the unit, Fischer said, he wasn’t sure what to expect as a naval officer joining the ranks of an Army unit.
“Since I’ve arrived, I feel like I have been accepted well,” the Washington, N.C., native said. “I’ve never once felt like I don’t belong. I feel like I am a part of the team, and in the same sense, I am treated like I am a part of the team.”
Wong, who served in Iraq in previous deployments as an air weapons officer, volunteered to deploy again with less than a week’s notice.
“We’re all part of one big American team, and I’ve been accepted really well,” he said. “It’s been great getting the first-hand experience while being out here with the 2nd BCT.”
Wong studied electronic warfare at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., for a month, learning the fundamentals of basic radio and radar theory. His training culminated in hands-on training in Warlock operations and maintenance.
This expertise is invaluable to ensure soldiers are not harmed while operating in their sector, he said.
Annual Memorial Service
By: Brad Lifford
BRISTOL – People who gather in Bristol Regional Medical Center’s Monarch Auditorium Sunday, Nov. 23, will be united by one of life’s most difficult moments – the death of a loved one.
But Wellmont Hospice’s annual memorial service will focus not so much on loss as it will on holding onto a lifetime of memories. The service, which typically draws upwards of 250 people who have lost a loved one during the past year, will be held at 3 p.m.
“From our perspective at Wellmont Hospice, we look at death as a natural progression of our life here and there should be a time for celebrating that life,” said Jackie Everett, clinical leader at Wellmont Hospice, which is located on the Bristol Regional campus. “We hold the memorial service so we can recognize the lives of the people we’ve been involved with and remember the effect they had on the people around them. Family members are able to come together to remember and acknowledge the impact their loved ones had on our world.”
The event is held during National Hospice Month, which is recognized each November as a time to focus on how hospice services offer guidance, support and medical expertise for patients and families dealing with end-of-life issues. Wellmont Hospice also held a breakfast for area chaplains this week.
“The memorial service is an important time for family members and our staff,” Everett said. “Frequently, our hospice staff members have being seeing these people in their homes three times a week, and when a person dies, this gives our staff members a chance to come back together with family members, say thank you to each other and provide some closure.”
“We try to make this an uplifting experience. Our staff will give testimonials where they tell about their experiences and how much they appreciate the opportunity to be involved in someone’s life. And we ask families to send in a picture of a loved one they lost, so at certain points during the service we show those pictures on the screen for everybody to see.”
Wellmont Hospice not only provides home services but also operates the only inpatient hospice facility between Knoxville and Lynchburg, Va.
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