Soldier show entertains at Drum

FORT DRUM — Song and dance might not be the first things one would associate with the U.S. Army, but on Wednesday night, a crew of touring, performing soldiers came to Fort Drum to entertain fellow soldiers and their families.

A gym at the Magrath Sports Complex was transformed into a theater for the event, with hundreds of people populating the bleachers for the free 2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show. But before the music began, a more solemn ceremony was held to reaffirm the Army's commitment to caring for the families of soldiers.

Maj. Gen. James L. Terry, who took over as commander of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division last month, signed the Army Family Covenant, along with F. Anthony Keating, civilian aide for the Fort Drum region to Army Secretary John M. McHugh, and other Fort Drum dignitaries.

The covenant was initiated in 2007 by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey in recognition of how multiple deployments in the lengthy conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused stress for soldiers' families — and how family difficulties can increase the stress for deployed soldiers. In effect, what the covenant has meant for Fort Drum is a doubling of funding for programs that help support soldiers' families during deployments — such as free or subsidized child care to give spouses a respite — according to Harold E. Greer, director of Fort Drum Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

After the brief signing event, the show kicked off. Many adults in the audience could be seen swaying with the music and holding up children for a glimpse of the action.

"You're not going to be able to see something like this every day, and the fact that they're fellow soldiers makes it even more interesting," said Zulema D. Deacon, Carthage, whose husband, Spc. Yero M. Deacon, is serving with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan.

Ms. Deacon was attending the show with a friend, another Army wife. Friendship with other military spouses and events like the Soldier Show that connect Army families with life on base have been important means of support for her during her husband's deployment, she said. They are especially helpful when the rest of your family is far away, she added. The Deacons are originally from Pembroke Pines, Fla.

The Soldier Show's production manager, Staff Sgt. Kevin K. Lynum, said the crew's Fort Drum visit follows a recent South Korea tour. Its next stop is Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn.

The aim is to "reach out and touch the hearts, minds and souls of all the families," he said. "We just try to clear their minds and show 'em a good time."