Page 6 - Ft. Irwin High Desert Warrior, December 2018

High Desert Warrior
6 December 7 , 2018
Special Visit
Janell J. Lewis Ford
Terry Crews (Actor, Brooklyn 9-1-1; Everybody Hates
Chris):
Military Connection: Father was in the Army
“First of all, I have nothing but respect for our military
service, the people who serve in the military and all the
things they do for us and I think it’s really important that
we experience just a little bit of the sacrifice. For one, it’s just
invigorating because you understand what our Armed Forces
go through and you get the media and movie image but when
you see this stuff for real man, it’s so much respect, even more
respect and we’ve got video games, we’ve got movies but it does
not take the place of something like this and I feel changed,
I really do.”
“They tend to respect what we do but I’m trying to tell
you, it’s nothing compared to what they do and I just wanted
to say that to every person in our Armed Forces, the sacrifices
you make—men and women, we’re talking about families
who are sacrificing, they’re living on bases and moving every,
few years, this kind of sacrifice is necessary and it’s beautiful.”
Isaiah Crews (Terry Crews’ 13-year-old son): “It was
scary and fun at the same time. I really don’t know how to
explain it, that was actually amazing.”
Johnson/Vulture Team Ops Group
Bonnie Laflin (First female NBA Scout, Basketball Wives
TV show):
Military Connection: “I’m very supportive of our troops.
I come from a military family and I think it’s so important,
regardless of what side you lay on politically, that you support
our men and women in uniform for what they do. The reason
we have the freedoms we have, is because of our military.”
“I think it’s absolutely amazing to see women in situations
that are normally dominated by men, to be able to see their
leadership skills in even infantry now, even on the front lines,
showing that women can do it just like the men, I think it’s so
empowering and inspiring.”
For more information go to www.irwin.army.mil
www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin
Janell J. Lewis Ford
Judd Lormand (Actor, SEAL Team):
Military Connection: Several males in his family (nephews,
cousins, father-in-law, both grandparents on both sides); He
plays a lieutenant commander on the TV show, SEAL Team.
Lormand teared up as he said, “The biggest help for me, I
think, was seeing the family aspect. It’s hard to even say it with-
out getting a lump in my throat because I always had a respect
for anyone who is going to get up and go to foreign soil and
pick up a weapon and defend our freedoms and our country,
then when I realize what the families, the wives, the spouses do
at home, it doesn’t just help me on the show, it actually helps
me as a person, and as an American.”
“I used to say all the time, just ‘Thank you for your service,’
but now it’s not just them, it’s their entire families, their entire
circle who I truly thank from the bottom of my heart, so it’s
changed my perspective completely in a good way.”
Johnson/Vulture Team Ops Group
Dana Thomas (Fitness model, author- husband of Ameri-
can Idol Jordin Sparks)
Military Connection: “The crazy thing is, when I was 18,
I went through the military boot camp (in Colorado Springs)
because I went to the Air Force Academy, so I’ve been through
some of this, not to the extreme, but I feel like I could keep up.”
His wife, Jordin Sparks, told him a little about her experience
visiting Fort Irwin: “She told me that it was really fun and that
she loved it. She just told me it was a great time and to come
out here and enjoy myself.”
Janell J. Lewis Ford
Donna D’Errico (Actress/Model, original Baywatch TV
series):
Military Connection: Her father served 20 years in the
Army and retired as a captain
“My dad was career military, so I grew up in Columbus,
Georgia (Fort Benning), and I was around military my whole
life growing up, so this for me is really cool and I’m going to
post to social media and tag the hell out of it because I think
everybody should know this is going on and be aware.”
“I think the people don’t appreciate the military like they
should, like they used to. I don’t know what’s changed but
this day in age, I feel like they’re not as appreciated like when
I was growing up and that needs to change—they do A LOT!”
Janell J. Lewis Ford
Christina Pascucci (KTLA reporter/anchor):
“All this gave me a full level of appreciation for what our
service members do, the risks they put themselves in on a daily
basis and there’s so much we don’t see while we’re being here
enjoying, daily civilian life.”
Janell J. Lewis Ford
Jimmy O Yang (Actor, Crazy Rich Asians): “First of all,
I think it’s just a fun experience and to just be apart of some-
thing that I’ve never got to do, but of course….It gives me a
much better appreciation and understanding of the Army and
our military.”