Lifting Morale

Spc. Derrian Richardson, 3/3rd Inf. Div., works out as his
workout partner, Sgt. Germele Smith, the targeting NCO for
the 3rd HBCT, spots him in the MWR weight room Friday.

SPC. BEN HUTTO
3/3RD INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS
FORWARD OPERATING BASE


HAMMER, Iraq — While others rush back to their tents to relax, one Soldier rushes to the Desert Grille dining facility to grab a quick to-go plate. “I’ll need it for after my workout,” explained Spc. Derrian Richardson, Charlotte, N.C., a fire support specialist for the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

Unlike many of his fellow Soldiers who find reasons to skip a work out now and then, Richardson, a forward observer, hits the gym six days a week.

“It’s a stress-reliever after work, and it helps the time go by out here,” he said. On this day, the soft-spoken Soldier walks into the Morale, Welfare and Recreation weight room with his workout partner, Sgt. Germele Smith, the targeting NCO for the 3rd HBCT, from Roosevelt, N.Y., and quickly finds a flat bench. Many of the Soldiers around Richardson silently shake their heads in disbelief as Richardson puts 300 pounds on the bar and begins his warm up.
“Rich is a pusher,” Smith said. “Just when you are on your last repetition and are fatigued physically, mentally and spiritually; he motivates you to get that last rep up.”

Motivating others isn’t Richardson’s only strong point, however. “He pushes himself harder than he does us,” Smith continued. “His personal strength of will carries over in the weight room. He will not let himself down. Sometimes I think he’s done and try to help him. In the middle of the rep, he will tell me not to touch the weight and he finds a way to get it up. It’s amazing to watch.”

Richardson has earned every ounce of his strength through hard work. He started weight training eight years ago during his junior year of high school to help compete on the football fi eld at West Mecklenburg High School.

“I was really small at the time, but I enjoyed it,” Richardson said. “I’ve kept at it ever since.”
Last year at Fort Stewart, Ga., Richardson’s hard work paid off when he dominated his weight class at the bench press competition during Marne Week. As many other of the other competitors struggled with 250 pounds, Richardson added 50 pounds and easily lifted it.
“Nobody was near me,” explained Richardson, who was entered in the 170-pound division of the competition. “That’s why I only did that much. I wanted to bench a weight I was comfortable
with. I could have done a lot more.”

One of the surprising things about the Marne Week victory was that Richardson was thrown into it with 24-hour notice. “I needed to provide a Soldier at the last minute, and I knew
Rich would be the perfect choice,” said Sgt. Steven McKissock, one of the NCOs in 3rd HBCT’s fi re support element, from Pompano Beach, Fla. “I didn’t know he was going to be in a bench
press competition. The company said they needed athletes, and I knew he would be a good choice. He’s one of the guys that sets the standard at PT.”



Richardson is quick to help the Soldiers he works with. From being a spotter to providing workout tips, he encourages everyone in his section. “It’s a bonding experience for us,” said Richardson when he was asked to explain why he and his section work out so much.
“It has gotten us a lot closer. We all keep log books and compete against each other. During the week, we are constantly talking about what we are going to lift after work. We all want to come
back and win bench press competitions in our weight divisions.” McKissock acknowledges that the competition between his Soldiers is one of the enjoyable things about this deployment.
“Each shift talks trash to the other one,” said McKissock. “We all give each other a hard time and try to fire each other up. Well, everybody except for Rich. He doesn’t need to do that, and we all know he’s the man. He really helps everyone. He genuinely wants us all to be as big as he is.”

Richardson’s NCOs both agree that his dedication to getting bigger and stronger mirrors his dedication to being a good Soldier. “His strongest asset is his discipline,” said McKissock. “He’s
quick to do anything he’s asked to do. I appreciate how he goes out and finds out how to do something without asking a million questions. He just gets his orders and executes.” Smith agrees with McKissock’s assessment. “Working next to him is more of a privilege,” Smith said. “You tell him once to do something and you don’t have to worry about it. You know it will get done.” Smith also said that despite his rank, Richardson is an effective leader of those around him. “He’s humble, but he exceeds the standard as a Soldier and as a person,” he explained. “He obtains and delivers knowledge in an effective way, those are true skills of a good leader.”
Smith is certain that Richardson’s devotion to weight lifting has helped him as a Soldier. Fatigue trains the mind as well as the body,” he said. “It makes us stronger in every way. Rich is all about that.”



Richardson has some lofty workout goals to achieve before he leaves FOB Hammer next year.
“I want to be able to bench 405 pounds, dead-lift 450 and squat 350,” said the 180-pound Soldier. His NCOs have no doubt he will achieve it. “I don’t put anything past him,” Smith said. “If he says he’s going to do it; he’ll do it.”
Spc. Ben Hutto