Troops Remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at FOB Hammer

The keynote speaker of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s commemorative service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., CW4 Dieufort Dieujuste, from Phenix City, Ala., 3rd BCT’s property book officer, recounts King’s history and message at the Hammer dining facility, Jan. 28.

Spc. Jamilah Cooper, from Chicago, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, sings during the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s commemorative service to honor the work and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Hammer dining facility, Jan. 28.

By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – The Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team held a commemorative service to honor the work and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Hammer dining facility, Jan. 28.

Soldiers of the 3rd BCT listened as King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech was read by Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Biddle, from Milwaukee, Wis., Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment.

“It is good to be here amongst good people and read one of the greatest speeches ever written,” Biddle said.

As part of the celebration, Spc. Jamilah Cooper, from Chicago, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, performed two songs to honor King and his message.

“I thought she did an outstanding job, tonight,” said Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd BCT. “Frankly, I don’t know what she’s doing in the Army. When she gets out, I want to be her manager.”

The feature speaker of the event, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dieufort Dieujuste, from Phenix City, Ala., 3rd BCT’s property book officer, recounted the life and message of King and implored his listeners to take King’s dream and put it into action.

“Dr. King said, ‘Make a career out of humanity and you will make a great person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world to live in,’” Dieujuste said.

The 3-1st Cav. Regt. and the 3rd BSTB are assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and have been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007.