What Happened When the Music Stopped in Iraq

A fellow journalist shared the story below. According to Truth or Fiction.com, it is a true story that dates back to May 2007. The words are from Army Reserve Chaplain Jim Higgins written when he was deployed. It’s an apt entry for a Sunday.

(For  those who are unaware: At all military base  theaters, the National Anthem is played before  the movie begins.) As is the custom at all military bases, we stood at attention when it played befoe the main feature film began.

This is written by a  Chaplain in Iraq :

I recently attended a  showing of ‘Superman 3’ here at  LSA  Anaconda. We have a large auditorium that we use  for movies as well as memorial services and  other large gatherings.   

Now, what would happen if  this occurred with 1,000 18-to-22-year-olds  back in the States?  I imagine that there  would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude  comments, and everyone would sit down and yell  for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, only  if they had stood for The National Anthem  in the first place.

Here in Iraq  1,000 soldiers continued to stand at attention,  eyes fixed forward. The music started again, and  the soldiers continued to quietly stand at  attention.  Again, though, at the same  point, the music stopped. What would you expect  1,000 soldiers standing at attention to  do??  Frankly, I expected some laughter,  and everyone would eventually sit down and wait  for the movie to start.

No!!. . . You  could have heard a pin  drop while every  soldier continued to stand at  attention.

Suddenly, there was a lone  voice from the front of the auditorium. Then  a dozen voices, and soon the room was filled  with the voices of a thousand soldiers,  finishing where the recording left  off:

It was  the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq ,  and I wanted you to know what kind of U.S.  Soldiers are serving you!  Remember them as  they fight for  us! 

Written by Chaplain  Jim Higgins, LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad  Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad.