Sgt Christopher A. Wright, a Loveland, CO, resident and U.S. Marine Corps reservist, has won a SemperComm Award, a military service award presented each year to individual active duty personnel serving at remote overseas military bases.
The award is given by the SemperComm Foundation, a charitable nonprofit organization founded to boost the morale of U.S. service members stationed at overseas remote bases. Award winners have gone out of their way to boost the morale and welfare of their fellow service members, often being stationed at bases that lack the basic communications, entertainment and recreation support that larger military facilities enjoy.
Wright won the SemperComm Award for his extra-curricular work in Iraq, which earned him the title, "Combat Plumber." For several months in 2006 and 2007, Wright was assigned to a civil affairs team to help rebuild infrastructure and government functions in and around the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. After his regular job ended each day, he worked an additional five to six hours each day to upgrade, repair and add new plumbing facilities to the Al Anbar Government Center building. This building is used as a rest-stop where Marines and other U.S. military personnel moving through that part of Iraq can stop and take a break. Until Wright got there, everyone's ability to rest was severely limited: running water, bathrooms and showers were almost non-existent due to war damage. To help keep the facilities running smoothly and to enable a real respite from the daily grind of deployed military life, Wright took it upon himself - and sometimes under the threat of sniper fire - to use a pick ax and shovel, some borrowed pipe wrenches and lots of muscle to reconnect severely leaking pipes and fix non-functioning toilets. His service helped improve the lives of at least 150 personnel stationed at the Government Center, as well as the constant influx of military units stopping by to rest and recharge.
"The SemperComm Award winners find ways to keep their comrades' spirits up while they're stationed so far away from home," said SemperComm Foundation Executive Director Lara Coffee. "They exemplify service-the kind of service SemperComm itself provides. Our award winners work hard to keep unit morale up, which is essential for our uniformed men and women, especially as duty tours continue to get longer. Keeping spirits high helps military personnel stay focused on the job at hand and get home safely," she added.
Other 2007 SemperComm Award winners are:
• 1stSgt Kevin M. Conboy, USMC, of Jacksonville, NC, recently returned from duty in Iraq
• LT Marc J. Soss, USNR, of Bradenton, FL, recently returned from duty in Afghanistan
• CPT Wayne R. Keeler, USA, of Tucson, AZ, recently returned from duty in Iraq and now stationed at the Joint Multi-National Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany
SemperComm Award winners are chosen via nomination applications received from all branches of the U.S. military. Wright will receive his award in person tonight from Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) during the 2007 SemperComm Gala at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA.
About The SemperComm Foundation
The SemperComm Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to supplying morale-boosting communications and entertainment equipment, software and services to small, overseas remote U.S. military bases. SemperComm receives major support from Computer Systems Center Incorporated, a unique defense-oriented software development company; Stars For Stripes, a nonprofit that brings celebrity entertainment to U.S. military personnel; and PC Recycler, an electronics recycling and services company. For information about SemperComm, visit www.sempercomm.org.