How a soldier becomes a magician...
I enlisted into the Army directly out of highschool as a 95B1P, or military police with Airborne (Paratrooper) identifier. As an enlisted Soldier I was a graduate from several incredible schools such as Airborne, Air Assault, and even the prestigious Defense Language Institute as a Spanish Linguist as well as a veteran of the Somalia Campaign, Restore Hope.
After I was promoted to Sergeant I requested, and was selected for, the Green to Gold Program, where I would attend college and reenter the military as an officer. This signified a dramatic shift in my career, not only because I had transitioned to a different segment of the military, but 9 months after receiving my commission we found ourselves in the longest era of combat our nation has ever known. What we would refer to as the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).
It was during my first Afghanistan deployment where my second calling started to come to fruition. My battalion had been assigned to provide security for another Army organization. Part of their mission was to help provide support for such places like schools, orphanages, and hospitals. On this one, fateful afternoon, we rolled up into an orphanage. There was clearly quite a bit of activity already occurring with a UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) group already there. Our convoy commander, a major, came running up to me where we had the following conversation:
MAJ: Hey LT, you’re the magic guy right?
Me: (Knowing this was not going to be a happy smiley conversation) Yes sir. Why?
MAJ: We need you to perform a magic show for some kids.
Me: Um, sir, I only have a few things on me. How many kids are we talking about?
MAJ: Only a few. About 100.
Me: WHAT?!?!? Sir, I don’t have anything for that size crowd. How long do I have to prepare?
MAJ: Take as long as you want. But you start in 10 minutes.
Me: Can I use the interpreter at least?
MAJ: No. See we didn’t coordinate for today’s visit, and the UNICEF org is here for a celebration day. Right now there are hurt feelings because they think we showed up to upstage them (we would bring in all sorts of things like clothes, books, pencils and paper, etc.) so we are using the terp to explain that we actually brought you to help support their mission. In other words, if your performance goes south you caused an international incident.
Me: Sir, this is a joke. Right?
MAJ: Nope, and you have 9 minutes before you start.
I spent the next 9 minutes organizing the few items I had and going throught the HMMWV for props I could adapt to magic. What happened next was a transformation in my perception of the world. From 1979 to 1989 Afghanistan fought a violent and deadly war with Russia. Along with the cost in lives, the entire country was devastated. To this day children are maimed and killed by mines and other ordinances that were left from the conflict. It is the victims of this war that find themselves in the orphanages. These children have only know pain and hardship throughout their lives. Yet during my performance, I saw something shifting in their eyes. For the first time they experienced awe and amazement. Two emotions they had likely never felt before. For that 20 minutes I was on stage I came to understand what magic actually is. We all know that magic as a mystical power isn’t real. What is real is the hope and inspiration it leaves behind. The inspiration that it conveys. I realized that if I could leave this kind of impact in a war torn country, with no common language or culture, imagine what I could do back in the United States. This was what I was meant to do.
I combine my leadership experiences, wit, and slightly dark sense of humor I gained from two decades in the service to provide you with an experience that is truly unique.
