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SRT31B
04-06-2007, 07:18
Read this in the paper this morning. 194th is one of our sister companies. Thought it was interesting. Didn't say what the movie would really be about. I'm glad she took time out to go to the Fisher House to see the guys up there, I just wish they would have told the rest of the battalion she was here before she left... :D

http://www.fortcampbellcourier.com/articles/2007/04/05/news/news4.txt

Actress becomes MP for 2 weeks
‘Mean girl’ portrays Soldier for movie role
By Kelli Bland, Courier Editor

194th MP CO.
Actress “Pvt.” Rachel McAdams along with Pfc. Adam Johnson and Pfc. Robert Stucki listen as Sgt. 1st Class William Crawford, 194th Military Police Company platoon sergeant, provides final instruction prior to buidling clearing training last week. McAdams left the unit Friday after spending two weeks as a “Soldier” in preparation for an upcoming movie role.
An actress famous for several box office hits recently spent two weeks living the life of a Soldier with the 194th Military Police Company on post.

Rachel McAdams, known for her roles in “Wedding Crashers,” “The Notebook,” “The Family Stone,” “Red Eye” and “Mean Girls,” joined 3rd Platoon as “Pvt. McAdams,” to help her better understand the military for an upcoming film.

“I am impressed by this actress who had the courage to enter a world completely foreign to her own do everything we expect our Soldiers to do, never quit, never complain, and excel,” said 194th Co. Commander Capt. Kate Conkey. “She did this all to understand what it means to be a Soldier so she could better portray a story of an American Soldier.”

Only five Soldiers in the unit were aware of her true identity until the end of her time here when the rest of the company was made aware of her presence.

When McAdams arrived March 19, her platoon leader and sergeant, 2nd Lt. Julie Austin and Sgt. 1st Class William Crawford, prepped her on the basics so she had somewhat of an understanding of the Army. They squared away her uniform and gave her a lesson on drill and ceremony before she officially reported to the company. Then it was off to see how she could fare as a Soldier.

In her two weeks with the unit, McAdams learned how to take apart and put together a 9mm hand gun, MK-19 machine gun, M-4 carbine and M-249 squad automatic weapon. She participated in classes on detecting improvised explosive devices, reacting to indirect fire, running checkpoints, and reacting to nuclear, biological and chemical attacks. If there is one thing I hope Rachel took away during her time with us, it is that a Soldier is a Soldier. Regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, racial preference, etc. -- we live, train, operate and expect the same from each of our Soldiers.
— Capt. Kate Conkey, 194th MP Co. commander
She got up early every morning to report to her formation and do the same physical training as her fellow Soldiers.

“When any new Soldier reports to the company, they are given an [Army Physical Fitness Test] within 72 hours,” Austin said. “Rachel was also held to that standard and scored pretty well.” She scored 254 out of 300.

As a “Soldier” in the 194th MP Co., McAdams completed a six-mile ruck march, learned modern Army combatives, and completed a four-mile run within the 18th Airborne Corps standard of 36 minutes.
“I honestly believe she had a true Soldier experience,” Austin said, “and was able to learn what Soldiers really go through in a day and what the mindset of a Soldier is and will be able to portray that in the movie.”

During her stay at Fort Campbell, McAdams also spend time with several wounded warriors. “I believe [meeting them] helped her better understand the life of an injured combat veteran female Soldier and the different obstacles they go through,” Austin said.

McAdams’ true identity was revealed to the Soldiers Friday at the close of her two weeks with them. Conkey said hiding her identity gave McAdams a more realistic experience and detracted less from company operations and platoon training.

“If there is one thing I hope Rachel took away during her time with us, it is that a Soldier is a Soldier,” Conkey said. “Regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, racial preference, etc. -- we live, train, operate and expect the same from each of our Soldiers.

“I think she was able to see Soldiers from all walks of life -- each with a different story that brought them to where they are now.”

Monsoon65
04-06-2007, 20:08
Think it might be this movie:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0981072/

SRT31B
04-08-2007, 20:59
It will be interesting to see how it turns out. Don't know how it will do though as they already had a movie similiar to that ("Home of the Brave" I think).

Was kind of neat that she was just two buildings down from my company that whole time, and I was impressed she did everything with all the other joes.

I'm just glad that she took some time to see the guys at Fisher House. I'm sure they enjoyed that.