Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star

By Staff Sgt. Patricia McMurphyNovember 18, 2014

Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Alexander Wilhelm, an explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist with 11th Chemical, Company, 110th Chemical Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade, took second place along with $250 at the JBLM Operation Rising Star competition, singing "I Will Alwa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Philip Gertzel, a unit supply specialist with B Company, 2-3 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., won first place at the Joint Base Lewis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord discovers its next rising star
7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Philip Gertzel, a unit supply specialist with B Company, 2-3 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., won first place at the Joint Base Lewis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Operation Rising Star, a vocal competition for active duty military and their family members, recently named the winner for Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The first-place winner was Spc. Philip Gertzel, a unit supply specialist with Company B, 2nd Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

"This is big," Gertzel said. "This is screaming on top of the world big."

"I really didn't think I was going to win," he added. "I can't put into the words to describe how excited I am."

Gertzel won with a rendition of "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers and "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice.

Gertzel said his wife told him he should try out for the contest, but his mother was one of his biggest inspirations, and he hopes this will open doors to the musical career he has always dreamed of.

"Any time any place, if there is a song that needs to be sung, I'll be there," he said.

The winners of the competition were determined by a panel of four judges and audience votes.

"Remember there is a difference between a singer and a performer - a singer sings for themselves, a performer sings for everybody else," said returning judge Darlene Begley to Gertzel upon his victory.

Along with first place, Gertzel won $500 and an opportunity to compete for a chance to go to San Antonio for the Army-wide finals. Taped auditions are submitted to committee members in Texas for another round of judging with the chance to move on to the finals.

Second place went to Spc. Alexander Wilhelm, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist with 11th Chemical Company, 110th Chemical Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade, along with $250. He sang "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston followed by "No Scrubs" by TLC.

Third place, along with $100, went to Pfc. Ashley Brown with 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, who sang "At Last" by Etta James and "Killing Me softly" by The Fugees.

The lineup for the competition consisted of both Soldiers and family members. In addition to Gertzel, Wilhelm and Brown contestants included Sgt. 1st Class Perry Molden with 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, Spc. Amari Wright with 3-2 SBCT and Bettina Adragna, wife of Spc. Pablo Armes also with 3-2 SBCT.

The winner of Operation Rising Star represents the best in individual vocal talent in the Army.

The top six winners will travel to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston to perform at the live event scheduled for December.

The final competition can be viewed at www.OpRisingStar.com starting at 9 a.m. central standard time, on Dec. 7, 9 and 11.

Viewers have 24 hours to vote for their favorite performers after each round and the winner will be revealed online Dec. 13, 2014.