CAMP HUMPHREYS -- For the second time in five years, a family member from here has been selected to compete for the grand prize at Operation Rising Star.
Jackie Gollihar, the wife of Warrant Officer Steven Gollihar, assigned to Company B, 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion, won the local competition Oct. 22, in the Community Activity Center. Her first place finish here and the online voting earned her a shot at the finals.
The Gollihar's, along with son Derrick, arrived here in September and Jackie said finding about the competition was a welcomed surprise. This is their second assignment to Camp Humphreys.
"I actually did not know about Operation Rising Star until the day of the Camp Humphreys competition, when I saw a (Family and) MWR poster," said Jackie, who is originally from Manila, Philippines. "I signed up because I love to sing and thought I would give it a try, not thinking that I would make it this far."
She said that she has been singing since she was very young.
"Since I was kid, I loved to sing and my grandfather taught me to play the ukulele, guitar and sing at a very young age," she said. "He put me in the church choir when I was five-years-old and would play the guitar for me whenever I sang. He is no longer with us, but continues to be my inspiration when it comes to music."
She will head to San Antonio Nov. 29, where she will compete in Finals Week, from Dec. 6-12, at the Fort Sam Houston Theatre, home of Army Entertainment.
"I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to travel to San Antonio and represent Camp Humphreys in the 2014 Operation Rising Star competition," she said.
The semifinalists will each be paired with a former Operation Rising Star winner, who will mentor and perform alongside them during live shows Dec. 6, 8, 10 and 12 at Fort Sam Houston Theatre. The shows will air at www.OpRisingStar.com the following day.
Online viewer voting counts 50 percent in the scores that determine which contestants advance to the finals. Viewers will have 24 hours to vote for their favorite performers after each round. The winner will be revealed Dec. 13 on OpRisingStar.com, where the contest rules also are posted.
Veteran Operation Rising Star judges retired Sergeant Major of the Army Jack L. Tilley, "The Voice" vocal coach Debra Byrd, and country music recording artist Michael Peterson will return, as will seven-time host GeNienne Samuels.
Gollihar's performance at the Camp Humphreys Oct. 22 Operation Rising Star competition can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/HumphreysMWR#!/video.php?v=8084266391797598cd7339be5d75f89a755c8c860435e39b90ae6128596e152501338cf89545d20e11180cc9c196a7a5d2a8aa2dadde8b4e9dcd7e06ad395979ff4a83910fb85baset=vb.2260401107517518cd7339be5d75f89a755c8c860435e39b90ae6128596e152501338cf89545d20e11180cc9c196a7a5d2a8aa2dadde8b4e9dcd7e06ad395979ff4a83910fb85batype=2&theater
Pentagon Federal Credit Union, American Freedom Foundation and Kaplan University are sponsors of the 2014 Operation Rising Star program.
Related Links:
Link to Jackie Gollihar's performance at Humphreys Operation Rising Star
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