'Amazing Grace' raises awareness

By Pfc. Emily Knitter, 1/3 AABNovember 3, 2010

Barbells for Boobs
Spc. Luis Medina, a radio transmitter operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, and a native of Avenal, Calif., prepares to execute a 'clean and jerk' lift during the "Barbells for Boob... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

BAGHDAD, Irag- Early mornings are a regular occurrence in military life. Before the sun rises on most days, Soldiers can be found puffing around a track or straining to get one more sit up.

At 6 a.m., Oct. 30, 50 Soldiers, contractors and civilians on Camp Liberty in Baghdad could be found in a large warehouse, rock music shaking the walls as they tried to push out 30 "clean and jerks."

But this was not a normal work day's out. On this particular morning, the group was exercising for breast cancer awareness.

Captain Jeffrey Luffman, the medical planner for 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, and a native of Grant City, Ill., organized the "Amazing Grace, Barbells for Boobs" charity competition in support of Mammograms in Action, and raised approximately $2,200.

"'Mammograms in Action' is a non-profit organization that provides mammograms for the less fortunate who can't afford them," he explained.

The workout was an inspiration from the CrossFit program. Captain Luffman, who has been doing it for six months, said that the CrossFit community gets on board with many different causes. A supporter of many different charities, people involved with the workout host exercise fundraisers to raise money as well as bring CrossFit participants together.

"[Mammograms in Action] is a great cause," said Capt. Luffman. "We had the opportunity to do the 'Fight Gone Bad' a couple weeks ago, had a good time with that, and thought this would be a good chance to do it again."

'Fight Gone Bad' was another CrossFit competition fundraiser on Camp Liberty, which raised money for the Live Strong Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project.

"I'm always up for doing a CrossFit workout, no matter how tired I am," said Nick Charnley, the Director of Intelligence for 15 reconstruction liaison teams with Aegis Defense, in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reconstruction mission in Iraq, and a native of St. Bees in Cumbria, northwest England, who participated in the event. "Especially for it being for such a good cause, I couldn't resist it. I'm not a morning person; I don't get up at 5 a.m. But if I have to for this event or the Mammograms in Action charity, I'll do it."

Andy Ward, another participant, said although he would most likely be doing CrossFit in the morning anyway, doing it for a charity was an added bonus.

"That everyone just turned up to work out together and the fact that it was to support a great charity was a nice to know," he added.

This was the first time Capt. Luffman has hosted a fundraiser like this. "This was easy to do, and for those of you who want to take action on something, all it takes is your intention to get it rolling," he said. "That is kind of what this was, from thought to execution was just a little bit of time and effort. It was very painless."

Having a cause behind the workout helped motivate the participants to try things they wouldn't necessarily otherwise.

"I haven't done one [clean and jerk] in the 36 years prior to picking up that barbell," said Charnley, who was proudly sporting a grey t-shirt with "Barbells for Boobs" blazing across the chest in bright pink. "That barbell is slightly heavier than I am, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do CrossFit anyway, and I suppose cancer runs fairly strong in my family. I know how difficult it is to get funding for research projects and everything I can do to help, I will do."

The official winner of the competition was Ward, the theatre-wide coordinator for fifteen reconstruction liaison teams with Aegis Defense, and a native of Nottingham, England.

"I maybe did the correct movement in the quickest time, but there were a few monsters who threw [the barbell] up there a little faster than me," said Ward with a laugh. "But I don't much care about my place. CrossFit is a battle against your self. A little like cancer in that sense, it's yours to beat. I just enjoyed seeing all our guys beating their personal records, a bit of competition always brings out the best."