1,000 Cranes by Yvette M. Pino
Veteran: Carolyn M., USAF
Artist Statement: We all think about the troops leaving their families when they deploy. The story that is rarely told is that of the personnel whose job it is to provide the moral and welfare to them when they are away. As a Moral Welfare and Recreation (MWR) specialist, Carolyn provided comfort, happiness and helpful distraction to the deployed troops in the Gulf War. Her smile never showed the reality—that when called to do her duty, she left an infant and a toddler behind. I tried to capture the essence of a mother pulled from her children for service to her country. Prior to her deployment, Carolyn served in Japan. This print sits upon a piece of Japanese paper with an image of the traditional Japanese Crane. The crane represents longevity, luck, good health and honor. From her hands, the cranes are being release to the children.