Career Change

An army wife in the spotlight

Christy Whitaker and her husband Lane, a Shreveport native serving, were uprooted from the Ark-La-Tex this past summer and transplanted to Germany courtesy of Uncle Sam’s army.

Many military families go through those changes of post, but Whitaker took the opportunity to change her career path as well.

“I’ve been an army wife for seven years, and so I’m used to moving and going through the process of finding a job in the city we are moving to next. I knew that I would be faced with several challenges finding work [in Germany] because we are pretty limited on opportunities due to obvious reasons,” she said. “Well, I called [America Forces Network], and they said they were actually looking for volunteers to do some office help. I met with the station commander and the [non-commissioned officer in charge] and after talking for about an hour, they asked if I ever thought about being on the radio.”

Thus lauching one of the newest personalities on the Armed Forces Network, the GIs radio lifeline to home. Whitaker dabbled in acting while in Shreveport, and landed a couple of small parts. “I was an extra in ‘Playing for Keeps’ with Gerard Butler as well as ‘Olympus Has Fallen.’” She was apparently bitten by the acting bug in Shreveport and soon after arriving in Germany found the stage was calling. “There is an amazing performing arts center here on post. I auditioned and got the part of Tracy Ann in the play ‘Sealed for Freshness’ two weeks after we landed in Germany.” And even though she’s a stage newcomer, she feels like she’ll be able to adapt.

“Well, it was the first time to do theater, and I must say it’s an amazing feeling. But I’m a former pageant gal so definitely wasn’t my first time in the ‘spotlight.’ Maybe just a different kind of being on stage,” Whitaker said.

Her work schedule on AFN hasn’t conflicted with her stage aspirations, so far, and she’s thinking of keeping up the sideline. “There is supposed to be another play scheduled for early spring. Auditions are supposed to begin in January. If it’s something that I think I can relate to, then I’ll definitely give it a go!” Whitaker said.

She said she misses a lot of things about her time in Shreveport, including her two years working with Stacy Brown at the Shreveport Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau. “I have to say that working at the Tourist Bureau allowed me to learn a lot about Shreveport-Bossier and all of the hidden treasures that both cities have to offer. The festivals are amazing, the food, the southern hospitality, and the weather. Shreveport-Bossier knows how to party, especially Mardi Gras. I had the honor of riding in the parade both years and it was so much fun,” she said.

Though she misses the balmy winter climes of Shreveport compared to the really cold temperatures in Eschenbach, Germany, she’s adapting.

“It’s already pretty cold here. The Germans are predicting this winter to be a bad one due to the last two being somewhat tame. I love the cold during the holidays, but then I like for it to go back to warm weather so I can ride my motorcycle,” she said.

Whitaker is also settling into her new radio persona as CDub, for Christy Whitaker, of course. “[Radio work] was never really something that I was interested until now. I guess I didn’t know I wanted to do it until I did my first show. It’s me and my partner ‘Da Flyin’ Hawaiian.’ We are on from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and cover the entire state of Bavaria.”

The show offers news, information and community information to Grafenwoehr, Vilseck, Hohenfels, Garmisch, Schweinfurt, Ansbach, Bamberg, Illesheim, and Katterbach, and she’s actually learning to pronounce them.

Whitaker said she plans to continue her radio career wherever she, her husband and their dogs are stationed next. “I’m so proud of what my husband has chosen to do for the last 16 years and I’m honored to be able to support him. I think that bleeds over into why I’m so in love with doing the radio gig. I’m getting to broadcast to thousands of military men/women and their families. I’m so honored.”

Friends and family in the Ark-LaTex can even listen to CDub by logging on to www.afneurope.net/Radio/ AFN360InternetRadio/tabid/2174/ Default.aspx or AFN 360 Internet Radio www.afneurope.net. Don’t forget the time difference of seven hours, though.

And a final word from CDub in Bavaria, “Bis wir uns wieder Freunde zu treffen,” which is “Until we meet again friends.”

Joe Todaro may be reached at [email protected].