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McChord crowns Icon champion at block party event

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • Staff writer
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Despite warm temperatures, McChord's Hot Summer Nights and Block Party event Aug. 15 dazzled attendees with live music, a car show, an exciting cardboard boat race and an entertaining finish to Air Mobility Command's Icon singing competition. 

Seven teams entered the inaugural cardboard boat race at the base pool, with each getting an hour to design and build a boat that could make it across the pool without sinking, said event coordinator Sheryl Swory, 62nd Force Support Squadron. 

"People had fun with it ... it was a good inaugural event," she said. 

Awards were handed out for the winning team as well as the Titanic Award, which honored the best sinking. 

The block party also served as the backdrop for the three finalists of the AMC Icon contest to square off for a trip to compete at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on Oct. 23 against contest winners from the other AMC bases across the country. 

Airman 1st Class Jonathan Lankford, 62nd Operations Support Squadron, edged out Master Sgt. Marvin Shields, Western Air Defense Sector, and Airman 1st Class Jennifer Boolen, 62nd OSS, to win and earn the chance to represent McChord at Scott AFB. 

"Airman Lankford just rocked," Ms. Swory said. "He really has a stage presence ... he's going to do us proud." 

Airman Lankford, who'd never entered into a singing competition before being talked into doing Icon by his girlfriend, delivered a strong performance of the Frank Sinatra tune, 
"Come Fly with Me." 

"The song really suits my voice," he said. "People say that's the era of music that's good for my voice." 

Dressed in a black suit with a black bowler hat, the Savannah, Ga., native overcame some slight dehydration brought on by the weather and butterflies due to him being slated to perform last to edge Sergeant Shields, who donned an outlandish purple suit and belted out a Prince tune during his turn on stage. 

"(He) brings it every time," Airman Lankford said. "He really blew it up." 

Airman Lankford said he's excited at the chance to compete against the other winners in October. He plans on sticking with Sinatra and the song he is already familiar with. 

"I've got a good routine down, I just have to keep polishing it," he said. "I'm going to try to represent McChord the best I can."