Rock n' Rollers lunch with soldiers at Fort Myer

By Dennis Ryan
Pentagram staff writer

Lunch time diners at the Fort Myer dining facility yesterday may have been surprised to see two Rock legends meeting and greeting people in a back room. A line of Soldiers waited patiently for a chance to greet two visitors to the post.

Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood, who first rose to prominence with the band, Fleetwood Mac, in the 1970s, were in town to visit wounded personnel at local military hospitals. The two musicians dined with a group of wounded Soldiers from Walter Reed before repairing to the community center to greet and sign autographs for more Soldiers and some family members.

Nicks and Fleetwood visited Bethesda yesterday and were as excited to greet the Soldiers from Walter Reed as they were to see them.

"It was incredible," Nicks said of her fourth visit to the wounded in Washington. "It's always an eye-opener. They are amazing men."

"First visit," Fleetwood said of his trip to Bethesda. "It's awe inspiring in terms of the people, not just the patients. We were with Marines yesterday. You get an incredible story line going on out on the floor. It's quite astonishing. They have a truly extended family."

Nicks also praised the hospitals' staff for keeping up the patients' morale after their families return home.

Fleetwood was impressed with the wounded warriors' feeling for their deployed comrades.

"They've stayed in touch with their friends," he said. "A lot of the chaps were terribly concerned with those left behind."

Sgt. Steve Cobb was the envy of many when Nicks reached over and greeted him with a kiss. He was meeting the singer for the third time.

"I love Stevie," Cobb said. "I've followed Fleetwood Mac since I was growing up."

Staff Sgt. Lisa Kirk brought her own marker and guitar to be signed.

"I've followed them all my life growing up," she said. "I saw them in Concert in Philadelphia with Crosby, Stills and Nash. I've been playing guitar off and on since 1992."