Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 15, 1991 TAG: 9102150214
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MELANIE S. HATTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The look was for her fiance,Andy Heldenbrand, who is serving in Saudi Arabia with the 82nd Airborne.
"I haven't got a decent picture of myself to send him," she said.
Asbury, of Salem, had heard on the radio that professional photographer Vince Miller was offering free glamour photographs of wives and girlfriends to send to their partners in the Persian Gulf.
"We're doing this to stop these guys from buying the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated," Miller said, joking with Asbury at his downtown Roanoke studio.
Asbury, 25, sat bare-shouldered with Anita Baker crooning in the background.
It was the most fun thing Miller could think of to do for the troops and for the women left behind, he said. The pictures would be ready in about 10 days.
Sisters Tamara Jennings of Elliston and Ashley Sakiey of Salem have a husband and boyfriend, respectively, and a brother stationed in the gulf. All are in the Marines.
Both had their faces made up by makeup artist Renee (who uses only her first name professionally) before the photo session.
While waiting for her sister, Jennings bounced her month-old daughter, Alison, on her lap. Her husband, Albert, has not seen his daughter. He was called by the military only a month before she was born, Jennings said.
Jennings has taken every opportunity to send him photographs, especially of the baby, she said. And Thursday was no exception.
Seventeen-year-old Monique Johnson of Roanoke let Renee put a little makeup on her lips and cheeks. She doesn't usually wear any, she said.
The photograph would be sent to her fiance, Kevin Jones, serving on the USS Saratoga. A student at Roanoke Catholic High School, she said, being without him on Valentine's Day wasn't so bad "cause he's thinking about me and he's in my heart."
Most of the women getting their pictures taken were young, Miller said. "They grew up not thinking about war. This is a big shock to them, but they're taking it very well."
A steady stream of women came into the studio ready to give their best smile for the one they love.
Wearing her husband's wedding band on a gold chain around her neck, Laura Savinda, 22, decided on the pink boa. "He's going to say, `Who is this?' when he gets it," she said, smiling at her reflection in the mirror.
Her husband, George, left for the gulf last month but was supposed to get out of the Marines last Saturday, she said. They have been married one year, eight months, 12 days and counting, Savinda said.
It is tough without him, she said, but life goes on.
"I never dreamed or imagined I'd live through this," Asbury said.
She had met her fiance nine months ago on a day trip to Myrtle Beach. They had planned to marry in March. "My life's on hold right now," she said.
by CNB