AFMC Command News

Take note: Air Force bands also are “in the fight”

  • Published
  • By Capt. Bob Everdeen
  • Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  U.S. Air Force bands--like Air Force Materiel Command's Band of Flight located here -- perform thousands of concerts each year. A number of those performances are held for people in locations far away from this country as part of a relatively new "hearts and minds" campaign being led by military bands.

Since 2004, Air Force bands have been deploying to U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility to entertain troops and, more recently, to help in humanitarian and outreach efforts in places like Kyrgyzstan, Kenya and all points in between.

According to Maj. Matt Henry, officer in charge of U.S. Air Forces Central Expeditionary Band, the deployed mission provides a non-threatening 'face' to the United States and its military.

"We try to win hearts and minds through the emotional impact of music," Major Henry said. "We also try to set an environment which is receptive to other outreach opportunities by our Air Force, military and civilian leadership."

Air Force bands typically deploy as seven- to 10-member groups that mirror typical rock or pop bands or horn and brass ensembles. No matter the make-up of the band, the groups are self-contained, which means they're their own roadies ... halfway around the world. Major Henry is part of that traveling team of musicians right now.

"We get incredible support from morale, welfare and recreation offices as well as services and public affairs offices," he said. "They work venues, lodging, transportation and many other logistics; we couldn't do it without them."

Band members go through the same deployment processing lines and procedures that most other Air Force people go through before deploying. Some also receive additional training for traveling in convoys, a part of the military side of the job which is inherently dangerous. With all the logistics and training out of the way, the show can go on. And the bands have been well received.

"We try to emphasize the incredible diversity and variety of musical genres our folks are able to perform, thus being able to provide a little something for everyone," Major Henry said. "For example, in November we completed four outreach performances (at a deployed location) for a variety of youth as a 'traveling Air Force band.'"

The major's ensemble performed at a leadership academy, which was a military-style school for males ages 12 to 18; an institute for the blind that had approximately 50 visually-impaired students; an "American" school with about 630 students; and finally for a boys' school that had about 120 students in a traditional middle-Eastern educational setting.

"All these were great events, but I'll remember the school for the blind performance most because I saw what music truly can do -- reach out across boundaries and barriers and truly make a difference," Major Henry said. "There are so many things we take for granted on a day-to-day basis."

Being separated from his family has brought life's realities into a little clearer perspective for the major, too.

"It's been tough, but we've found ways to stay in touch," he said. "In some ways, I believe it's brought us closer together."

Unfortunately, Major Henry won't return from his deployment before Christmas. But he will be spending the holidays with his "deployed family" of fellow musicians this year, and is looking forward to celebrating at home sometime early next year.