Staff Sgt. Tyron Jones from Yokota Air Base, Japan, thrills the audience while impersonating Michael Jackson during his specialty performance at the 2012 Air Force Worldwide Talent Search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 15, 2012. Jones won best in show for the competition, which took place Jan. 9-16. The annual competition helps select members for the expeditionary entertainment group,Tops in Blue. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chris Burch)
Senior Airman Joleen Dedmon, from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., sings "I Wanna Love You Forever" during her vocal performance at the 2012 Air Force Worldwide Talent Search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 14, 2012. Dedmon won first place for female vocalists during the competition, which was held Jan. 9-16. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chris Burch)
Senior Airman Joseph Hardeman sings "Set Fire to the Rain" during his vocal performance at the 2012 Air Force Worldwide Talent Search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 13, 2012. Hardeman, who is from Cannon Air Force Base, Ariz., won first place for male vocalists during the competition, which was held Jan. 9-16. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chris Burch)
First Lt. Ashley Elmore sings "Forget You" during her self-accompanied performance with a ukele at the 2012 Air Force Worldwide Talent Search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 14, 2012. Elmore, who is from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., won first place for self-accompanied vocalists during the competition, which was held Jan. 9-16. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chris Burch)
Senior Airman Kyle Willis rocks the bass to "Frankenstein" during his instrumental performance at the 2012 Air Force Worldwide Talent Search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 15, 2012. Willis, who is from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., won first place for instrumentalists during the competition, which took place Jan. 9-16. The annual competition helps select members for the expeditionary entertainment group,Tops in Blue. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chris Burch)
First Lt. Sarah Ruzzin transforms from a lyrical dancer to a 'nerdy' dancer during her dance performance at the 2012 Air Force Worldwide Talent Search at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 15, 2012. Ruzzin, who is from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., won first place for dance during the competition, which took place Jan. 9-16. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chris Burch)
by Erin Tindell
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs
2/1/2012 - SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) -- Air Force entertainment officials selected the top 12 entertainers from 90 Airmen who participated in the annual Air Force Worldwide Talent Search here Jan. 9-16.
Besides being the best of the best in their respective categories, the competition allows Airmen to compete for spots on the Tops in Blue team, the Air Force's premier entertainment group.
During the competition, Airmen showcased their singing, instrumental, dance and specialty talents as well as their technical skills in stage production. This year's winners were a mix of officers and senior and junior enlisted Airmen.
"The diverse group of Airmen truly wants to be part of the upcoming Tops in Blue tour, serving as ambassadors for the Air Force and the U.S. by bringing a touch of home to military members and their families around the world," said Jeri White, Tops in Blue production coordinator.
The Air Force's top talents were chosen after a week of auditions, rehearsals and interviews, which culminated in three nights of competition in front of an audience. The best performer took home the "Roger" award for first place and the second place winner received the "Wilco" award.
With a Michael Jackson dance impersonation that brought the audience to their feet, Staff Sgt. Tyron Jones from Yokota Air Base, Japan, was named best in show for the competition.
Other winners from this year's worldwide talent search were:
Female Vocalist: First place went to Senior Airman Joleen Dedmon from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., for "I Wanna Love You Forever." Senior Airman Joanell Jackson from Fort Polk, La., took second place for "One Night Only."
Male Vocalist: First place went to Airman 1st Class Joseph Hardeman from Cannon AFB, N.M., for "Set Fire to the Rain." Master Sgt. Matthew Lemieux from Ramstein AB, Germany, took second place for "I Wanna Know What Love Is."
Vocalist Self-Accompanied: First place went to 1st Lt. Ashley Elmore from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., for "Forget You" with an ukulele. Airman 1st Class Timothy Sentz from Scott AFB, Ill., took second place for "Why Don't We Just Dance" with an acoustic guitar.
Instrumentalist: First place went to Senior Airman Kyle Willis from Whiteman AFB, Mo., for "Frankenstein" on the bass guitar. Staff Sgt. Joshua Tarrant from Buckley AFB, Colo., took second place for "Moby Dick" on the drums.
Specialty: First place went to Jones for the Michael Jackson impersonation. Airman 1st Class Jason Flores from Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., took second place for a magic act.
Dance: First place went to 1st Lt. Sarah Ruzzin from Eglin AFB, Fla., for choreography to "Beautiful" and "White and Nerdy." Airman 1st Class Briana Hofreiter from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam took second place for choreography to "Addicted to Love."
Technical: First place went to Master Sgt. Kristopher Kobernus from Ramstein AB, while Tech. Sgt. Michael Menges from Eglin AFB took second place.
The winners of the worldwide talent contest were announced at an awards banquet here Jan. 16. Airmen selected for the 2012 Tops in Blue tour will be announced by Feb. 10. The cast will report for two months of staging before the tour starts in late May.
2/9/2012 12:27:24 AM ET Let's research or ask the article writers to tell us the funding source for TIB. I seriously doubt their budget comes from MWR funds Chief. Those funds go to keeping our Child Development Centers and programs in FSS running as at low a cost as possible. If it is coming out of MWR funds it needs to go till we are more fisically sound. We need to keep the CDCs running at full capacity and their budget is always tight as most employees are NAF. I am a musician myself but this is a nicety not our mission. People come into the AF for reasons other than a great concert.
Gaijin, Asia
2/8/2012 1:45:45 PM ET My Flight has taken a 23 percent budget cut this year already. I hope I don't have to start asking my Airmen to start bringing in their own toilet paper to work. I believe our mission is to put warheads on foreheads. I think this is the sort of thing the DoD really needs to target versus taking away the very things for which we all serve...e.g. to servie our country get an education medical retirement. Believe me this is the first year of many tough ones to come. Get rid of TiB it's just another waste.
JA, TX
2/8/2012 7:25:54 AM ET Waste of money.Krestal... What's a C-117 a new tops in blue super duper aircraft i suppose.
Gumball3001, Kaiserslautern
2/3/2012 6:14:39 PM ET Tops in Blue is the biggest waste of time resources and manpower. If you actually add up the costs for the shows and have attended the show to see half the chairs empty you understand the true waste. I get that these Airmen are talented but they should excel at their primary mission.
Lt W, CA
2/3/2012 12:18:36 PM ET Excellent points Krestal. We would be them a favor by nixing this program. Sounds like a winwin to me. A win for the taxpayers and the mission and a big win for those poor overworked and underpaid actors, dancers and singers.
Rick Mantangelo, CONUS
2/2/2012 7:18:16 PM ET I guess the USAF condones White and Nerdy as an acceptable title for a dance So much for zero tolerance. Imagine if we inserted other ethnicities or adjectives.
Noone, Nowhere
2/2/2012 6:51:58 PM ET So I can't get new equipment to deploy with because of budgetary reasons but these jokers can continue to peddle their morale show Roger that. Glad to see the AF's priorities are in line with the real world. Oh by the way I was deployed to an area where my source of morale was having hot food and not being killed everyday.
Shorty, The Real World GA
2/2/2012 6:26:12 PM ET Tops in Blue does have a mission. These select individuals have family and friends just like the previous posters who commented that Tops in Blue was a waste of money. Also that their co-workers must pick-up the slack. Well try this on for size these performers go into work put-up their on stage then rehearse perform for 2 or 3 hours signs autographs take pictures then TEAR down the stage pack-it into an 18 wheeler or C-117 aircraft then just maybe they will have enough energy to call their significant others spouses parents and complete an on-line college course before going to bed. Then wake-up the next day in a new Country STATE CITY COUNTY and do it all over again. All the while their co-workersmost but not all are doing the same job back at home station having time for lunch and dinner with friends and family and watching their favorite television sitcoms and cuddling up at night with their love ones. What a sacrifice How many of you previous comment poste
Krestal, Las Vegas NV
2/2/2012 12:57:38 PM ET I believe Tops in Blue is fully funded by non-appropriated funds i.e. not tax dollars. Instead they get their money from the profits generated by oficerendlisted clubs golf courses billeting and other FSS activities.This does not however mitigate the waste of using highly-trained specialists as entertainers
Retired CMSgt, Scott AFB
2/2/2012 12:53:56 PM ET Ok. With all do respect let's all step back and look at the big picture. These are not Airmen who will spend a career doing this. This is a fraction of a career highlighting very talented individuals. Remember how we mentor lead and encourage the best from all of our folks In the community as well. That is all they are doing is being great ambassadors for the AF and a great recruiting tool as well. I assure you if you read up on Tops in Blue they have an AFSC and most have deployed and will again deploy after their special duty is over. Although I served as a C-130 Loadmaster Intelligence Analyst and a First Sergeant if I had a talent to make that cut...I would have jumped on the chance
JB, SC
2/2/2012 12:53:11 PM ET Seriously This article is directly under an article that details the 'Air Force Priorities for a New Strategy with Constrained Budgets.' The new strategy should include cutting frivolous programs like this.
Caveman, Bedrock
2/2/2012 12:34:24 PM ET RO don't you mean Fly Fight and Sing
Joe, Offutt AFB
2/2/2012 12:30:51 PM ET Funny to see people quick to cut the show with the budget. I'd cut airshows first. TiB does what other services do in way of morale for the troops get a break from serving and rejoice while serving. What's bad about that And why aren't people this rude and whiney on the Army Soldier Show stories on army.mil TiB types can go joint like everywhere else to save funds if anything...
Let 'em dance, encourage positive news in negative budget
2/2/2012 1:03:35 AM ET This is the only thing Tops in Blue promotes to me. Is that it needs to be in the cuts that they plan to cut. Some angry Airman is gonna put this on national media outlets saying This is what your tax dollars are used for. We need those Airmen on the job not out there singing and dancing.
Came to work, At Duty station
2/1/2012 11:38:49 PM ET Sleep well America. Your tax dollars are hard at work.
Vito, US
2/1/2012 11:09:19 PM ET We definitely need YouTube video of this.
TSgt Brian A. Jewell, JBER AK
2/1/2012 8:12:28 PM ET What is it going to take to get someone to come to thier senses In today's ever tightening budgets we have to -as an organization- exhibit some self control. Big Blue better cut these wasteful activities on thier own fruition BEFORE someone forces them to make even harder cuts. What a waste
Paul, Edwards CA
2/1/2012 1:43:54 PM ET Please tell me the AF did not pay to send these people TDY to compete...
Save 450 Billion, MacDill AFB
2/1/2012 12:54:37 PM ET THis is great to read. A select group of our country's greatest Airmen from all over the globe to report to a central CONUS location in order to add their specialized expertise to a mission critial to maintaining national defense. Oh wait...I was a little off on that. Instead it looks like a whole lot of limited DoD dollars were spent on international airfare and per diem and their co-workers had to carry their weight so that people who we've spent a lot of time and money to train to do highly technical tasks could sing and dance in a talent show.Aim High Fly Fight Win
