News>Tops in Blue set to kick off 'Rhythm Nation' tour
Photos
Senior Airman Kristina Overton leads a pop song during the group's dress rehearsal May 20 at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. The 2011 Tops in Blue team is set to kick off their 'Rhythm Nation' tour with a performance May 25, 2011, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The show provides a glimpse of a century of popular music and how it grew through new rhythms and technology. Airman Overton is a 2011 Tops in Blue female vocalist. She is a public affairs journeyman from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. (U.S. Air Force photo/Erin Tindell)
Airman 1st Class Gabriel Villanueva plays a solo during the group's dress rehearsal May 20, 2011 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The 2011 Tops in Blue team is set to kick off their 'Rhythm Nation' tour with a performance May 25, 2011, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.. The show provides a glimpse of a century of popular music and how it grew through new rhythms and technology. Airman Villanueva is a 2011 Tops in Blue tenor saxophonist. He is an aircrew flight equipment apprentice from Dover Air Force Base, Del. (U.S. Air Force photo/Erin Tindell)
Second Lt. Robert Doyle sings the lead for a patriotic song during the group's dress rehearsal May 20, 2011, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The 2011 Tops in Blue team is set to kick off their 'Rhythm Nation' tour with a performance May 25, 2011, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The show provides a glimpse of a century of popular music and how it grew through new rhythms and technology. Lieutenant Doyle is a 2011 Tops in Blue vocalist and the officer in charge. He is an acquisitions program manager from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Erin Tindell)
by Erin Tindell
Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Services Public Affairs
5/25/2011 - SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) -- Tops in Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainment unit, kicks off their 2011 'Rhythm Nation' tour with a performance at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., May 25.
Tops in Blue is a group of Airmen comprised of 35 vocalists, dancers, musicians and technicians who perform for deployed service members and coalition forces, helping provide a sense of pause and escape for them so they feel inspired to continue their missions.
This year's show features American music from the early 1900s to today. The show provides a glimpse of a century of popular music and how it grew through new rhythms and technology. Musical performances include jazz, rock 'n' roll, R&B, country and pop.
The team has spent the past four months in staging production at their headquarters facility at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. According to Tops in Blue members, the team is ready to get on the road and showcase everything they've learned.
"Everyone finally gets to see all the hard work the Tops in Blue production staff poured into us," said Staff Sgt. Derek Speights, a male vocalist on the team and an aircraft fuels system craftsman from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. "From broken knees to broken egos, we've been through a lot to get to this moment."
"It's unreal looking back to see how much we've grown over the past four months," added Airman 1st Class Kristen Wash, a female vocalist and medical material journeyman from Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility, Md. "I'm excited to get on the road and start performing for our Airmen and families worldwide."
For the past 57 years, Tops in Blue has served as America's ambassadors, traveling to more than 20 countries to perform more than 120 times each year for Airmen and families around the world.
Each year, the team spends a month performing downrange to help maintain a high level of morale for those working in dangerous and austere conditions. The team's goal is to not only entertain the troops, but give them a chance to clear their minds and motivate them for their missions.
Tops in Blue members tour for an average of 10 months. They work around the clock, sometimes logging 20-hour work days.
However, team members said they're ready to sacrifice time away from their friends and families to serve others.
"We've gone through extensive training to prepare for road life and the stress we may encounter," said Airman 1st Class Michael Williams, the team's audio engineer and a knowledge operations management journeyman from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. "We have an outstanding production and can't wait for everyone to come out to see it."
6/1/2011 6:20:04 PM ET Tops In Blue is garbage. If they bring back Sinbad I would go watch but as it stands now, what a waste of taxpayer dollars, just like the Air Force bands.
Jeff, Colorado Springs CO
5/28/2011 8:07:21 PM ET I have to ask the question: is the TIB program relavant in today's AF? I do have a suggestion... Since the AF has placed so much emphasis on going virtual, here's my suggestion. Prerecord one TIB performance, post it on the AF Portal for all to enjoy at their leisure. Everyone is happy. The performers still get to showcase their talents, the interested are still entertained, the AF would save thousands of dollars on transportation and related TDY costs, AND the performers will only miss the time it takes to rehearse, perform, and record one show They are back to their respective duty stations performing their primary jobs and missions with minimal negative impact or lost duty time. Brilliant idea if I must say so myself!
T. Sanders, Tampa FL
5/28/2011 4:25:00 PM ET Doesn't anyone have anything new to add? You all just keep plowing over the same tired ground over and over. You all are repeating each other. I think the point has been made...
3rd Party, In the desert with no name
5/28/2011 1:50:51 AM ET Seriously, In today's era of shrinking budgets, manpower cuts, and increasing workloads and missions, we're STILL manning and funding this waste of resources This is Fraud, Waste and Abuse in it's most blatant form. Way to go leaders.
JHB, KWRI
5/27/2011 7:58:33 PM ET TIB is a complete waste. I was forced to watch the show once and it was extremely boring. It is criminal that the tax payers are forced to fund this kind of garbage. We need these slackers to get back to their jobs and do the MISSION, not put on a show that so few of troops care to watch. TIB needs to be a part of the 400 BILLION that gets cut from the DOD in the next few years.
cut tib today, USA
5/27/2011 5:45:17 PM ET PB, My career field doesn't need or want a drummed up PA article to promote it. These airmen could make a positive difference by returning to their untis and participating in the military instead of playing American Idol at tax payer expense. Every time they ride a C-17 or C-130 in theater, those are flight hours the AF will never gain back on the airframe and from the crew. That is wasted resources, so don't give me this BS that their trips are funded by sponsors.
Fed Up, Colorado
5/27/2011 4:12:48 PM ET I echo everyone else's comments. This is a waste of resources. I've never been to one of these shows and have no desire to. Get these Airmen back to their real jobs.
Caveman, Bedrock
5/27/2011 9:46:54 AM ET You know what would boost my morale? More people to take on some of these additional duties which have become our primary duties and our primary duties which have been pushed off as addtional duties. More manning is all I ask for. How about we fly less and use less fancy fuels? For example, why are we looking at buying bio-fuels when they cost 34.90 a gallon compared to 3.13 for JP-8? The USAF biggest's budget blunder is fuel at 7B a year.
Dude, Cali
5/26/2011 10:54:58 PM ET Force shaping is done to save money. My friends who are hard workers and good leaders have lost jobs because of force shaping. Can anyone tell me that their livelihood is less important than military members prancing around in skimpy outfits and blowing a horn? Please! My troops moan and groan when they are told to attend these FWA events. Whose morale...
21A3 too, Colorado
5/26/2011 10:52:43 PM ET 20 years in the Air Force and I never saw a single show. It is definitely money that could be better spent.
Tim G., Oregon
5/26/2011 8:03:36 PM ET TIB constitutes Fraud, Waste and Abuse during a time when we are RIF'ing quality individuals from service after they have endured multiple deployments in support of our country and military. Is that really the message our leaders want to send? Every member of TIB is plucked from the respective career fields in a time of "do more with less." There are many aircraft maintainers, security police, medics, admin, etc. who have to pick up the slack while these entertainers are gone. Just because we always have does not mean we should continue doing it. Sorry if I offended any hard working TIB troops but this is low hanging fruit.
SW, TX
5/26/2011 6:27:54 PM ET Feel de riddem, Feel de rhyme, Get on up, it's Tops in Blue time. Boom
Lt Doug E Doug, Jamaica
5/26/2011 4:05:31 PM ET Come on AF leaders, ask your people if they want TIB to continue. Stop wasting money on a program that very few people want. If they don't want it. then cut it instead of doing another RIF.
Perplexed, AL
5/26/2011 4:00:42 PM ET Those who want to keep this program will say the amount of money spent on this is a drop in the bucket. Guess what? Enough drops fill up the bucket. It is time to cut programs. Prioritize based on DIRECT support of the war fighting mission. This is indirect support of indirect support. But guess what? No general officer wants to go on record for CUTTING ANYTHING. If he does, they might cut his program next.
Jerry, Oklahoma
5/26/2011 3:54:56 PM ET Well I see a lot of complaints about budget. Does anyone know how much this costs to run each year? Just saying. Y'all sound like some haters. LOL. Oh well, it's not going anywhere, so don't hate -- participate. LOL. I bet no one on here is directly affected by this program. Plus, blame the commanders, because they don't have to let anyone go to be part of this.
dat guy, NE
5/26/2011 3:45:28 PM ET I once gave up a very talented troop from an undermanned AGE shop to serve in Tops in Blue. With him still on the books, I could not get a replacement. My wife and I attended TIB to see him perform and, although we were very impressed by the highly talented performers, we had to leave the show early because of our extreme boredom. Based on my experience, I feel that TIB is a great morale booster for the incredible number of seniors and children who actually enjoy the show, but has little impact on those who make the mission happen. Cut it now.
21A3, Langley
5/26/2011 2:35:43 PM ET How about Tops in Blue attend Ranger school? That should make everyone happy.
Retired, Arizona
5/26/2011 2:25:37 PM ET Somehow I don't think anyone asked my permission to use the Rhythm Nation moniker.
Janet Jackson, Recording Studio
5/26/2011 1:34:04 PM ET Good Show OH: How can you say this is worth the cost of manning, time and money spent? How can you justify this realistically? Sure, morale is important -- very important. But I'm sorry, going to a Tops in Blue concert, no matter how talented these individuals are, DOES NOT raise my morale, especially if it is MANDATORY because of such poor turn outs. Cut this program and use the funds, time and manning for programs that actually DO raise moral. HUGE waste; cut it now.
HUGE, JBER AK
5/26/2011 1:29:58 PM ET Tops in Blue tour. Wow, what a waste of time, money and people. The H-60 rescue community has been on tour for the last 10 years with a 1-to-1 dwell rate. When we are home, we are told how our budget has been decreased and we have to do more with less. Tops in Blue should be the top item in a FWA investigation, followed by the band. They need to be given weapons and earn their pay.
Rescue Flight Engineer, Nellis
5/26/2011 1:06:21 PM ET I hope that second lieutenant in the picture realizes that TIB isn't going to do anything positive for his career. He's missing valuable time learning the mission and will probably not be retained by the AF. It's a pattern.
So and So, working in my career field
5/26/2011 12:53:09 PM ET Tops in Blue has to go. It's a waste of money, always has been. Cut TIB!
Mike, Florida
5/26/2011 12:37:05 PM ET The one time I attended a Tops in Blue event, it was because of mandatory fun and it was a complete waste of time. There are very few active-duty troops who are actually interested in this crock. Cut this program now. It is a waste of money and a waste of time. Big Blue needs to wake up.
Taylor, Langley AFB
5/26/2011 11:39:20 AM ET Fed Up: I will have to disagree with you. As a brat living overseas for many years, the Tops in Blue show every year was a source of excitement and entertainment -- all for free and for the whole family. The shows were great and brought a sense of patriotism. I'm sorry that you don't seem to understand that sometimes morale is a big aspect to keep the mission going.
Good show, OH
5/26/2011 10:26:42 AM ET Please close this program.
Retired, Arizona
5/26/2011 10:00:19 AM ET Fed Up: I disagree completely. They're at least going to make a positive difference in people's lives. What have you done lately to improve the lives of people around you?
PB, US
5/26/2011 9:37:58 AM ET Agree with Fed Up. We are cutting budgets, conducting a RIF, being preached to at every turn to save money, and this still goes on. Leaders need to get their priorities straight. What a waste of money manpower and resources.
Wasteful, Deployed
5/26/2011 9:04:17 AM ET Absolutely agree. What's the point again? I don't think I've ever met anyone who actually liked the show, much less heard anyone say they joined up because they saw the Tops in Blue once. Pitiful.
Jay, TX
5/26/2011 8:14:36 AM ET How great two of the vocalist haven't received their five-levels in their actual jobs yet and the SMSgt is a superintendent of a shop. How many offices are so fat manned they can afford to let someone waste 10 months on this junk?
Airman, Europe
5/26/2011 4:25:14 AM ET Agree with this fiscally tight time, Tops in Blues is a waste of money. Some shows have low turnout, it's taking people from their career fields, and wasting taxpayer money. Instead of cutting the finance personnel and public affairs career fields, the AF should have eliminated this long outdated group...
Brian Fox, Overseas Afghanistan
5/26/2011 12:58:37 AM ET So the Tops In Blue are supposed to inspire the warfighters to continue their mission? I'm sure the men and women who go outside the wire, the flightline workers, the pilots who drop the bombs, and all the people who make the Air Force work all look forward to TIB arriving so they feel inspired enough to continue performing their assigned duties. Are you kidding me? Surely there is someone up in Washington reading this. Cut this program now.
Shawn, Lackland AFB
5/26/2011 12:11:01 AM ET I am a musician and love this stuff but realistically the military music programs need to be on the budgetary chopping block. We have a hiring freeze preventing positions from being filled, requiring those left to pick up the work from the vacancy. Time to cut the music programs.
Gaijin, Asia
5/25/2011 11:57:03 PM ET Whoever keeps pushing Tops in Blue through budget cuts and RIFs should be promoted. TIB takes airmen away from their primary duties, entertains 10-25 at a time each time they've come to a base I've been at while draining resources and costing millions.
Mike, HRT
5/25/2011 6:40:43 PM ET We're cutting retiree benefits but this joke is going to continue. When is the Air Force going to get its priorities straight? How can I take any leadership statement calling for me to be responsible with taxpayer money when we are wasting tons of money on this kind of lunacy? I'm with you, Fed Up. Not only do we waste tons of money moving these people and their equipment around the world to conduct shows that nobody really wants to go to, but we force the people left behind to do more work since their commanders can't replace the body that left a hole. This entire idea is a FWA case study that should be in every level of PME.
Waste, Of Money
5/25/2011 5:06:53 PM ET What a waste of resources.
