Maj. Matthew Henry and Staff Sgt. Rachel Trimble discuss last minute details before a performance of the United States Air Forces in Europe Band May 4, 2011, in Bratislava, Slovakia. The USAFE concert band is on tour through three countries, performing at seven locations as part of a building partnerships capacity and community outreach initiative. Major Henry is the commander and conductor of the USAFE Band. Sergeant Trimble is a vocalist and operations representative with the USAFE Band. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich)
Members of the United States Air Forces in Europe Band set up the stage before a performance May 4, 2011, in Bratislava, Slovakia. The USAFE concert band is on tour through three countries, performing at seven locations as part of a building partnerships capacity and community outreach initiative. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich)
Tech. Sgt. David Hartung plays during sound checks in preparation for a performance of the United States Air Forces in Europe Band May 4, 2011, in Bratislava, Slovakia. The USAFE concert band is on tour through three countries, performing at seven locations as part of a building partnerships capacity and community outreach initiative. Sergeant Hartung is tuba player and the training manager for the USAFE Band. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich)
The United States Air Forces in Europe Band performs during a concert May 8, 2011, in Nitra, Slovakia. The USAFE concert band is on tour through three countries, performing at seven locations as part of a building partnerships capacity and community outreach initiative. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich)
by Tech Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
5/26/2011 - BANSKA BYSTRICA, Slovakia (AFNS) -- Have you ever been to a concert? Have you ever sat in the audience before the band took the stage and marveled at the lights, stage and speakers that pepper the venue and wonder how it all came together?
Long before the first note comes barreling through the sound system of a concert hall, hundreds of hours, days and sometimes even months have gone into planning that moment that kicks off the show.
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band brings the experience of concerts to many people every year. In order to do that, a lot of hard work goes into each show.
"We will do almost 400 hundred performances a year, but it is not just a matter of preparing the music and performing," said Maj. Matthew Henry, the commander and conductor of the USAFE Band. "We are also responsible for all of the set up, tear down, and movement of several tons of equipment that we carry with us."
The USAFE Band has 47 members total, including 45 enlisted musicians, one officer, and one German national. Within that group, there are seven different subunits, which can perform at any given time.
The concert band, consisting of 43 members, is currently on tour through three countries, performing at seven different venues throughout Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"There's so much preparation that goes into doing an event like this," said Master Sgt. Joshua Gates, a clarinetist and the first sergeant with the USAFE Band. "Starting in the planning stages with our operations staffs, seeing what countries are priorities, what things we need to support, then building it with the sponsors, embassy and all the logistical details."
The planning stages aren't just a matter of finding out where the band will be headed.
"There is a matter of transporting 40 to 50 people," Sergeant Gates said. "You need busses; sometimes you need airplanes, lodging and food. Sometimes you are in different countries, maybe not being able to communicate well. There are so many things that go on."
The USAFE Band is also a unique unit in that they are self sustaining. Not only are all members musicians, but they also have collateral duties to make each event possible as well as fulfill their military obligations.
"The band doesn't have a support staff; everything you see is done by band members," Sergeant Gates said. "All USAFE Band members, who are operations folks, are the ones dealing with the embassy, logistics, and our crews are members of the band. They will do the set up and then change into their mess dress, and then they'll go play and do a fantastic job doing it. Everyone has several jobs to do in order for this to come off as successfully as it does."
Getting the band to the shows on time and making sure that everything is organized without a hitch is up to the operations representatives. For this tour, Staff Sgt. Rachel Trimble, a vocalist and operations representative, has taken center stage.
"I think that (the current tour) has been going really well," Sergeant Trimble said. "There have been great sponsors everywhere, to help work out logistics."
Once the band members arrive at their locations to perform, and are given the key to their dressing rooms, a whole other symphony begins to play. Crewmembers survey the venue and create a stage plan for the musicians perform.
"We move 11,940 lbs of equipment with us throughout the tour," said Senior Airman Ian Tyson, a clarinetist and transportation representative with the USAFE Band. "It is our job to make sure that it gets where it need to go, and gets set up the way that it needs to be."
During the stage setup, the audio technician has a chance to get familiar with the lay of the land in order to create the best sound for the audience.
"Each venue is different, so they all come with their own challenges to create the perfect sound for the show," said Staff Sgt. Clayton Allen, an audio technician and supply manager for the USAFE Band.
After all of the planning, coordination and set up, having a successful show is a great reward.
"Lots of long hours, lots of work and lots of time away from our family," Major Henry said. "I think that the reactions that we see out of the audience, that it is definitely worth it."
With this tour coming to a close, all of the band members agree it's well worth all of the effort they have put in.
"All of the hard work is definitely worth it, especially at the end of a concert, and you get some face time with the audience, and you see that you have really evoked an emotion, and lasting memories," Sergeant Trimble said.
Comments
6/2/2011 3:36:57 PM ET I attended an Army change of command today and saw the band that supported that event. They were in uniform, marched smartly and precisely, and really added to the drill and ceremony of the event. THAT is what these bands should be used for -- not for morale or diplomacy. Diplomacy is the State Dept's job, not the military.
RMA, SA
6/1/2011 9:46:29 AM ET I remember a story from some retiring band E-9. They introduced her as "Voice" -- that was her duty title, by the way. She spoke at an ALS graduation about how she was so proud of her 35-day deployment to the AOR. The room full of true deployers were just looking at each other and shaking their heads in disbelief or disgust. She got a lukewarm applause at best and sat down. We have a premier band at my base, and the honor guard still had to go out and buy an automatic bugle for "Taps" because the band doesn't support them, but they will go to the general's house and play for his guests. Go figure. And during my eight deployments over 20 years, the band usually played to five percent of the deployed base population, while USO bands usually played to 50-60 percent of the base population. And the band here has multiple Greyhound-style buses that I'm sure are very expensive to gas up. The bands are a fiscal black hole that need to be cut. Cut the bands, please.
Jeff, Colorado Springs CO
5/31/2011 12:24:48 PM ET Winning hearts and minds. Is diplomacy and public relations any less important now than it was during the Cold War era? I think not. That being said, I spent 20 years in the AF Band and I have come to the conclusion that any value we get from them is outweighed by the utter waste internal politics, selective enforcement of standards and needless drama that goes on within the bands. Does the band do a good job representing the AF? Yes they, do in almost every performance. But don't be fooled; the main point of programming is generally to satisfy the musical and creative ego of whoever happens to be in command at the time. They need to make sure they have a good resume so that they can go on to good teaching positions at universities once they retire. Band members are surely in for a very rude awakening when they leave or retire and find themselves in the real world of business. Every bandsman who reads this post should start thinking and preparing NOW.
MSgt F V - retired, Ireland
5/28/2011 8:40:38 AM ET @ Heather, bands deploy? Seriously? They come out here for one show, pack up, and fly to another location. The crowd is usually minimal because the people who really get the mission done either are at work or think that the band is a joke. Put down your flute and pick up a gun. Then the rest of the service will take you seriously.
SD, Sandbox
5/28/2011 5:05:33 AM ET Chris, I agree that it does show the utmost respect when a bugeler plays for a fallen military member but I don't think we need a separate band career field to perform those duties. Why not have a member of the base honor guard perform that function as opposed to maintaining a separate band? As for other ceremonies, you could take volunteers from the base to perform much in the way volunteers are utilized to sing the national anthem. I know many fellow Airmen who are very talented musically and would jump at the chance to perform for local base ceremonies. As for hiring outside sources for functions like an Air Force ball where people may want to dance, it is almost a must to hire an outside band. I believe there is a regulation against dancing to music performed by an Air Force band. At least that was the story told for the 9th Air Force 76th Anniversary Air Force Ball a couple of years ago. Folks wanted to dance with their spouses or dates and were told they couldn't because i
Grizz, Somewhere anywhere
5/28/2011 4:45:27 AM ET Heather, I don't remember seeing any Kuwatis in the audiance for any of the AFCENT band shows that I've seen done when I was over there...
Travis, Osan
5/27/2011 10:26:06 PM ET Looking at this story, I see it was filed from a town in Slovakia. It is very likely that the band that visited this town is the only chance any of the folks who live there would ever get to meet an American or a member of the U.S. Air Force. So if we get rid of the bands, how do you guys suppose we continue this diplomatic outreach to communities throughout Europe? Should we send some maintainers and have them conduct a bomb-loading competition? I'm sure that will bring the locals out in droves Perhaps we can construct a gatehouse by the side of the street and have some real Air Force members wave the cars on down the road. I'm sure that'll up our image. People need to face the facts. The Air Force is about more than just putting planes in the air. We're also used as a community outreach tool and a way of improving international relations. If you think someone in the band doesn't work as hard as anyone else in the Air Force, you're an idiot. Pull your head out...
JG, Manas
5/27/2011 2:15:36 PM ET If the band went away, who would play for all the ceremonies? The cost to hire individuals or groups to do these ceremonies would cost more. Also, I believe that it shows the utmost respect when a military bugler plays for a fallen military member and not someone who is in it for the money.
Chris, Anchorage
5/27/2011 11:45:40 AM ET Most people don't understand how important the band is in the public affairs arena--especially the international arena. Music transends differences and opens doors that normal arms can't. The military bands also deploy and provide both military morale support and open community relations with the countries we are deployed in. As far as budget cuts, the money needed to support the band career field is minimal compared to the many other career fields and projects in the rest of the AF.
Heather, California
5/27/2011 11:12:18 AM ET Dan agreed. I am not anti-music either. I played instruments through elementary school and into high school and I thoroughly enjoy all types of music but in this day and age of budget cuts and needed fiscal responsibility do we really need a band for every MAJCOM - particularly AFCENT? The money used to pay for TDYs, entitlement, etc, and the man-hours could be much better used to support mission-critical career fields. They say we need to get our manning down below the congressionally mandated end of fiscal year strength. The bands would probably be the best place to start.
Grizz, Somewhere anywhere
5/27/2011 8:14:25 AM ET First off, I want to say I am not a music hater, but come on, really! In this day and age of budget cuts and fiscal responsibility how can our leaders justify so many people serving a career in the band? Someone who plays the tuba for 20 yrs gets the same retirement check as a cop who spends half his or her career deployed outside the wire. If our leaders were really looking to make judicious cuts, all the band career fields would be a good start.
