What do military members from Turkey, Nepal, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States have in common? Apparently, many things! Just ask Technical Sergeants Bill Sprenger and Paul Holzen from the Air National Guard Band of the Central States - St. Louis, MO.  The two sergeants augmented the USAFE Band in June 2009 to perform at the 21st Annual NATO Musikfest in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

600 bandsmen from six NATO countries performed at the Musikfestival on Sunday 07Jun09 to the thrill of approximately 20,000 audience members.  This performance will air in Germany on SWR Television on August 9.  Other participating bands included the Bundeswehr Band and Guard Battalion from Germany, the Mehter Marching Band from Turkey, the Band of the Carinthian Military District from Austria, the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas from Nepal/UK, and the Royal Netherlands Military Band. 

The USAFE band, commanded by Major Jeffrey Warner, was augmented for the event with Manning Assist members from three state side Air National Guard bands and four state side Air Force bands. 

The performance was held at Fritz-Walter Stadion, a mecca for soccer enthusiasts, and home to several World Cup tournaments. A lengthy dress rehearsal was held the day before which included many choreographed routines that the members learned in a very short period of time.  Band members quickly and accurately memorized the music to the 15-minute show and learned the marching drill that was custom-written for this year's ensemble. Although the group possessed a high level of previous marching experience, this performance held a particular challenge: being held in a soccer stadium, there was only the center line to gauge distances from--no yard lines or hash marks usually used to gauge individual positions. The globally combined band then rehearsed their national anthem and four feature selections. The Band Commander from each of the six countries served as the conductor for their respective anthems.

The festival involves musicians across the NATO Alliance which is a worthwhile endeavor to unite the alliance and their armed forces. A greater cause though exists from the festival in that it is a fantastic philanthropic event. The NATO Music Festival Foundation, founded in 2001, generates donations to support charitable organizations and institutions. A portion of the proceeds helps to enrich the lives of folks in the field of public health, welfare, support to youth and older people. These efforts strengthen the ties of the NATO Alliance.

A reception held after the performance allowed the international military musicians a chance to interact, swap small items, and, most importantly, further solidify the strong relations between NATO allies. Music was once again proven to be the 'universal language'!