A few months prior, I had won an audition with the USAF Band of the Golden West and was guaranteed a position as a percussionist upon completion of basic training. There are names, faces, and memories you never forget during the indoctrination into the armed forces, and they are just as vivid today as they were in 2000. One such memory was of Sgt. Johnson determining leadership of the drum section of the trainee drum and bugle corps by asking Matt Thomas and I to name our favorite drummer.*
Once out of basic training, I settled into life in California and time was measured by tours rather than semesters. My playing responsibilities were with the concert band, ceremonial band, percussion ensemble, and salsa band, and my “extra duty” consisted of booking tours and acting as a media representative for the band.
After five and a half years of performing, touring, and watching the military around me mobilize for war, it was time for a change. I broke my second enlistment, moved to Colorado to teach at Adams State, and began a six year stint with the Air National Guard Band of the Gulf Coast. During this “part-time” military portion of my journey, I performed regularly with other Air Force bands and deployed with a rock band in support of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. These experiences traveling and performing throughout war zones will never be forgotten.
So on this day, December 22, 2011, my last day as a member of the military, I have a few reflections to share.
1. In my family, there is a lineage of military service. The fact I went straight to college was no big deal for my parents, but I’ve always had the desire to continue the tradition. Serving as an Air Force musician after graduate school fit the bill. As a member of the military, to include musicians, means making sacrifices. As you assimilate into a new culture, service becomes your life. Yes, in many cases you lose free will, but you are afforded countless opportunities for personal and professional growth.
2. Some of the best musicians I’ve ever worked with were in the Air Force. Talented, diverse, and by the nature of the job, humble. This includes my experiences in the Air National Guard. Civilian experience in the music industry is invaluable to the military band career field. Many of my colleagues, active duty and guard, are great musicians, leaders, and mentors.
3. This path was an outstanding way to launch a career straight out of college. Housing and healthcare for Tracy and I, great instruments to play, numerous musicians with whom to collaborate, and opportunities to perform a plethora of repertoire in a variety of settings for hundreds of thousands of people are hard to come by. In retrospect, it was easy to take these things for granted.
4. Coexisting with 59 eccentric individuals in a daily work environment where you make music together, travel extensively together, socialize together, all within a rank structure, is guaranteed to develop serious people skills.
5. Military bureaucracy (and health care) is pretty much the same as in the civilian world, including the politics. Some things are better and some are worse, but it’s all pretty much the same, just different clothing and haircuts.
6. Sometimes the best audiences were the hardest to reach. Be it the middle of the Mojave desert or the Iraqi desert, the Oregon coast or the African coast, there are wonderful audiences appreciative of live music. I always enjoyed the gorgeous concert halls and upscale hotels, but the remote concerts hold the greatest memories.
7. Without question, I garnered a wider world perspective as a result of the people I met and the places I performed. Four continents and numerous countries meant performances in the wealthiest and poorest locations imaginable. From dignitaries, movie stars, and professional athletes to average taxpayers, African villagers, and wounded service members, interactions varied drastically. These experiences shaped my career, musicianship, citizenship, opinions on domestic and foreign policy, and purview as an educator.
And here are a few random thoughts about my time in the Air Force:
1. Being “required” to exercise as part of my day was kind of awesome.
2. I’d rather fly in a C-130 over Afghanistan than on a domestic American Airlines flight.
3. I’m not looking forward to paying for sticks and mallets after today.
4. The uniform thing was great. On most days, I essentially wore the equivalent of pajamas with boots and never had to plan my wardrobe.
5. Not everyone in the military is a right-wing conservative.
6. I’ll miss the TSA agent thanking me for my service.
7. I won’t miss the endless computer-based training.
8. In the grand scheme of things, the military bands budget is a drop in the bucket.
9. Despite #8, I hope the career field can evolve to be more efficient, effective, and relevant.
10. I don’t have to “work” on the 4th of July next year!
Thank you for supporting the past several years of my life with your tax dollars and have a safe and Happy Holiday!
*The training instructor looked a bit like Kevin Eubanks, Jay Leno’s former band leader/guitarist. In my sleep-deprived state, my answer was Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Leno’s drummer. Matt responded with Gene Krupa. Needless to say, I was stuck being in charge of the drums and Matt was forever known as “Krupa.”
Photos from top to bottom: 1. Drumming in Iraq 2. My Grandfather in Europe during World War II 3. Playing for villagers in the Horn of Africa
