Rock-stars in uniform: AF Academy band tours Baltimore

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samuel Taylor
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  There are those who claim that in these times of defense spending budget cuts, Air Force bands should be high up on the chopping block. For when one thinks of the world's leading air power - with its capacity to engage and destroy enemies on the far side of the globe - the first thought that comes to mind may not be of guitar solos and lightshows.

Yet for those in attendance June 13 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Md., there was no doubt about bandsmen's ability to reach out and touch someone. That evening, members of the United States Air Force Academy Band sang the National Anthem in front of a crowd of thousands and a television audience of millions. Among those singing was former Team Dover member Staff Sgt. Nick Daniels, a vocalist and guitarist with the band.

"I feel like we served the Air Force faithfully tonight because we are here showing the country the best image of the Air Force we can," said Daniels. "Talented people appreciate talent; so when they see the quality of the band, they start asking us questions about the Air Force - that's what we want."

In this way, bands become a kind of musical recruiter, engaging people from all walks of life in an unconventional way. Evidence of the bands' effectiveness is reaching others can be found within the ranks of the bands themselves, in which a sizable number of bandsmen were inducted straight from the civilian music industry. These members audition specifically for the purpose of joining an Air Force band, and, if accepted, typically enter the band program at an elevated rank.

"It is the stability and quality of Air Force bands that attracts such skilled musicians from the civilian world," said Daniels. "However, with quality comes responsibility to maintain our standards; we've got some of the most talented musicians around."

To ensure the quality of the bandsmen stays consistent - and therefore their recruiting capacity stays effective - the Air Force band program employs strict guidelines as to who makes the cut. So who is the typical bandsman?

"Most musicians here have bachelor's or master's degrees in music and have been playing for a long time," said Daniels. "They have extensive performance experience in many styles of music - especially Jazz - and are strong in music theory and reading. I am not very strong in reading music, so I was a lucky exception to the rule."

Some may wonder if the time and effort of rising to the demanding standards of the Air Force band program is worth it in the end. Will developing their musicianship theory and reading to a nationally-competitive level for the sole purpose of joining the Air Force band pay off? To that, Daniels says: "Absolutely."

"I feel like a rock-star every time I perform with these people. When I was a kid, I never would have imagined being the guy who is singing the National Anthem on television. I get to serve my country by doing the thing I love - what could be better?"