Dover AFB lends talent to Tops in Blue

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samuel Taylor
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER, Del. --  It was a night of bright lights, fresh beats and soaring vocals when Tops in Blue, musical messengers of the Air Force mission, took the stage during a free, public concert Aug. 7, 2011, at the Delaware State University theater at Dover, Del. For some Tops in Blue members, it wasn't simply another stop in the tour; it was a trip back to their home station.

Vocalists Staff Sgt. Rosalyn Moody and Senior Airman Alexandria Salinas, Bassist Senior Airman Scott Williams and Tenor Saxophonist Airman 1st Class Gabriel Villaneuva are all Team Dover members. Their participation ties Dover Air Force Base, Del., with Malmstrom AFB, Mont., for contributing the most members to the band, at four each.

"[Knowing that four Team Dover members are in the band] makes the show extra special for me," said Col. Mark Camerer, the commander of the 436th Airlift Wing. "It's proof of the talent we have in our community."

Camerer was in attendance while Tops in Blue performed their act, titled "Rhythm Nation," to the crowded auditorium. The band dedicated the show to the 30 American victims of the Aug. 6, 2011, helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

The two-hour performance took audiences through a century of American musical periods, beginning with the Jazz Age. The performers, including Team Dover's members, were challenged to perform a variety of musical genres, including jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, Motown, disco and popular music. The challenges didn't end there.

"The toughest thing for me was learning how to dance ... and the lack of sleep," said Villaneuva. "Being on the stage entertaining people is what makes it worth it."

Villaneuva's test was common among Tops in Blue members. The band not only performs a full tour schedule spanning domestic and international locations, but sets up and tears down more than 60,000 pounds of equipment, performs their own sound check and operates stage lighting on a daily basis. Some Airmen acclimate to the life better than others.

"Dover AFB is a fast-paced work environment, but Tops in Blue is like hyper speed," said Salinas.

Shouts of "stop what you're doing and go eat lunch, you need to eat!" are common on the hectic set during set up and tear down. Airmen undergo long hours of work with minimal time for rest and food.

"We all just want to hurry to get the job done right so we can get some sleep," said Moody. "I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning ... and probably won't go to sleep until 2:30 a.m."

Team Dover's performers had to adjust to the shortage of rest and food over the course of the tour, which lasts 12 - 15 months. However, this is not the only change in their daily routine.

In addition to their duties on stage, the performers serve functions for the band according to their careers before joining the band.

"In Tops in Blue you have one job, and only you can do what you do," said Moody. "On stage, I'm in charge of singing my songs; off stage, I'm in charge of rigging the stage to make sure it doesn't topple over."

Moody isn't the only Team Dover member who ensures the safety of the performers. Williams, a C-5 crew chief with the 512th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, uses his training to perform his duty as safety program manager for the tour.

"As a C-5 crew chief, everything is by the book, and has to be safe," said Williams. "All the small things you notice as a crew chief help me to do my job here."

As is the case with most Air Force operations, Tops in Blue members push past their personal sacrifices with the big picture in mind, said Salinas. For this night's performance, the picture was of the families of the fallen Americans grieving for their recent loss; it was of the service members who are still in harm's way.

"We wanted to give service members and families a chance to smile in the midst of this tragedy," said Salinas. "We wanted to give them peace of mind."

While Tops in Blue is off to another stage, members of the audience said they made their mark at Dover.

"They rocked the house and did Dover [AFB] proud," said Camerer.