Tops in Blue seeks talent for 2012 tour

News > Tops in Blue seeks talent for 2012 tour

Story at a Glance
• The Worldwide Talent Competition will be held Jan. 9-12 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas • Applications are due to the Air Force Entertainment office by Nov. 15. • Visit www.topsinblue.com to apply and for more information.

Tops in Blue seeks talent for 2012 tour

Posted 9/20/2011 Updated 9/20/2011

Email story Print story

9/20/2011 - SAN ANTONIO -- The Air Force's premier expeditionary entertainment group, Tops in Blue, is seeking the "best of the best" talent in the Air Force for the 2012 team.

The Air Force Worldwide Talent Search takes place at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 9-16, 2012. Total force Airmen who believe they have the skills to sing, dance, act or play musical instruments are encouraged to apply. After an in-depth review of applications, the top 80-100 Airmen are invited to participate in this prestigious competition.

Selected participants compete in six categories including male and female vocalist, instrumentalist, dance, musical variety and non-musical variety. The first place winner in each category receives the coveted "Roger" trophy and the second place winner receives the "Wilco" trophy.

Participants also go through a series of interviews and auditions to determine their suitability for a spot on the upcoming Tops in Blue team.

"During the week they are taken through a variety of auditions, many unrelated to their actual competition act," said Carol Sudy, an Air Force Services Agency marketing specialist. "This helps them learn what they excel at, and where they have to improve to be a well-rounded performer."

According to Sudy, becoming a member of Tops in Blue brings tremendous value to an Airman's life.

"They have a better understanding of the scope and breadth of the Air Force, learn skills they will use when they return to their units or on contingency operations and they see and appreciate all the sacrifices made by families and Air Force members," she said. "When they return to their unit, their commander receives a more versatile and skilled Airman and leader."

Interested applicants may apply online at www.topsinblue.com or mail an application and video to the Air Force Entertainment office by Nov. 15.

Besides performers, Tops in Blue is looking for technicians in the performing arts, such as audio, lighting, staging and videography. Big rig truck and bus drivers are also encouraged to submit their non-performer application for consideration to attend the Worldwide Talent Search and a place on the upcoming 2012 Tops in Blue tour.

For more information and a schedule of upcoming performances, visit www.topsinblue.com. Follow the group on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aftopsinblue, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/topsinblue or visit the blog at http://tib.dodlive.mil.

(Courtesy of Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs)

Comments

6/10/2012 8:39:41 PM ET
Such clowns. Such whining. Put it in perspective. 500,000 AF and 35 Tops in Blue for a temporary period of 11 months. Funding from different sources than any of your pay or benefits. Tops In Blue does not hire people full time to play music, that's the other AF bands and that's why Tops In Blue is better. That's why AF bands ARE getting axed left and right. Common sense basic math.

Whack a whiner, Syracuse

5/17/2012 11:44:51 AM ET
I guess it' easy for some people to set in their air conditioned offices and complaine about what a waist Tops in Blue is but for me and my family while deployed overseas TIB was a welcomed site. The quality of the show was far better than the liberty bells and the AF band that performed and seemed to not want to be there I might add. Those airman work so hard setting up taring down and performing. We need and appreciate Tops In Blue.

Paul, CONUS

12/6/2011 5:49:48 PM ET
I have seen TIB Shows since I was young. Took my family the entire time they were growing up...took my grand children everytime TIB was in town. Now I take my great grand children. TIB is a wholesome tradition in a nation who has in many cases forgotten what wholesome entertainment really is. Just think....more than an hour without a cell phone text or voice mail....priceless

Maggie Bonner, CONUS

11/16/2011 1:32:16 PM ET
While I'm so glad that all of you feel so fervently about the fiscal crisis, the bottom line is this the decision to keep Tops In Blue is not ours to make. These decisions are made at a level far above our pay-grades. For example, when Congress tells me to go to war I will go to war and I will not complain and I will not look back. While we are not talking about a Congressional vote in this case, the point remains the same. As long as Air Force leadership tells us TIB will continue, I will continue to support them. Possibly by touring....AGAIN

Tim, CONUS

11/15/2011 11:52:50 PM ET
@ MSgt CONUS. You shouldn't be ashamed to tell someone your job is to play guitar IF YOUR ACTUAL AFSC is to play guitar. But TIB IS NOT AN OFFICIAL MIL BAND. Don't confuse Demo Teams and REAL military bands with TIB. The issue here is redundancy. The T-Birds and bands serve a purpose that no other unit serves. Unlike TIB, T-Bird members, mostly pilots and aircrew, are still performing the job they are paid to do. So do mil bandsmen. But TIB is comprised of people paid to turn wrenches or handle medical records. Instead, we're paying them to stiff their fellow Airmen with deployments only to have the USO and Armed Forces Entertainment duplicate the service later using REAL celebrities. To PAY TIB Airmen to avoid turning wrenches and instead play guitar while there are several other agencies that do the same thing is shameful waste of money.

Lee, OCONUS

11/8/2011 2:21:30 PM ET
How is it that the AF is cutting thousands of critical civilian positions to save money while Tops in Blues continues? Tops in Blues needs to be cut along with the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels and several of the skydiving Jump Teams. I would personnaly be embarrased to tell people my job as a MSgt in the AF was to play the guitar.

MSgt, CONUS

10/7/2011 6:49:45 AM ET
Quoted from the article...learn skills they will use when they return to their units or on contingency operationsI can't remember the last time I had to sing dance or play an instrument in support of a contingency operation.How about having their AFSC bring tremendous value to their life

Me, OCONUS

10/4/2011 11:54:38 PM ET
Glad to know my COLA is being reduced so that they can put on a talent show. Isn't that what TV is for

Phillip, O-CONUS

9/30/2011 11:26:08 AM ET
I really enjoyed watching them perform. It was a great way to get away from the stress of work for a while. Props to those who can perform like that. I know I couldn't.

just saying, CONUS

9/29/2011 8:15:10 PM ET
Continued from my truncated 928 post below. I'm quite sure Airmen would prefer to have their morale boosted by real celebrities. The USO and Armed Forces Entertainment do the same job as TIB and we don't have to fund their base pay or cover their day jobs. TIB has a place in our history like all past greats. But its value today is overrated. We get rid of aircraft when they are no longer needed and they take their place in history. It's time for TIB to do the same. Go into history proudly TIB. But stop trying to sell us this 1950's model of military entertainment in 2011.

Lee, OCONUS

9/29/2011 12:18:09 PM ET
Lee Tradition didn't exist in the Air Force before 2002 and anything we believe to be a tradition is replaced with something shiny. Goodbye Hap Arnold Wings Patches Morale Creeds Uniforms and mission. Hello looking pretty while doing less.

D, MDL

9/28/2011 9:51:04 PM ET
TIB supporters are quick to point out that a majority of funding for TIB comes from corporate sponsors like Coca Cola. While it's true that the logistics for TIB do not come out of the Air Force's pockets one fact remains. THE BASE PAY and ENTITLEMENTS for TIB Airmen is still paid by the Air Force. AND for every VOLUNTEER in Tops in Blue ANOTHER AIRMAN somewhere has to take a deployment he might not have had to take if that singer or drummer had remained in his or her unit doing what the Air Force originally paid them to do. If our budget is in such dire straits this needs to be addressed. Some say that TIB is a valued part of tradition that must be maintained. Tradition for tradition's sake is worthless. TIB supporters love to say they bring morale to the troops. Hogwash. Ask Airmen downrange which performer they appreciated seeing more. Top-name acts like Toby Keith Rapper Pit Bull Dane Cook or the Airmen who are singing to those who got stuck with their deployment. I'm quite

Lee, OCONUS

9/28/2011 1:41:48 PM ET
We all need to make cuts in this time of fiscal crisis. That includes TIB. I recommend they cut at least 25 percent from the female performers' stage costumes. I'm available to help.

Gary, The Capitol

9/28/2011 12:43:00 PM ET
Juan please enlighten us as to how a bunch of Airmen running around in frilly outfits singing Gloria Estephan songs demonstrates our greatness and flexibility. The message I get from TIB is that it's a waste of money

John, CONUS

9/27/2011 10:53:54 PM ET
When did the Air Force start bringing in morons with little insight and desperate sense of worthlessness Stop commenting on what you don't know.Tops in Blue sends a message to the world that we may have our ups and downs but we will never sacrifice our ability to enjoy life.The hard work and dedication from the individuals in Tops in Blue demonstrate our greatness and flexibility from our armed forces.

Juan Ramos, NJ

9/21/2011 8:56:27 AM ET
I guess they solved that budget crisis since we have room in the budget for Tops in Blue.

Paul, Afghanistan

9/20/2011 4:20:23 PM ET
If you're looking for the first thing that should go during the current budget crisis look no further. TIB is nothing but fraud, waste and abuse.

JTAC, OCONUS

9/20/2011 3:41:19 PM ET
Glad to see that the Tops in Blue continue to survive even with the struggling economy, downsizing of the USAF and increased deployment rates.

Bob, CONUS

Add a comment

Inside AF.mil

GeneralImagesVideo

View All RSS

Subscribe AF.MIL

More Headlines

PHOTO ESSAY: Airmen join coalition forces in EOD mission

A family affair: Former base now home to burrowing owl family  3

July/August Airman magazine now available

Air Force Week in Photos

B-52s to receive communications upgrade  1

Academy cadets deploy, experience expeditionary life   5

AF aerial firefighters continue to battle West Fork Complex fire

Air Force announces preferred alternative for security forces regional training center consolidation  2

CSAF to sponsor 3 captains for PhD program  1

Davis-Monthan Airmen work to end veteran homelessness by 2015

Jennies to jets to stealth: Bomb wing turns 90

Concentration camp survivor to fighter pilot: 'Freedom a beautiful thing'  6

Wounded warriors adapt, overcome at Andrews sports camp

Pilots, combat systems officers may be eligible for retention incentives   8

Commentary

Our commitment, our community

'Lucky' people take personal responsibility for their own success 16