US, Afghan bands speak universal language

  • Published
  • By Capt. Rob Leese
  • 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  The Air Force Central Command and Afghan National Army bands played to a packed house of more than 400 Afghan and NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan members at the Afghan air force base Oct. 16 here. 

NATC-A advisers, who are helping build the Afghan air force by training pilots, maintainers and all the support personnel required to properly operating an air force, and AAF members had a chance to enjoy the professional musicians' 2.5 hour gig.

The AFCENT band, deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., consists of seven members playing guitars, drums and keyboard. The AFCENT band started the concert with down-home Southern rock and country-Western tunes.

The five member ANA band, stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, played a more traditional Afghan music line-up while playing drums, tambours and harmonium. Their final song got members of the audience out of their seats and dancing to a song dedicated to pilots.

AAF Lt. Col Mohammad Bahadur, a public affairs officer, was the one of the main organizers of the joint concert. He said he wanted to provide an atmosphere where NATC-A advisers and AAF airmen could come together outside of the typical work day to connect with each other on a more personal level.

Music -- the universal language -- was the easiest way for the people to get a better understanding of each other.

"This is the first official concert that we have had in the AAF, and I am proud to have been involved in setting it up," Colonel Bahadur said. 

At the end of the concert, Maj. Matthew Henry, the AFCENT band commander, presented a donated electronic keyboard, microphones and speakers to the ANA band.

"I hope that we will be able to provide more donated equipment to the ANA in the future and continue improving the relationship between our bands, " Major Henry said.