Air Force band kicks off tour in Djibouti

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joel Langton
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs
Djibouti (AFPN) --  The nine-piece U.S. Central Command Air Forces Band Live Round kicked off their tour in Africa with a one-hour show for American servicemembers and local law enforcers Jan. 22 at Djibouti's national police academy. 

The ensemble performed before about 100 members of the nation's police force and police department's administration, as the group will give nine performances in five days during their tour of Africa. 

The band is a blend of members from the U.S. Air Force Academy Band based in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the Band of Mid-America at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

Live Round's goodwill effort fostered stronger relations between local law enforcement and the American military community based out of nearby Camp Lemonier, said Marine Capt. Christopher Crim, the Bravo Battalion commander. The camp is part of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. 

Captain Crim's Marines protect a portion of the camp in conjunction with the local police force. 

"It's always work, work, work. This gives us a chance to get to know each other in a non-work environment," Captain Crim said. 

The hour-long show gave Djibouti policemen, American Marines, Soldiers and Airmen different perspectives on each other as they sat together, clapped and even danced to a few songs. 

The band's brass section brought the crowd to its feet when they marched through the crowd playing Herbie Hancock's hit, "Chameleon." 

The show was a huge success, said Lt. Abdillahi Ibrahim Nour, the director of the Djibouti police academy. "Even though many of our French-speaking policemen couldn't understand the words, the music spoke to us. I feel like we understand the Americans better now and we have a better relationship." 

For the band, it was a home run as well. 

"It gave validity to our reason for being here and that is to deepen relationships," said Tech. Sgt. Victoria Bruyette, a Live Round singer. 

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