Air Force band is expeditionary instrument of peace

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  There was no waiting for the world to change one recent spring day in Afghanistan when Air Force Band members took matters into their own hands and united with a group of local elementary school students for an afternoon of friendship and music.

Singing pop songs by artists such as John Mayer, who penned the song, "Waiting for the World to Change" the ensemble band Max Impact, who had performed for Airmen at a nearby base earlier in the day, provided more than just entertainment for their audience -- they brought with them a message of peace and hope.

"There they were, standing in front of these children in full body armor," said Chief Master Sgt. Larry MacTaggert, who played the drums that day. "It was something unusual for these ... children of Afghan soldiers. All we brought was our instruments and we came to play for them."

The result was something spectacular, said the chief. By the end of it, the crowd had grown to 300 people, with many of the participants dancing and eagerly waiting to try out the instruments themselves.

"Music cuts across cultures, allowing people to make connections," Chief MacTaggert said. "Sometimes it can get in where visual and written messages can't."

Experiences like this are about to become more common now that the Air Force deployed an expeditionary band to this command in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

While Air Force band members have always traveled to visit the troops in deployed locations, there was never a dedicated group of performers situated in the region. Now, two band ensembles, comprised of 27 musicians, will remain here for 60 days.

"This is only the beginning," said Maj. Chad Steffey, U.S. Central Air Forces Expeditionary Band officer-in-charge here. "This will grow and extend to where we'll have a full-time expeditionary band presence here all the time."

The mission is to travel to forward operating bases throughout the command to perform for both the deployed troops and local nationals. Their song repertoire will contain a series of genres to appeal to a broad audience: pop, country, jazz, rock, etc. Several embassies in the region already put in requests for performances in their countries.

The change to this new expeditionary arrangement was made by Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

"He wants us to be fully utilitized as expeditionary Airmen," Major Steffey said.

And the Airmen, who come from stateside active, Guard and Reserve bands, are ready to go. They received combat skills training and are prepared for the sometimes-hazardous conditions waiting for them.

"They're facing this with eager apprehension," Major Steffey said. "It's a powerful mission, to be sent as an instrument that goes beyond deterrence and violence. Of course, we're aware of the physical threat, but this is what we do as Airmen."

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