USAF Band of Mid-America pay tribute to Sijan legacy

Published May 8, 2012
By Tech. Sgt. Keisha Gwin-Goodin
USAF Band of Mid-America

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Members of the Air Force Band of Mid-America's concert band completed an eight performance concert series in the eastern and southern portions of Wisconsin April 20.

The performances were part of the band's community outreach effort to inspire the trust America has for our nation's military.

The program featured a diverse musical lineup full of history, excitement, and of course, honor.

Perhaps the most significant part of the concert's collection of the musical tributes highlighted Milwaukee native, Air Force veteran, prisoner of war and Medal of Honor recipient, Capt. Lance Sijan.

Each night the band played the tribute piece "A Moment of Air Force Valor", written and composed by Senior Master Sgt. Dean Smith.

This piece, which accompanied a spoken narration and video montage, provided information about the late Sijan. It detailed Sijan's early days as a budding leader of his high school football team, his successful time as a cadet at the USAF Academy, and ultimately his final days as a POW in the jungles of Vietnam in 1967.

This moving tribute served as a display of the bravery, commitment, and values required of our military men and women. It also reminded concertgoers of the sacrifices, and in this case the ultimate sacrifice, that has been made to secure a land of the free and home of the brave.

The tribute was particularly emotional in Sijan's hometown of Milwaukee.

Janine Sijan Rozina, the younger sister of Sijan, attended the concert at Milwaukee's Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Rozina, who was just a young girl when her older brother reported for duty at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, met with the band after the concert.

Clearly emotional, Rozina shared many personal details about her brother. She told stories and painted pictures that many don't get to hear or see.

"Like all of you, my brother was an artist," said Rozina. "Thank you for honoring my brother and keeping his memory alive."

Because of his heroism, Sijan posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 1976. To date, he is the only Air Force Academy graduate to receive this honor.

Each year, the Air Force presents the Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award to officers and enlisted personnel who best embody the art of leading and exemplify our service's core values of integrity, service and excellence.

The Band of Mid-America is dedicated to rendering honor to all of our nation's veterans for the sacrifices they have made to secure the freedoms that American's continue to defend.