In with the band

Published Oct. 24, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Nicole Leidholm
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- When it comes to jobs in the Air Force, being part of the band is just as important as any other career field.

Here at Travis, the mission of the Band of the Golden West is to spread the Air Force message through music.

"The Band of the Golden West supports the Air Force and Air Mobility Command missions by providing professional musical products and services for official military, recruiting and community relations events," said Master Sgt. Sherry Burt, NCO in charge of media and public affairs with the Band of the Golden West. "We represent Airmen to the general public in areas surrounding our military installations and also in communities that would otherwise never see a blue uniform. It is our job to tell the Air Force story and to communicate the incredible excellence performed by our Airmen every day."

To become a member of an Air Force band is no easy feat either. Prior to the Air Force, nearly all of the band members have attended college for music, and some have advanced degrees in music performance, as well as other professional experience. In fact, 90 percent of all Airmen possess at least a bachelor's degree. On occasion, Airmen from other career fields are talented enough to "win" an audition with a band and may cross-train into the band career field, Burt said.

"Our bandsmen must pass a competitive audition process, usually prior to seeing a recruiter or attending basic training," Burt said. "Once offered a job with the band, we attend basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and then report directly to our station to begin telling the Air Force story through music."

Band members are assigned an Air Force specialty code that represents the instrument for which they were hired.

"For example, I am a 3N171E and the 'E' means that I play the flute," Burt said. "While we specialize on one instrument, most of our bandsmen are proficient and are utilized on several instruments."

The band members also hold administrative jobs as well as the title of instrument player.

"Our band functions as a fairly independent unit, so all of our musicians also have collateral duties that help our mission," Burt said.

According to Burt, some additional duties Airmen work are supply office, operations, computer shop, library, productions, marketing, finance and commander support staff.

On top of administrative duties, the band works to fulfill the mission and represent the Air Force within their geographic area of responsibility.

Each regional band has an area for which they are responsible. The Band of the Golden West represents AMC and the Air Force to California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.

"We provide musical support and civic outreach to 13 Air Force bases, eight Air Reserve wings, and six recruiting squadrons in over 250 annual performances for more than 1.5 million listeners annually," Burt said.

With any career in the Air Force, there always is the chance of a deployment.

"Deployed bandsmen provide a musical morale boost and a little taste of home for deployed service members, often in locations not accessible to civilian entertainers," Burt said. "We perform at large, multinational bases and at the most remote outposts. Sometimes, bands even provide musical support for diplomatic functions at embassies."

Master Sgt. Preston Keating, Band of the Golden West NCO in charge of the rock band, Mobility, and unit deployment manager, agrees that deployed bands promote morale by performing for troops and coalition partners.

"The wide variety of popular music we play brings a slice of home downrange," he said.

When the band deploys, typically only one ensemble from an active duty or Guard unit goes to the desert at a time, Burt said. This way the at-home mission can continue.

Bands are frequently deployed, and Airmen rotate from within the career field to provide variety, Burt said. The last group to deploy from the Band of the Golden West was the Galaxy rock band in 2010. Currently, the band is gearing up a seven-piece Irish and bluegrass band called The Blue Yonders to deploy in the summer of 2013.

They even send over their commanders and operations directors to coordinate the Air Force Central band mission, Burt said.

"The most difficult part of deploying was the rigorous travel schedule--we were basically moving every other day, sometimes every day, in order to cover as many bases as possible," Burt said. "This was also a perk, though, because it was wonderful to meet so many service members doing all different jobs and in so many different situations. They were very inspiring to me."

Prior to deploying, our members attend a combat skills training course designed to prepare folks to handle combat situations, Burt said. It is essential that we receive training to handle any contingency scenario.

Master Sgt. Paula Goetz, USAF Band of the Golden West vocalist, deployed to Southwest Asia with the Band of the Golden West rock band, Mobility, in 2005 and again in 2006.

Goetz added that band members also do skills training at dedicated contingency sites that include convoy, night operations and urban scenario training.

The band's organizational structure is unique from other Air Force squadrons because it is comprised of enlisted members with the exception of the conductor, who is also the commander.

"We're all part of the same team and everyone has their role," Keating said. "I'm proud to serve my country in a way that inspires patriotism and promotes the Air Force and its mission around the world."

Burt agreed and added that she's honored to recognize the veterans at every community concert with the playing of the nation's service songs.

"Most of all, we are so proud to have the chance to tell your story, to talk about the most recent AMC humanitarian outreach or the number of missions flown in the last 24 hours," Burt said. "We are your band and we are proud to tell your story."

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