Staff Sgt. Gregory Lacy performs a guitar solo during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. This performance is part of a 12-day tour to develop friendships and provide entertainment to service members and the Kyrgyz Republic. Lacy is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Houston. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Col. Robert Mallets shares opening remarks before a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Top Flight, a six-person band from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is on an 12-day tour in Kyrgyzstan. Mallets is the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Tech. Sgt. Christin Foley sings during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Top Flight performed a variety of classic rock. Foley is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Cleveland. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Senior Airman Henry Roberson sings and plays the bass guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Top Flight, a six-person band from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is on an 11-day tour in Kyrgyzstan. Roberson is a native of Detroit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Staff Sgt. Gregory Lacy and Chief Petty Officer Fred Turner sing together during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. This performance is part of a 12-day tour to develop friendships and provide entertainment to service members and the Kyrgyz Republic. Lacy is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Houston. Turner is a 273rd Marine Wing Support Squadron chief hospital corpsman. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Tech. Sgt. Chad Newman plays the drums during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" concert inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Top Flight performed a variety of classic rock. Newman is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Arlington, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Staff Sgt. Samantha Renner sings during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Renner volunteered to sing with the band during their concert. Renner is a 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron resource controller deployed from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and a native of Fremont, Neb. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Senior Airman Henry Roberson plays the bass guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Top Flight, a six-person band from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is on an 11-day tour in Kyrgyzstan. Roberson is a native of Detroit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Left, Tech. Sgt. Christin Foley and Staff Sgt. Samantha Renner sing "Don't Stop Believin" during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Renner volunteered to sing with the band during their concert. Foley is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Cleveland. Renner is a 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron resource controller deployed from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and a native of Fremont, Neb. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Master Sgt. Darrin Dziergowski plays the keyboards during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. This performance is part of an 11-day tour to develop friendships and provide entertainment to service members and the Kyrgyz Republic. Dziergowski is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Suitland, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Master Sgt. Darrin Dziergowski plays the keyboards during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012.Top Flight, a six-person band from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is on an 11-day tour in Kyrgyzstan. Dziergowski is a native of Suitland, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Staff Sgt. Gregory Lacy performs a guitar solo during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance inside Pete's Place at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 21, 2012. Top Flight performed a variety of classic rock. Lacy is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Houston. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Senior Airman Henry Roberson plays the guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. This performance is part of a 12-day tour to develop friendships and provide entertainment to service members and the Kyrgyz Republic. Roberson is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Detroit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Tech. Sgt. Christin Foley sings during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. Top Flight, a six-person band from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is on a 12-day tour in Kyrgyzstan. Foley is a native of Cleveland. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Tech. Sgt. Chad Newman plays the Cajon during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. Top Flight played a variety of classic rock to 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron personnel. Newman is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Arlington, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Staff Sgt. Gregory Lacy plays the guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. This performance, which was held in the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron facility, was played in conjunction with a BBQ to improve morale. Lacy is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Houston. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Master Sgt. Darrin Dziergowski plays the melodica keyboard during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. Top Flight, a six-person band from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is on a 12-day tour in Kyrgyzstan. Dziergowski is a native of Suitland, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
The U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performs at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. Top Flight played a variety of classic rock to 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
Senior Airman Henry Roberson plays the accoustic bass guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. This performance is part of a 12-day tour to develop friendships and provide entertainment to service members and the Kyrgyz Republic. Roberson is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and a native of Detroit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
The U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performs at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 22, 2012. This performance, which was held in the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron facility, was played in conjunction with a BBQ to improve morale. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)
by Staff Sgt. Matt Benedetti
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
10/2/2012 - Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan -- The U.S. Air Forces Central band, Top Flight, recently performed for service members at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, during a 12-day tour of the region.
The mission of the AFCENT band is to lift the morale of service members throughout the area of responsibility as well as to advance international relations through outreach to host nation communities.
Top Flight, deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, has been performing as a group for four months and plays a mix of rock, pop and country. Before traveling to the Kyrgyz Republic, the six- member band performed in locations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for a variety of audiences.
At the Transit Center, the band played live and acoustic sets in several locations entertaining hundreds of service members heading down range or on their way home after serving in Afghanistan.
"I know that the band loves playing for the troops here. The Transit Center is a unique place and we are happy to be able to provide morale support and give [deploying or re-deploying personnel] a slice of home before going downrange or back to the U.S," said 1st Lt. Rafael Toro-Quinones, the officer in charge of Top Flight, who also serves as commander of the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band.
"This is an amazing responsibility. At the end of their time in Kyrgyzstan, we will have an international impact," said Toro-Quinones, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
Senior Airman Henry Roberson, Top Flight's bassist and vocalist enjoyed the experience of playing at the Transit Center.
"Playing here was a lot of fun. The crowd changed daily so we tried to adjust our set based on what they want to hear," said Henry, a native of Detroit. "One of most important missions is taking care of people and we hope to inspire people to do a little better wherever they go," said Roberson.
Members of the audience were pleased with the show.
"Top Flight gave an excellent performance. They are talented musicians and did a great job engaging the audience into the fun. It's great to see Airmen given an opportunity to showcase their talents while lifting morale for their fellow service members," said Capt. Laura Barnes, a native of Fairplay, Colo., who is deployed from Eglin AFB, Fla.
