Banding together

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Airman 1st Class Melissa Rager, the lead singer for the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, Night Wing, serenades members of the audience during a concert for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 9, 2012. The seven members of Night Wing are deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and will spend the majority of their deployment traveling to bases around the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Banding together

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Staff Sgt. Dustin Ballard rocks a cowbell during a concert by the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, Night Wing, April 9, 2012. The band played several shows while visiting the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. In addition, they played a concert off base for students at a local university. Ballard is deployed from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Night Wing at 380 AEW

SOUTHWEST ASIA - A member of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing records an acoustic perfomance by Night Wing, the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, April 9, 2012. The band played several small sets at various shops on base including the fire station, fabrication flight, explosives ordnance flight and munitions storage area to help boost troop morale. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

Night Wing at 380 AEW

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Airman 1st Class Melissa Rager, lead singer for Night Wing, the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, helps Staff Sgt. Samuel Jaks sing along during a performance at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 8, 2012. Jaks, a Tallahassee, Fla., native is deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

Night Wing at 380 AEW

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Night Wing, the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, performs a song for members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at the aerospace ground equipment hangar April 8, 2012. The band travels throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to help build partnerships through community performances while also boosting morale for deployed troops. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

Banding together

SOUTHWEST ASIA - The U.S. Air Forces Central Band, Night Wing, performs for members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 9, 2012. The band played several shows for people on base as well as for students at a local university. The seven members of Night Wing are deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and will spend the majority of their deployment traveling to bases around the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Banding together

SOUTHWEST ASIA - U.S. Air Forces Central Band guitarists Airman 1st Class Lee Heerspink and Master Sgt. Richard Baisden perform for members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 9, 2012. The AFCENT band Night Wing played several shows for people on base as well as for students at a local university. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

AFCENT band executes strategic, tactical missions

Published April 12, 2012
By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Some Airmen turn wrenches to ensure a jet flies; others focus on contingency plans for a particular geographic area.

And then there are some Airmen who fill both a tactical and strategic need for the Air Force, like the musicians deployed to the traveling U.S. Air Forces Central Band.

During their recent visit to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 7 to 10, the seven members of Night Wing performed several shows on base, as well as a concert for future leaders at a local university.

Building morale for the troops

While playing on base, lead singer Airman 1st Class Melissa Rager admitted to the audience she was suffering from a fever. There was, however, a cure ...

More cowbell.

Night Wing performed small, acoustic sets for Airmen at several work centers around base, including the fire department, munitions storage area and the explosive ordnance disposal and fabrication flights. In addition, the group played their full show at both the aerospace ground equipment hangar near the flightline as well as the outdoor pavilion on base.

"It's nice to get a break to just relax and listen to music," said Staff Sgt. Samuel Jaks, a Tallahassee, Fla., native deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. "It was a nice surprise; I'd never seen an Air Force band before. They're just like professional musicians."

During the band's performance of the Blue Oyster Cult classic "Don't Fear the Reaper," they handed out cowbells for people to play. During other songs, 380th AEW Airmen joined Night Wing on stage to sing or play an instrument.

"I love live music, so I was enjoying the show anyway, and then when I saw they had kind of an open mic thing, I figured I'd get up and try it," said Senior Airman Drew Edwards, a Philadelphia native deployed from Altus AFB, Okla., who sang Cream's "Rollin' and Tumblin.' "I'd never sung it with a band before and it was pretty amazing they were able to just kick in and play without rehearsing. So it meant a lot to me to have that opportunity."

Each gig was just a small example of how the band helps raise morale among deployed service members.

"I definitely appreciated them coming to play for us because my folks aren't always able to break away and take part in activities around base," said 1st Lt. Jesse Stroh, a munitions maintenance officer deployed from Holloman AFB, N.M. "There's a direct correlation between our job and supporting the flightline so it's easy to get stressed out. Anything we can do to keep people from feeling overwhelmed absolutely helps us get the mission done.

"Morale is crucial," the lieutenant added.

Building partnerships for the future

More than 300 students and faculty turned out for the university performance, part of the U.S. Embassy's efforts to better familiarize the local community with American culture.

"When people get the chance to interact with Americans directly, especially the military, it shatters a lot of stereotypes of what they've seen in the media," explained Fayrouz Zghoul, a cultural specialist for the consulate. "The students realized they had a lot in common with the Americans. That's an important start to building partnerships between countries."

Ahmed Eltinai, one of the people who helped organize the concert, said the show was about "more than just the music."

"We expected it to be a lot of marching music, but they played a lot of the top hits and more mainstream rock songs," he said. "No one expected that. I mean, a lot of people here think Americans are just in this area to fight, so when we explained to the crowd it was a U.S. Air Force band, they were really surprised.

"As it turns out, Americans are just like us," he added.

The band designated as the AFCENT Band spends the majority of their deployment traveling to bases around the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. So far, Night Wing has played dozens of shows for people in four countries with trips scheduled throughout Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan in the coming weeks.