USAFCENT Band revitalizes the AOR with music

Published Sept. 10, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Vernon J. Cunningham
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

Southwest Asia -- It's neither "Stars and Stripes Forever" nor "Four Ruffles and Flourishes", but it is an Air Force band playing.

Instead, they are playing No Doubt's "Don't Speak" and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "Knock on Wood." The band is performing for an enthusiastic crowd who are playing tambourines and cow bells while dancing in a standing-room-only packed room. This is today's USAFCENT Band.

The Ohio Air National Guard's Band of the Great Lakes, from the 180th Fighter Wing, deployed here to perform as the USAFCENT Band under the name "Mojave," bringing music and morale to all of the troops.

Mojave takes pride in playing music that reaches all ranges of deployed and community members. In addition to traditionally popular tunes, they strategically ensure they play music to peak the interest of some of the younger personnel (18 to 22 years old), said 2nd Lt. Haley Armstrong, officer in charge. Their ability to adapt and raise morale would definitely be tested during their tour.

Their first performance was at the Coalition Forces club. Mojave had spent the previous few weeks doing training on convoys, weapons, military skills, band combat skills and working 12-hour days while still practicing on their instruments. Despite that rigorous preparation, and travel, Mojave showed up ready to rock and roll.

They were warmly received and the band had a great time performing. Mojave featured such tunes as "We're an American Band", "Freebird", "Hang on Sloopy", and other upbeat, songs. The crowd was dancing, singing along, and even invited to play instruments and sing on stage. The crowd packed into the structure and the interactive style of Mojave ensured that all personnel were involved in the action.

"After all that preparation, it was nice to do something familiar again and play for people," said Staff Sgt. Brian Bigelow, NCO in charge.

From there the tour started. Mojave moved through the AOR playing at both large, established, bases and small units.

Lt. Armstrong said it didn't matter if there were 40 or 200 members in the audience. They were still excited to play and the audience was just as pumped up.

"Some of the smallest gigs were the most rewarding," added Staff Sgt. Nicholas Kuetemeyer, Mojave band member.

Sgt. Bigelow said he was most impressed with Mojave's ability to learn music and adapt to a situation. On multiple occasions they learned a tune en route to a location or while on the band stand, due to requests from the audience. They showed maximum flexibility during one performance by playing jazz, acoustic and even "The Humpty Dance", a popular hip-hop song from the 1990s.

In sharing the gift of song, Mojave also lets other musicians express themselves.
During one performance, they let a member from the crowd come up and play the bass guitar on stage with them. Afterwards, he was so thankful, he ran back to his quarters to get a coin for the band.

On another occasion, three servicemembers were allowed to play "Summer of '69" on their own. Then, later in the tour, they allowed a colonel from the crowd to play with them. It was his first, ever, drum performance in front of a live audience.

"Every gig we went to we personally interacted with the most amazing Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and [coalition forces]. It started with the British Coalition and kept going from there," said Lt. Armstrong.

Throughout their travels, Mojave got the troops excited and, using their style of newer rock and interactive performing, brought the music of the AFCENT band to a broader array of listeners.

Proof of their successful mission was evident as the band was shocked by the flood of requests for autographs which followed most of their performances. This time was usually a mixture of the host base's members praising Mojave's job of bringing great music to the AOR and Mojave praising, and asking about, the deployed member's job.
Staff Sgt. Michelle Pohlable, Mojave band member, said by the time they were done talking, the band members ended up being more excited about the deployed members' jobs than the deployees were about the band's job.

One tone that stuck with the band was that it did not matter what service or base they were at, everyone was so proud of their facility. Every place was different and they all had history. And every installation's sponsor eagerly shared their history with the band. There was so much pride in their installation and their jobs in the service.

"It is humbling. We are coming here to give thanks and they were thanking us. Our job is to boost morale. But, a lot of times it was the other way around," said Sgt. Pohlable.

The AFCENT Band may have surprised deployed members on what they were able, and willing, to play. With the personal interaction and updated playlist, they did not notice anybody leaving whenever the band would take breaks and their audience would usually stay until the last note of the last song.

"Don't just write off the bands," said Lt. Armstrong. "If you hear about an Air Force band, give them a shot. You never know who they may be."