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380AEW Article

AFCENT Band hits the right note on ADAB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Darrion Browning
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
AL DHAFRA AIR BASE, United Arab Emirates --  Members of the Air Forces Central Command Band from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar visited Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates on Jan. 25, 2018.

During their visit, members of the AFCENT Band, commonly referred to as the Blue Steel, performed a concert on base for ADAB personnel and held a clinic off base at a school within the local community.

"This particular trip was partially to boost troop morale but also to develop community relations," said Staff Sgt. Craig Larimer, AFCENT Band pianist.

Despite the language gap and cultural differences brought on by a foreign country, Air Force Bands use music to bridge the gap between language, societal and socio-economic differences.

Once on the school campus, band members assisted music instructors during classes by lending advice and encouragement to the students; following the academic portion, the band held a concert during lunch where they played popular music the students sang and danced to.

"It’s just to show gratitude, either to the American troops or the host nation,” said Staff Sgt. Quincy Brown, AFCENT Band drummer. “Our concerts help show our support for the sacrifices they make.”

Through the power of music, armed forces bands arouse positive and long-lasting impressions of U.S. armed forces to audiences across the world.

The week-long visit to ADAB was a part of a three month tour servicing several deployed locations throughout the Middle East and Africa.

“The tour has been very tiring for me personally but in a good way,” said Brown. “Tiring as in we’ve been putting everything out there; we’ve been performing for a lot of people in different countries and overall I feel we have been used in a really effective way as far as getting the Air Force’s message out.”