Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Mary Mott | BAGHDAD, Iraq - A woodwind quintet from the 4th Infantry Division Band awes the...... read more read more
By Sgt. 1st Class Mary Mott, 363rd MPAD
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Back home at Fort Hood, Texas, the 4th Infantry Division Band has a multi-faceted mission: playing for numerous ceremonies, serving as a marching band and performing concerts off-post in the community.
Now deployed to Iraq for the second time, the band's mission is somewhat different than at stateside, due to a number of considerations, including security and transportation, the full band no loner performs en masse.
Based at Camp Liberty, the band is broken down into nine smaller 'specialty combos," that travel and play at forward operating bases throughout the 4th Inf. Div.'s area of operations.
The "Something for Everyone" unit includes a rock band, two jazz combos (both quartets), a country band, a Latin band, a woodwind quintet, a brass quintet, a combined brass/Dixieland/boogie band and a tuba-euphonium quartet.
For those who are thinking about how much fun it would be to go on the road with one or more of the band's groups, there are a few facts you need before you start packing. The band does not travel light, and it does not travel slowly. Hundreds of pounds of bulky musical equipment is secured in containers and loaded by the band members, usually on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in the middle of the night and in a hurry.
There is no 'star treatment" for these band members. The Chinook " a flying work-horse not known for comfort or quiet " bounces its way to a distant FOB, sometimes being forced into an even bumpier ride to avoid possible hostile fire, typically downloads the band in a rocky field and takes off immediately for another mission.
Despite the fact that on these weekly road trips they frequently do not get more than a few hours sleep and grab a meal when they find an open Dining Facility, the bands consistently perform to a standard that cheers, pleases and sometimes even astounds their audiences.
Somewhere around midnight Feb. 27, the rock band, jazz combo and woodwind quintet traveled to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for a day-long Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 28. Playing alternately, and culminating with the rock band at the poolside in the evening, the extreme diversity and talent of the band fascinated listeners.
The degree of talent, experience and expertise in the band is staggering. Although he may be a bit prejudiced, Master Sgt. Stephen Mohacey, composer and lead horn player for the jazz quartet, rated the 4th Inf. Div. as "one of the three best bands in the Army."
There are currently 34 active-duty Army bands. In addition, there are 20 in the United States Army Reserve and 53 in the Army National Guard.
Being invited to play at the U.S. Embassy, said Mohacey, who is originally from San Antonio, a 17-year veteran who has been with numerous Army bands in his career, "can be added to list of surreal things that have happened to me since I joined the Army band. This is my ninth assignment (since being in the Army)," said Mohacey, "and the 4th ID has been the most challenging."
Life-long jazz fans, Maj. Chadwick Davis and Warrant Officer Timothy Chaney, both with the 212th Field Artillery Brigade out of Fort Sill, Okla., said they were especially impressed with Mohacey's "Iron Winds quartet," which played inside the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center at the Embassy.
"I think they are absolutely fabulous," said Davis. "They've got a nice feel, very smooth and just what this place needs."
Chaney noted that several Soldiers in his unit had stopped him to comment about how much they enjoyed the bands and appreciated 'that they took time out to come help the morale."
Once again with a midnight departure Feb. 28, the bands went on to FOB Loyalty to repeat the performances there March 1.
In addition to all of their musical commitments, the band is responsible for providing 24-hour security at the division main headquarters here. That takes eight members of the band out of circulation every day, posing a logistical challenge for 1st Sgt. Chris Lopez, since he has to coordinate shifts to ensure that certain members of the band are free at the same times and also get enough sleep and rehearsal time.
Lopez, a 19-year band veteran and lead trumpet player for the Latin Band, has served with major command, division and adjutant general-level training bands. He said the 4th Inf. Div. band Soldiers are true professionals who fully understand and accept the "non-performing" side of their duties.
It is the time they spend performing that makes even the most thankless jobs worthwhile, said Lopez.
"This one is by far the most talented of any (band) I've been in. I see these Soldiers doing things that just amaze me," said Lopez.
One more additional duty is for the band's six trumpet players who are also responsible for playing "Taps" at memorial ceremonies. They average at least one a week and "are our highest-priority mission," noted Lopez.
Most of the musicians in the band have been performing since they were children, often influenced by a parent to play an instrument.
"In fifth grade, my mom told me I was going to play the flute " and I was going to pay for it myself," laughed 17-year Army band veteran, Staff Sgt. Scot Magnuson, a member of the woodwind quintet and native of Astoria, Ore.
The bands were "a great morale boost for Soldiers, a little touch of home." Childs said that she was "impressed that (the band) are still Soldiers who fight and carry weapons like us, but are also professional musicians," said Sgt. 1st Class Bridget Childs, a member of the 506th Regional Combat Team, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Ky., who serves as DFAC supervisor at FOB Loyalty.
Childs" staff, mostly from Bangladesh, were so entranced with the Jazz quintet that, at Childs" request, the group stayed on after the luncheon crowd had disbursed to play a couple of special requests.
"The foreign workers are fascinated and enjoy it immensely," said Childs.
Band members run the education gamut from high school, self-taught musicians, to double master's degrees on the way to a doctorate, and from ambitions of music fame in the civilian world one day, to wanting to change career direction altogether after leaving the Army band.
Two members of the rock band, Sgt. Daniel Arizmendi, a drummer from Brownsville, Texas, and Sgt. Christopher Williams, a horn player from Orlando, Fla., formed a band while the unit was still at Fort Hood called "Under the Gun." The group's first CD, also titled "Under the Gun," was released Feb. 17. Three songs on the CD are original compositions by the group.
Multi-talented musician and songwriter, Staff Sgt. Josh DiStefano, has already published impressive works, including the haunting "South New Orleans," played by the Iron Horse Winds jazz quartet, as are a number of other compositions by DiStefano.
Sgt. Brian Archer, originally from Columbus, Ohio, a technician and drummer with the jazz quartet, came into the Army in the Military Intelligence career field and said he plans eventually to return to MI.
"This is not like a civilian band," pointed out Archer. "You can't pick and chose who you want in your group, and also you can't just show up somewhere and play. There is a tremendous amount of pre-coordination," said Archer.
Sgt. Heather Secora, a 4-foot 10-inch former music teacher, whose bassoon is almost larger than she is, said the Army band was "a chance to make a real difference." Secora's "first day of basic training was 9-11, so I have never been in a peacetime Army," she said.
Like many other band members, Secora plays more than one instrument. In her case, she carries a clarinet, an oboe and a French horn. Secora, from Southwick, Mass., also holds a vocal degree.
Several band members also play or sing in more than one specialty band and all perform at least once a week.
The band members" diverse individual ambitions and stories are endless, as is the talent of this group of 41 Soldiers, all brought together for the primary reason of supporting and improving the morale of their fellow Soldiers.
The bands play upon request at all FOBs in the 4th Inf. Div. area of operations in Iraq, depending upon scheduling and transportation.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2006 10:00 |
| Story ID: | 5692 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 871 |
| Downloads: | 371 |
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