Photo By Sgt. 1st Class April Davis | Staff Sgt. Ward Baxter (center), an instrumentalist with the 234th Army Band, plays...... read more read more
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CLACKAMAS, Oregon - Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Ward Baxter, of the 234th Army Band, is honored with the prestigious Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award.
It came as a surprise when Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Ward Baxter, of the 234th Army Band, learned he is a 2014 recipient of the Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award.
Baxter, a musical performance team leader for the 234th Army Band’s ‘Brass Ops’ brass band, said he was caught off-guard because he didn’t realize his leadership had nominated him. He would soon discover what an honor the rare award bestows.
“I went home and did my due diligence and research, and found out that, wow, this is a prestigious honor,” said Baxter.
The award recognizes enlisted musicians serving in a military band of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard who exhibit outstanding musical and leadership excellence. Candidates for the award must be outstanding musicians; demonstrating excellence in solo and ensemble performance, displaying exceptional leadership qualities and great potential for future outstanding service.
The award is named in honor of Colonel Finley R. Hamilton, U.S. Army (Ret), who succumbed to cancer while serving as president of the National Band Association (NBA). Hamilton served 35 years in the Army Music Program retiring from service as the commander and conductor of the United States Army Field Band. The award is meant to capture Hamilton’s dedication to the musicians of the armed forces and his championing of outstanding musician leaders in service bands from all branches.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ashley Alexander, commander of the 234th Army Band, said Baxter received the award for good reason.
“Only a certain handful of recipients are selected each year and we’re very fortunate this year that Staff Sgt. Baxter was selected to receive it,” said Alexander.
Alexander said the 234th command team looks closely at who is deserving of receiving the award before nominating someone. He said that it’s not every year that someone gets selected.
“They need to be qualified in a leadership way, and artistically as a musician, to help elevate their peers around them,” Alexander said.
He added that in order to receive a nomination the band member must enhance the unit as a whole when they do performances.
“It’s really an honor to have Staff Sgt. Baxter here as part of this unit because receiving this award kind of reinforces the level of quality we’re trying to build here in the 234th,” Alexander said.
Baxter is not the only member of the 234th to have received the award.
Staff Sgt. Jesus Cruz, a recipient of the award in 2013, said he still remembers how it felt when he received the award.
“I was really proud,” Cruz said. “I was proud my work had been recognized.”
Cruz said he is proud to have another member of his unit join the ranks of this rare and prestigious honor.
| Date Taken: | 02.15.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2015 01:05 |
| Story ID: | 157037 |
| Location: | CLACKAMAS, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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