Staff Sergeant Daniel Safford Staff Sergeant Daniel Safford is a tuba player in the Concert Band and Brass Quintet of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard Band of the Northeast. Originally from Ardmore, PA, he began his career in the Air Force in 2011 with the 562nd Air Force Band in Southern California and transferred to the 553rd in the fall of 2012. Sergeant Safford obtained a Bachelor of Music degree in Tuba Performance and a Master of the Arts in Teaching degree, both from the University of Southern California. After five years as a public school teacher in civilian life he returned to school at Arcadia University, and now practices as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Sergeant Safford has toured with the University of Southern California's Wind Ensemble to venues including Carnegie Hall and with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra to China and Eastern Europe. He was invited to play at the Lima Jazz Festival in Peru and has played in concert with Yo-Yo Ma and Wayne Shorter. He has conducted masterclasses for the USC Marching Band's tuba section and regularly performed with Orchestra Surreal and Banda Camino Al Norte in Los Angeles. Sergeant Safford's awards and decorations include, the National Defense Medal, Basic Military Training Honor Graduate Medal, Small Arms Expert Medal, and Basic Military Graduation Medal.