Technical Sergeant Joseph R. Whitt is stationed at the United States Air Force Band of Flight, Wright-Paterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Prior to joining the Band of Flight, Sergent Whitt was stationed at the United States Air Forces in Europe Band, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He performed double bass and electric bass in support of USAFE-AFAFRICA missions including building and preserving partnerships through official multi-national military and international community outreach events. While assigned to USAFE and Air Forces Central Command Band, Technical Sergeant Whitt had held positions as Supply Technician, Purchasing Agent, Operations Representative, Vehicle Control Officer, Music Director for jazz combo, squadron Physical Training Leader, Pay Agent, and Government Purchase Card audit NCO. Of significant interest, with the USAFE Band he performed with the Ukraine Presidential Orchestra, The Belarus Ministry of Defense Orchestra, The South African Air Force Entertainment Band, The Rwanda Defense Forces Band, and was a guest soloist with the Ukraine National Symphony and Moldova National Symphony.
An Ohio native Sergeant Whitt has premiered compositions and performed music in concert halls and leading performing arts venues around the globe including: The Kimmel Center, The Peabody, Budapest War Memorial, Orlando Museum of Art, Nexus, Chris’s Jazz, The Zofin, The Tweeter Center, Verizon Hall, Hard Rock Café, Zanzibar Blue, The Knitting Factory, Disney, Twins Jazz, Sea World, The Jacoby, Bob Car Performing Arts Center, Universal Studios, The Philadelphia Ethical Society, ABC No Rio, Twins Lounge, Broad Street Ministry, Lang Hall, Davies Hall, and The Painted Bride. Continuously managed a private teaching studio. In classical music he performed with The San Francisco Symphony, The Orlando Philharmonic, Opera Tampa, Haddonfield Symphony, The New Jersey Opera Theater, The Imperial Symphony, Space Coast Symphony, The Bel Canto Singers, The Bach Festival Orchestra, The Central Florida Symphony, The Strauss Symphony, The Lancaster Symphony, The Great Hall Chamber Orchestra, Vox Ama Deus, Voces Novae et Antiqae. A member of the American Composers Forum and highly requested improvisation artist between Washington DC and Boston Sergeant Whitt has performed in concert and/or recital with Harry Allen, Stewart Dempster, Wayne Burgeron, Pauline Oliveros, David Gamper, Carl Saunders, Christian Wolfe, Rebecca Copley, William Stokking, Bobby Zenkel and the "Warriors of Wonderful Sound", David Kim, Davis Gaines, Mark O' Conner, Marvin Hamlisch, Michael Phillip Mossman, Yoichi Uzeki, and Justin Faulkner. In 1998, Technical Sergeant Whitt was awarded a certificate for outstanding musicianship by the International Association of Jazz Educators. He has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival several times and at the Red Wood Coast Jazz Festival, The Deep Deuce Jazz Festival, and many others. Finally, Technical Sergeant Whitt is an award-winning film composer. 2009-2010 he composed, recorded, performed, and produced music for the short film The Rounder Comes to Town.
Sergeant Whitt has deployed three times in support of 5 operations: IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, OPERATION INHERANT RESOLVE, OPERATION ALLIES REFUGE, and OPERATION ALLIES WELCOME; where he led the logistics for personnel movement of the Air Forces Central Command Band downrange to perform for troops at numerous forward operating bases throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and supporting embassy and community relations initiatives for the Department of State in Qatar, Oman, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor in Arts, Double Bass Performance, University of Central Florida, Orange County, Florida
2005 Masters in Arts, Double Bass Performance, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2009 Basic Military Training United States Air Force, Lackland AFB, Texas
2010 Combat Airman Skills Training, Guernsey, Wyoming
2013 Airman Leadership School, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2014 Associate Degree, F&A Art Music, Community College of the Air Force,
2014 Non-Commissioned Officers Academy, Distance Learning Course
2018 Kisling Non-Commissioned Officers Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2019 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, Joint Knowledge On-Line, Non-Residence
2019 Field Craft Hostile, Air Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
2020 Project Management Institute, Certified Associates in Project Management
2020 Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Certification, Living Works
2021 Air University, USAF Master Resilience Trainer
2021 Six Sigma, Green Belt Certification, Opus Works
2021 USAF Continuous Improvement Certification, Department of the Air Force
2021 Mental Health First Aid Certification, National Council for Mental Well Being
2022 First Sergeants Symposium, Wright Patterson Air Force Base
ASSIGNMENTS
May 2009 - August 2009, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
September 2009 - December 2012, USAF Band of the Golden West, Travis Air Force Base, California.
January 2013 - January 2021, USAFE Band
January 2021 - Present, Band of Flight, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with a bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service with two oak leaf clusters
USAF NCO PME Graduate Ribbon with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Training Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2021 Band of Flight Musician of the Year
2022 Tuskegee Airman, SMSgt Margaret Frances Barbour Military Award
2022 Public Affairs Communication Excellence Award
2022 Finley R. Hamilton, Outstanding Military Musician Awar
2022 88 Air Base Wing, Wing Staff Agency, NCO of the 4th quarter
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class: 28 August 2009
Senior Airman Below the Zone: 23 April 2011
Staff Sergeant: 1 December 2013
Technical Sergeant: 1 March 2018
(Current as of January 2023)