First Lt. Julian “Jay” Sconyers is the flight commander of the United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Lt. Sconyers assists the commander in leading, organizing, training and equipping a unit of 176 Airmen for more than 1,600 annual missions in the National Capital Region, across the United States and around the world.
Most recently, Lt. Sconyers completed a deployment as officer in charge of the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, where he led partner-nation integration missions to reassure America’s allies and counter adversarial disinformation, as well as missions to bolster deployed troops’ morale, welfare and resilience in nine countries within the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. He previously served as flight commander of the U.S. Air Force Band of the West at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland from 2022 to 2025.
Prior to serving in the Air Force, Lt. Sconyers was director of bands and associate professor at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, from 2017 to 2022, and director of bands at Elbert County Comprehensive High School in Elberton, Georgia, from 2011 to 2014. Lt. Sconyers holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of South Carolina, and a Master of Music Education and Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Georgia. He has been published with GIA Publications in the 12th edition of Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, contributed to Universal Edition’s publication of Arvo Pärt’s Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen for wind ensemble, and produced albums on the Dynasty and Mark Custom labels.
Lt. Sconyers has performed in and led a wide variety of ensembles throughout the United States and 16 countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, Vatican City and China. Additionally, he is heavily involved in marching band and drum and bugle corps activities, having previously served on the instructional staff of the University of Georgia Redcoat Band, University of South Carolina Marching Band, and several Open and World Class drum and bugle corps. He is an alumnus of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps and currently serves as a brass instructor with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps (2016–present).
He graduated as a Distinguished Honor Graduate of the Defense Information School and is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, Air and Space Commendation Medal, Air and Space Achievement Medal and Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal.
EDUCATION
2009 – Bachelor of Music, Music Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
2011 – Master of Music, Music Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
2017 – Doctor of Musical Arts, Conducting, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
2022 – Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama
2024 – Distinguished Honor Graduate, Defense Information School, Fort Meade, Maryland
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air and Space Commendation Medal
- Air and Space Achievement Medal
- Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant – Dec. 16, 2022
First Lieutenant – Dec. 16, 2024