Band Superintendent to Retire

Chief Master Sgt. Elizabeth Schouten, Superintendent for The United States Air Force Band, will retire this spring, after 30 years of service in the Air Force. She is seen here performing on B flat Clarinet at the Air Force Memorial on 14 Oct 2007 under the direction of former Commander Col. Dennis Layendecker.

Chief Master Sgt. Elizabeth Schouten, Superintendent for The United States Air Force Band, will retire this spring, after 30 years of service in the Air Force. She is seen here performing on Contra-alto Clarinet at the Air & Space Museum on July 4, 1998 under the direction of former Commander Lt. Col. Lowell E. Graham.

Band Superintendent to Retire

Published April 28, 2011
By Master Sgt. Julianna Arnold
The USAF Band

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C. -- Chief Master Sgt. Elizabeth Schouten, Superintendent for The United States Air Force Band, will retire this summer, after 30 years of service in the Air Force.

Chief Schouten began her career as a clarinetist in the Concert Band in 1981. She has performed with the Concert Band in concerts and ceremonies in the 48 contiguous states and seven foreign countries. Her distinguished career includes playing for seven Presidential Inaugural Parades, from President Reagan to President Obama before billions of people via media broadcasts.

She attributes a series of coincidences leading to her auditioning for and enlisting in The Air Force Band. She said, "You never know who will influence your future career or goals." Her elementary school band director, George Dietz, was a clarinetist with The U.S. Army Air Corps Band in the 1940's. He happened to share a stand with the famous clarinetist Robert Marcellus, who later served as principal clarinetist with the Cleveland Orchestra and whose recordings inspired the young clarinetist.

Chief Schouten continued her musical studies in junior high under the direction of Edwin Daugherty, a former tubist with The Air Force Ceremonial Band. It was in this setting that she was first introduced to playing marches by John Phillip Sousa. The most significant coincidence to happen to Chief Schouten as a student was when she performed at a solo and ensemble competition. The adjudicator was USAF (Ret.) Major Al Bader, who was a staff officer with The USAF Band. He encouraged her to continue studying music in college and audition for the Band. She took his advice to heart. Thirteen years later, after a tour concert with the USAF Band, she was greeted by an elderly gentleman, who was a former member of Sousa's original Marine Band, and schooled on the proper tempo for "Stars and Stripes Forever".

One of many highlights of her career came in 1995, when Chief Schouten coordinated travel and performed with a 100-member ceremonial unit in Moscow. There, The United States Air Force Band stood in formation and performed with the Russian Army Band on Red Square--celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Reflecting on her illustrious career, the Chief has many people she would like to thank, especially her former commanders and our current commander, Colonel A. Phillip Waite. "I feel so honored to have served this great country, where we are free to elect our leaders and have the opportunity to choose our career path," she said.

Chief Schouten is an outstanding clarinetist and administrator, and her contributions to The United States Air Force Band will be sorely missed. We wish her and her family all of the best in their future endeavors!