Offstage! - Service Before Self

Published Oct. 27, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Brooke Emery
The USAF Band

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C. -- Beyond the walls of Hangar 2, the musicians of The United States Air Force Band enjoy a wide array of pastimes. In addition to leisure activities, many members of the Band spend their off-duty hours giving back to their various communities through volunteer efforts.

Chief Master Sgt. Craig LeDoux chooses to serve the military community by volunteering with the Honor Flight Network, an organization that brings critically ill veterans to Washington, D.C. They visit the various war memorials, as well as other sites in the city. Serving as a full time guardian for the veterans (who are mostly in their eighties and nineties) during their visit, Chief LeDoux greets the members at the airport and escorts them throughout their entire trip, ensuring that they stay hydrated and that all their needs are met.

"It is not really possible to describe the reaction on some of these individuals' faces," says Chief LeDoux. "Most are filled with smiles, some are just in shock. At the World War II Memorial, these guys are like rock stars. For example, during one particular visit, a school group from Wisconsin was there at the same time we were. The students cornered me and my vet and eagerly asked him about his experiences."

Other Band members choose to reach out to the civilian community in which they reside. Senior Master Sgt. Deborah Volker, a violist with the Air Force Strings, devotes over 800 hours each year as a Volunteer Paramedic and Advanced Life Support Provider with Fairfax County (Va.) Fire and Rescue. The volunteers provide additional manpower on career pieces as well as put additional units (ambulances and fire engines) in service to supplement the county units.

The station Sergeant Volker works out of is owned by the volunteers (land and building), and the volunteers purchase all the equipment (engines, ambulances, etc.) with funds raised.

Also working to better his community, Tech. Sgt. Kevin Darrow chooses to serve on the executive committee of his neighborhood association. The association works to engender a strong sense of community through a number of regularly planned neighborhood events, as well as publication and distribution of a monthly newsletter. Additionally, they sponsor mini-grants for the teachers in the neighborhood elementary school, allowing them to supply needy school children with necessary learning tools.

Sergeant Darrow says, "I enjoy being connected to the people who live around me, not just by physical coordinates, but by having a common cause--to improve the community around us for everyone to enjoy, and to reach out to those near our community who need help."

Some Band members choose to give back by doing what they know best. When Tech. Sgt. Blake Arrington saw how much the parishioners at Bolling Air Force Base Chapel 2 enjoyed his playing during one Sunday service, he decided to make it a more regular event, performing during one service each month. He says, "I find it gratifying that something as simple as playing the melody of a hymn can enhance the worship experience of so many people."

Though the causes Band members choose to support may vary from person to person, the motivation to serve is shared by all USAF Band volunteers. For these individuals, service before self extends beyond the hours they are in uniform. "We have a lot to be thankful for," says Sergeant Arrington. "It feels good to share that with everyone."