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Starlifter Completes Humanitarian Deployment aboard USNS Comfort

  • Published
  • By TSgt Keisha Gwin-Goodin
  • HQ-AMC/BA
10/9/2009 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Eight members of the USAF Band of Mid-America's rock group 'Starlifter' deployed on a first ever mission for Air Force bandsmen. This humanitarian and civic assistance mission was aboard the U.S. Naval Hospital Ship Comfort. The band departed Norfolk, VA on April 1st for the Comfort's 2009 Continuing Promise (CP09) mission. This four-month mission consisted of a series of 10-12 day visits providing free medical and dental care to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Antigua, Panama, Colombia, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The joint team consisted of personnel from all branches of the U.S. military, as well as local health care providers, international partners and non-governmental organizations. Surgeons, dentists, X-ray techs, pharmacists, medics and optometrists tended to physical needs, while the band focused on lifting spirits.

The U.S. Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH) Band, consisting of Air Force bandsmen from the Band of Mid-America and the Band of the West, reached more than 34,000 people, most of whom were patients at medical sites. Many of these people had never seen an American face to face, so being visited by an American military band was quite a surprise. Familiar melodies and rhythms, however, quickly broke through the language barrier in each country. On numerous occasions, patients approached the band and with the help of a translator spoke of how fortunate they felt not only to get medical care, but to have music warm their hearts. The band found that one of the more successful ways to reach children was through a partnership with the dental crew. "Señor Toothy", a large costumed molar played by the ship's oral hygiene educator, made appearances at band concerts and taught children about the importance of oral health. He demonstrated proper brushing and flossing and with help from the band, provided thousands of on-the-spot fluoride treatments. "The partnership between the band and dental allows us to meld the healing gift of music with the healing art of dentistry," said U.S. Navy CAPT David Hartzell, director of the dental department onboard Comfort.

While the immediate task of the deployment was to provide medical care, the long-term goal of the entire mission was to build and strengthen lasting relationships. Subject Matter Expert Exchanges between the AFSOUTH Band and military bands in Antigua-Barbuda, and El Salvador proved to be both educational and informative. The band also reached out to a wide variety of civilian audiences. Concerts for local music students included tunes by No Doubt and Joan Jett, as well as Latin hits by Shakira and Gloria Trevi. One of the most notable of these concerts took place in Panama City, Panama, when the AFSOUTH Band teamed with world renowned Grammy-nominated jazz pianist, composer, and educator, Danilo Perez. "It was a collaboration between musicians that had never played together before," recalled MSgt Ron Johnson when asked of the day's events. "The students picked up on the energy and could tell something special was happening." The day spent with Mr. Perez and some local music students was a wonderful example of how international friendships can be encouraged through music.

Another U.S.-Latin American collaboration occurred shortly after the ship arrived in Colombia. This time joining Grammy Award-winning rock star Juanes, the band played for the opening ceremonies of the Max Seidel medical site in Tumaco, Colombia. The band accompanied Juanes as he sang two of his #1 hits for a very excited and star-struck crowd of patients. Later that same day, Juanes boarded the Comfort and teamed with the AFSOUTH Band to entertain the crew of the Comfort. TSgt Jason Baedke, while previously unfamiliar with the star's music, greatly enjoyed playing the saxophone alongside him. "Juanes' presence not only brought credit to himself as a selfless humanitarian who clearly cares about the well-being of his compatriots, but it drew the attention of several television stations and newspapers, giving the humanitarian mission of CP09 a voice and the ability to reach millions of people through the press."

While most band events took place ashore, the band continued its mission on board the Comfort. More than 1600 patients from a variety of countries were treated to not only to life-changing surgeries, but also to personal concerts. TSgt Keisha Gwin-Goodin, vocalist, and A1C Aaron Kusterer, guitarist, entertained patients staying in the ship's hotel known as the "Comfort Inn". At first Kusterer was nervous about how receptive the patients would be, but when patients began to sing along and dance to their music, he was confident they enjoyed the more intimate concerts. The nursing staff later commented on the sense of calm and ease created among the patients by the duo's performances.

Perhaps the most memorable performance took place in Leon, Nicaragua. More than 500 children showed up for a music festival hosted by American aid workers at El Ayudante, a safe haven that houses and educates orphaned, abandoned and abused children between ages 4-14. "Our goal is to heal their hearts physically and emotionally, and what better way to do that than through music," said Anna Cecilia, Nicaraguan director of El Ayudante. The AFSOUTH band proceeded to rock the house with a multicultural blend of American and Latin music. "I'm excited because this is for the kids," said Bill Cox, U.S. director of El Ayudante. "The band is bringing joy to the children in need of love and encouragement. Every child here today has a story, it's our job to take broken vessels and make them whole again, and the band has helped us do just that."

As this first-ever Air Force band mission drew to a close and the Comfort pulled into Norfolk Bay, members of the AFSOUTH Band proudly took part in a U.S. Naval tradition and "manned the rails". On August 1st, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the returning Comfort and its crew. With the Comfort serving as a backdrop, Mrs. Obama not only commented how the crew "gave hope and represented the best of America's humanitarian efforts," she summed up the medical-musical mission with the following words: "This union of instruments and voices, of nations and peoples, of histories and hopefulness, truly represents the mission of Continuing Promise 2009 and the humanitarian role of our military. At the core of the chords floating through the hot Haitian air was a message of hope for humanity and of camaraderie with your fellow man."