Top Brass Texan Homecoming on Tour with the Airmen of Note Published May 13, 2016 By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Cerovich DALLAS, TX. -- The United States Air Force Band's Airmen of Note recently completed a ten day community relations tour of Texas and Louisiana. The trip was part of the Band's mission to honor veterans, inspire patriotism and service, and positively impact the community on behalf of the United States Air Force. This tour was different, however, as the Airmen of Note were joined by 11th Operations Group Commander, Colonel Jon Julian, and Superintendent, Chief Master Sergeant Stephanie Cates, both native Texans. "This past month was the first time I got to travel with the band out of the National Capitol Region. It's truly amazing to see the impact they have across the wide spectrum of people in the audience" said Julian. Julian and Cates joined the Airmen of Note for five concerts all across Texas, the first at Texas Christian University on Tuesday, April 19th. "One of the things that we (American military members) are known for and which frustrates our enemies greatly is our inability to follow our own doctrine. We, as Americans in the military, have a very good sense of improvisation which constantly keeps our enemies on their toes" says Julian. "That's exactly what jazz is about, and the Airmen of Note exemplify this quality." "It's so fascinating to see all the moving parts," explains Cates. "They show up at a venue, not knowing what level of support or logistics to expect, and flawlessly execute the mission every time, regardless of conditions. I've gained a much deeper respect for what it takes to do what they do." The band's concert in Dallas on April 20th was special, as it was sponsored by Honor Flight Dallas. The audience was primarily comprised of veterans of World War II through Vietnam; the Airmen of Note performed in 1940's era "Pinks and Greens" uniforms while playing the music of Major Glenn Miller. Cates was profoundly affected. "I looked to my left and there is a 90 year old vet with tears in his eyes. On my right, there's a young kid recording the concert on his phone. That about sums up the range of people affected by this music." The host of the Dallas concert was the Commander of the 10th Air Force, Major General Scobee. "It was really the audience that made it special, not just the World War II and Korean War veterans reminiscing to this great music but the young people hearing this music for the first time--that was phenomenal. This band is incredible!" said Scobee. Speaking on the impact the Airmen of Note has on the community, Scobee says, "It exposes them to another side of the Air Force. Talk about something that's a great recruiting tool--to hear these airmen tell the Air Force story! Moreover, this performance let the public see just how much we value our veterans, from World War II through those serving today." As a guest emcee, Julian introduced the band each night with powerful sentiment. "We can't take you down into the missile silos or onto the flight line, but we can put a face on The United States Air Force in these amazing airmen (the Airmen of Note). They display the same level of professionalism as all of the amazing men and women serving in our United States Air Force." This tour was a complete success with many millions of people reached, propelled in part by several live media appearances. "It's so important to use this broad-reaching platform. You have to say thank you to the public on behalf of all Air Force members for their continuing support," says Cates. "We can't allow ourselves, as a military, to lose touch with the people that we protect and defend. We cannot hide behind our bases or let the public think of us as an inhuman blanket of force. America's citizens are best served by being able to come out and talk to us, to hear us and to see that we're people who care deeply about them and our nation" says Julian. Julian continues, "The bandsmen help the people sleep soundly at night because they can see the level of dedication to excellence you have; and through your message, they see the excellence of our Air Force as a whole. To be an effective nation, we need to be more than just kinetics. We need to be able to operate in all areas of the spectrum. You must continue to get out and honor, inspire, and impact. The more senior I get, the more important I realize how vital the Band's mission really is."