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Band Wins Squadron of the Year

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Matthew Murray
Washington, D.C. --  Early this year, the members of The United States Air Force Band were thrilled to learn that they had won the 2013 Squadron of the Year Award for the 11th Wing of the Air Force District of Washington.

This was the first time the Band has ever won this award. The honor of the award is all the more humbling considering the exceptionally challenging fiscal environment of 2013 and the truly stiff competition from sister squadrons in the 11th Wing, including the renowned 11th Security Forces Squadron and the Presidential Airlift Group.

On March 1, 2013, the policy of sequestration went into effect. Its implementation was the result of Congressional gridlock surrounding an intended reduction of $1.5 trillion in federal spending over ten years. In 2013 alone, $42.7 billion in defense cuts were imposed, effectively taking all of The U.S. Air Force Band's performances incurring financial expenditures off the table immediately.

Tours involving months of painstaking planning were cancelled; high-visibility conventions all over the country, at which our presence had been explicitly requested, had to be backed out of at the very last minute; time-honored traditions, including the Airmen of Note's Jazz Heritage Series and the D.A.R. Constitution Hall holiday concerts and Guest Artist Series could no longer take place. Clearly, the situation created incredible challenges for the Band.

However, due to the creative vision, drive and a unique ability to think outside the box, those challenges were not only met, but were turned into new opportunities.

The Band's Operations and Marketing and Outreach departments underwent significant reorganizations and stepped into high gear, researching new, free venues and ensuring their viability. They also worked with their points of contact to turn innovative new ideas into material reality.

Just one important result of their efforts has been a renewed and significantly expanded relationship with the Smithsonian Institution. For decades, the Band has performed at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museums, both in downtown Washington, D.C. and in Chantilly, Va. However, our collaboration has now expanded to include the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African Art and potentially additional Smithsonian Institution museums in the future, greatly benefitting both organizations.

The establishment of the Advancing Innovation through Music (AIM) program was another profound achievement while working within the budget limitations of sequestration. AIM was designed to build positive relationships with local educational communities and has enabled Band members to work with students of all ages in a wide array of environments, including clinics, master classes and large scale assemblies. In 2013, the Band's Airmen musicians performed for 6,831 students in the National Capital Region. The program has been such a remarkable success that it has continued to operate even after some of the fiscal restraints of sequestration have been somewhat eased.

Just a cursory list of the many profound accomplishments noted in the Band's Squadron of the Year award include a 166-member parade element for the Presidential Inauguration; 878 hours dedicated to the Victims Advocate program for the victims of sexual assault; the sponsorship of 30 new Honor Guardsmen; 1,250 hours devoted to professional development; performances for 63 Honor Flights reaching 15,000 World War II veterans; and of course, the now-infamous Flash Mob, which reached 23.8 million television viewers, 2.6 million YouTube views and generated $637,000 in free public relations advertising.

In a congratulatory e-mail to the members of the Band, Colonel Lang said, "Your world-class talent, remarkable innovation and steadfast professionalism has made, and will continue to make, a positive, enduring impact; for our Air Force members and their families, our nation and the world." He continued, "Thank you for your continued dedication to excellence. I'm honored to serve with each of you."

2013 was a banner year for The United States Air Force Band. Winning the Squadron of the Year Award for the 11th Wing of the Air Force District of Washington was truly a profound and humbling honor for all of us. Congratulations to all the inspiring, talented and dedicated men and women of this elite organization!