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Honoring service members around the region for Veterans Day

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jake McCray
Washington D.C. --  An important part of The United States Air Force Band's mission is to honor veterans. This coming Veteran's Day the Band will do just that throughout the Nation Capital Region with a variety of events, showcasing the Band's unique and flexible capabilities across wide ranging concerts, venues and ceremonies. Members from the Air Force Strings, Concert Band, Ceremonial Brass, Singing Sergeants and Airmen of Note will be perform at Mount Vernon, the National World War II Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and a live broadcast on public television.

For the fourth year in a row the Air Force Strings will celebrate the holiday by presenting a concert at the Smith Auditorium at George Washington's Mount Vernon on Monday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. Featured works will include music from Washington's era and some selections from the "Strolling Strings" repertoire.

A brass quintet and taps bugler from the Ceremonial Brass will perform for a wreath laying ceremony at the National WWII Memorial Veterans Day Wreath Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. The Brass routinely performs as a full ensemble with brass and percussion, or breaks into smaller groups like the brass quintet, demonstrating this multi-faceted flight's flexibility--a key component of AF excellence.

The Air Force Memorial is a treasured monument to Air Force members past and present. Overlooking the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Washington, D.C. this Monday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. a vocalist and brass quintet will perform the National Anthem and ceremonial music respectively at a Veteran's Day ceremony.

Also on Monday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m., the Concert Band will serve as the military band for the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Normally presided over by the President and Vice President, this event represents one of the most significant appearances for the band on the yearly calendar. With coverage on C-Span and other major cable outlets, this ceremony offers the opportunity for honor veterans from all services on the international stage.

And finally, in its most unique and complex configuration, the Airmen of Note will combine forces with the Air Force Strings and Singing Sergeants for a live television broadcast from Maryland Public Television studio in Owings Mills, Md. "America's Veterans - A Musical Tribute" will also be broadcast on other public television networks and streamed live over the Internet. Collaborating with our civilian counterparts from the music industry and broadcasting world, we will welcome the conductor of Baltimore's Soulful Symphony Darin Atwater and local Maryland resident, vocalist Risa Larson. Returning for his second appearance with the Band, Washington's NBC4 newsman Aaron Gilchrist will serve as emcee for the broadcast. Look for the broadcast on MPT, your local Public Television channel, or live streamed over the Internet on Sunday, November 10 at 8 p.m.

By combining performing ensembles in new and unique combinations and collaborating with our civilian counterparts this Veterans Day, The United States Air Force Band continues to strive for musical excellence to honor all former service members. Whether the performance is a ceremony or live studio broadcast, the Band continues to deliver the same quality of excellence no matter the size, scope or level of exposure. This level of excellence is runs through us like the lifeblood of our core value "Excellence in All We Do" and embodies a key part of our vision statement, "Representing the excellence of Airmen throughout the world."