From LtCol Jeffrey Matthews, Chief of ANG Bands: This will be my last email to all 11 units. Please feel free to share with anyone you would like. but I would like to specifically request that you share with your current and former members. 1 October 2013 is looming and most of the six bands being inactivated have already had their last drill or will soon. I will never forget this date as long as I live. No words of anger or remorse can express the emotion that overcomes me each time I think about this date and its consequences. The closure of the bands in Massachusetts, Ohio, Missouri, Georgia, Northern California, and Washington State will impact our career field for years to come. But, it is to the individual that I would like to draw attention now. For decades, individual airmen have volunteered to sign up for the Air National Guard to be a member of one of these six bands. Many come on board in the beginning for the various benefits and privileges available to guardsmen across the country. But what I have noticed over the years is that there is always a large percentage that eventually just fall in love with being in the guard and making military music. The members of our six inactivating bands both current and past included these kinds of people. People that volunteered their time for the betterment of their unit without ever asking for something in return. People that never said “no” to a bugler gig at a funeral because they knew it was the right thing to do for the veteran’s family. People that volunteered to put their own lives at risk and to be separated from their own families to serve in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. People that performed impeccably when called on to serve outside the career field in time of national or local emergency. And people that put their heart and soul into every concert, parade, and ceremony to make it the best possible for the sponsor and the audience. These are the great people of the Air National Guard Band Program and there have been a lot of them over the years. Those of us continuing the mission owe you all a debt of gratitude for your service, but more importantly we owe you a promise….a promise to carry on in your stead…a promise to complete the mission as you would….a promise to never let this happen again and a promise to never forget your service and dedication. To the five bands that will make up our career field after 1 October 2013 we face a challenge. A challenge we should welcome. A challenge to be better than we’ve ever been and to make ourselves more relevant by making ourselves indispensable. We can do this. We must do this. The legacy of our colleagues from the states above and New York requires it. Godspeed to all that have left our career field in the wake of these inactivations and thank you for your service. It has been my personal privilege to have served with you.
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 17:42:26 +0000
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