Posted on 06/21/2018 6:53:39 AM PDT by SandRat
It was appropriate that the final performance of the 62nd Army Band staged on Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Park in Sierra Vista began against a stormy backdrop.
Even Mother Nature shed a tear for the end of an era.
The Military Intelligence Corps Band on Fort Huachuca ended its 141-year musical legacy on a solemn note, celebrating a colorful history that featured its original designation in 1901 as “Band, 15th Cavalry” at The Presidio of San Francisco, California. It was then assigned to the Artillery School on Nov. 20, 1946, and was redesignated on May 15, 1947. The 62nd Army Band was assigned to Fort Bliss in Texas until June 14, 2011, when the band moved its headquarters to Fort Huachuca. It was officially designated as the "U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Band" on July 13, 2011.
Politics proved to be a factor in the final decision to “inactivate” the band. A phrase that captured the spirit of a debate two years ago that was uttered by our District 2 Congresswoman Martha McSally urged the Army to direct its soldiers to “… put down the tuba and pick up a wrench or a gun” generated the perception that the band was a waste of time and money for the military.
McSally made her comment to emphasize the need for military training to address a readiness crisis. The congresswoman warned that our troops are not prepared for — and our military may not be able to handle — conflicts on multiple fronts.
Responding to her comments, the Army moved to eliminate the Fort Huachuca band, one of four units among the previous 20 military bands that were designated to be “inactivated.” McSally’s March 22, 2016, statement was originally aimed at the Air Force, not the Army, but it’s not a complete surprise that the fallout from the congresswoman’s comment has carried a consequence for the military post in her home district.
Music is a bridge that brings veterans, soldiers and civilians together in common appreciation for an art form that captures and expresses our commitment, our sacrifices and our shared support for our way of life. It’s a bond that invites and inspires us to celebrate all that is great about our military and our nation.
The era that ended Saturday night is a loss for Sierra Vista and for Fort Huachuca. The consequence of this decision will chip away at the vital bond shared by our community with our local military installation.
Soldiers and civilians alike will miss the connection created by the 62nd Army Band on Fort Huachuca.
This is wrong. Are they eliminating all the military bands in DC and at the academies? Boot camp locations?
I understand the issue with readiness. They could start by teaching soldiers how to hold weapons in boot camp. My Marine son viewed pictures of an Army boot camp and went ape over how incompetent the training appeared. I cannot adequately describe the horrible training.
The other day I saw a post on Facebook from a military site. They were touting a therapy dog and how wonderful it is that they have this dog to cheer up military personnel training at the facility. They allow airmen/soldiers/etc to take the dog for walks or to spend the night or whatever will help the person feel better. Why not promote a reliance on GOD in times of trouble????????
I’m so grateful that you’re posting these articles regarding the end of the 62nd Army Band. I had no idea that the reason for the de-commissioning was some misguided political desire to replace the band and the soldier/musicians with mechanics and soldiers possessing other skills. Those making that decision have no idea of the positive morale-boosting role that military bands play.
While I was a member, Ft. Bliss was the site of a basic training facility. Every week, we played the graduation ceremony for that cycle of new soldiers. The families of the soldiers were greatly moved by the ceremony, including the music. I will always remember the looks of gratitude and respect in the faces of the graduates and their families.
We also provided music for community relations, both within Ft. Bliss and the El Paso area. The work rehearsing for countless parades and concerts was validated by the appreciation of the audiences. Music is a Universal Language that has a unique ability to touch people at the deepest level. It’s sad that some of those in Congress fail to value the contributions of our military musicians.
The Marine Corps deactivated two bands a couple years ago, 29 Stumps and MCLB Albany.
When I was in high school in Americus GA, MCLB Albany had a Drum & Bugle Corps, who I saw in several parades. They converted to a band maybe 10 years ago.
So now 'The Commandant's Own' Marine Drum & Bugle Corps is the only active Drum & Bugle Corps in the Military.
They shut my (Army) band down after Desert Storm, and I watched them close down many more in the years since. In a sense, I can see where they’re coming from, because since 2003 combat operations have consumed a tremendous amount of the military’s time and energy, and a band seems kind of frivolous when your unit’s HMMWVs don’t have enough spares to keep them all running.
However, D&C is still a part of military life, even if it’s taking a smaller role these days. There is still a need for martial music, even if it’s mainly part of a display for civilians (parades etc). Sure, they can used canned music for things like Reviews (and sometimes that works better since parade fields can be big places), but there’s a morale aspect that should be considered too.
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