NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — They do it all! From rock and jazz to funk and ceremonial music, we're talking about the U.S. Army TRADOC Band at Ft. Eustis, our Squadron of the Month.
Sgt. Maj. Alexis Sprakties is the senior enlisted leader of the band, she said their goal is to "connect the American people with the army and tell the army story. And we support their strategic outreach initiatives by providing music for community relations events, whether that's public performances, whether that's parades, educational outreach initiatives."
Sprakties takes pride in being able to perform for people who might not get the chance to see live music often. Whether its veterans homes or troops serving abroad, the TRADOC band's performances aim to instill a sense of national pride.
Watch related coverage: Sundown for Norfolk helicopter squadron marks emotional chapter in Navy history
"[It's] something that army bands can do that no other musical organization can do," Sprakties said.
And they're not just playing military tunes, the TRADOC band can play a wide array of genres.
"We do a whole lot more than that, so our band is broken down into what we call musical performance teams, or MPTs, each one specializing in a specific kind of music," said Sgt. Aaron Chavers. "I get to do what I love most, I'm at work right now just playing guitar with my friends."
Watch related coverage: Military ramps up recruitment efforts, spends billions to attract new enlistees
They also get opportunities for some high-profile performances. For example, Sgt. Michael Jarrell recently had a chance to take part in the U.S. Army's 250th birthday celebration in Philadelphia.
"It was an incredible experience," Jarrell said. "The audience was great, and the venue was great, and the music was phenomenal."
Jarrell mentioned that a significant moment for him was performing at President Jimmy Carter's funeral. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the historic ceremony.
"To play music for the state funeral was something I never thought I would be able to do," Jarrell said. "Getting to witness that and getting to help bring reverence to that ceremony was a very, very special thing for me."
