100th Army Band explained

Unit Name:100th Army Band
Dates:1943-46; 1956 - present
Country:United States
Branch: United States Army Reserve
Type:Army Band
Command Structure:81st Readiness Division
Commander1:CW3 Chad Alward
Commander3:1SG Curtis Moss
Commander3 Label:First Sergeant
Garrison:Fort Knox
Nickname:Band of the Century
Motto:Wildcats Never Quit
March:The Wildcat March
Battles:Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Notable Commanders:CW5 Lawrence Barton, Chief FORSCOM USAR Staff Bands Officer 2009 - 2017

The 100th Army Band, popularly known as the Band of the Century, is a United States Army Reserve unit stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and a unit of the 81st Readiness Division. It was reassigned from the 100th Infantry Division on 1 October 2008 as part of the Army Reserve Transformation process.[1] The 100th Army Band currently features eight musical performance teams (MPTs) that perform a wide range of repertoire. Since 2012, performance requests have taken the band's various ensembles across Kentucky and across the nation into other states including Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Florida, South Carolina, Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Virginia, and Hawaii.

The 100th Army Band typically trains for one weekend each month and embarks on a two / three week annual training every summer.

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Leadership

Current officers and senior NCOs of the 100th Army Band include:[2]

Commanding Officer Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chad Alward
Executive Officer Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brooke Woods
First SergeantFirst Sgt. Curtis Moss
Human Resources NCOIC Master Sgt. Kelly Mitchell
Training NCOIC Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Wurtele
Operations NCOIC Staff Sergeant Chris Currens
Logistics NCOIC Staff Sgt. Courtney Drown
Public Affairs NCOIC Sergeant Christopher Van Dyke
Unit Administrator Sgt. 1st Class Eric Stroupe II

Musical performance teams

The 100th Army Band currently employs eight MPTs, including:[3]

Ensemble OIC/NCOIC
Concert Band CW3 Chad Alward
Ceremonial Band SSG Jeffery Parks
"Hard Knox" Rock Band SSG Lee Clements
Brass Quintet SFC Jonathan Staples
Marching Band SFC Billy Eff, Drum Major
Jazz Band SPC Brandon McKinley
Jazz Combo SGT Chris Abell
Woodwind Quintet SSG Rachel Carman

Performances

Army bands are most commonly requested for performances falling into three categories: public outreach, soldier & family support, and educational outreach. Public outreach performances include events such as community concerts and parades. Soldier & family support performances include military events such as change of command ceremonies, promotion ceremonies, retirement ceremonies, & dining out ceremonies. Educational outreach performances normally include musical or recruiting visits to schools, colleges, & job fairs.

Trumpet players from military bands are also regularly tasked with sounding the Taps bugle call at funerals and memorial services for service members of the United States Armed Forces, and for memorial ceremonies across the country.[4]

Annual training

As an Army Reserve Band, the 100th typically spends two weeks each summer backfilling an active duty (Regular Army) band, while those soldiers enjoy a two-week block leave. Since 2009, The 100th Army Band has supported bands and missions at the following locations:

Notable performances

Lineage and honors

Lineage

Awards

Decorations

Campaign participation credit

Individual awards

Sergeant Audie Murphy Club

The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is an organization exclusive to the U.S. Army, with membership available only to U.S. Army non-commissioned officers.[10] According to FORSCOM regulations, all members of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club must "...exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers."[11]

Colonel Hamilton Award

The Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Musician Award[13] was first awarded in 2010 to musicians from all five branches of United States military service. A service member who is eligible for consideration for this award will be an "outstanding musician demonstrating excellence in both solo and ensemble performance" who must also "display exceptional leadership qualities," and "great potential for future outstanding service." Consideration for this award is limited to members of military bands who hold the pay grades of E4 to E6 only.[14] To date, four members of the 100th Army Band have received the COL Hamilton Award:

Heraldric devices

The 100th Army Band has its own collection of heraldric devices,[19] including a baldric, mace, tabard, drum design and unit tab for wear on the uniform.

The regalia designs are based upon elements of the 81st Readiness Division's shoulder sleeve insignia and distinctive unit insignia. A scroll on both baldric and drumshell reads "TRAIN MAINTAIN SUSTAIN" and is the command's motto. A second scroll on the drumshell reads "WILDCATS NEVER QUIT!" and is the command's slogan. The scrolls are pinned down by the Philippine sun and fleur-de-lis which commemorate the unit's campaign awards. The mace is decorated with goldenrods, the state flower of Kentucky, which reach full bloom late summer in and around Fort Knox, where the 100th Army Band trains. The base reads "WARRIOR MUSICIAN," while "100TH ARMY BAND" goes completely around the head.

Trivia

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Six Imperatives of Army Reserve Transformation . Army Reserve Association . 2015-07-15 . 2015-05-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150507061835/http://www.armyreserve.org/Army_Transformation.html . dead .
  2. Web site: 100th Army Band, Leaders . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716080801/http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/default.asp?unit=100AB&p=leaders . dead .
  3. Web site: 100th Army Band . Facebook.
  4. Web site: US Army Reserve musician honors final request of WWII veteran . Travis . Jason . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716072347/http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/default.asp?unit=100AB&p=news&NewsID=1213 . dead .
  5. Web site: 100th Army Band from Fort Knox will lead Gatlinburg Fourth of July Midnight Parade . KyForward . 2012-06-25 . Gatlinburg Department of Tourism . 2015-07-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716022133/http://www.kyforward.com/our-food-and-fun/2012/06/100th-army-band-from-fort-knox-will-lead-gatlinburg-fourth-of-july-midnight-parade/ . 2015-07-16 . dead .
  6. Web site: 100th Army Band kicks off 2013 at KY State Capitol . Garnett . Benjamin . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716110602/http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/default.asp?unit=100AB&p=news&NewsID=1051 . dead .
  7. Web site: Bands of America Grand National Championships . Facebook . 2014-11-16.
  8. Web site: 100th Army Band plays at Cincinnati Reds game on Flag Day.
  9. Web site: Lineage and Honors, 100th Army Band . Center of Military History . 2011-02-18 . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716080437/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/ag/band-100ar.htm . dead .
  10. Web site: Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.
  11. Web site: FORSCOM Sergeant Audie Murphy Award . FORSCOM Regulation 600-80 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181015222249/http://www.hood.army.mil/leaders/csm/FORSCOM-SAMA-Reg600-80.pdf . 2018-10-15 . dead . 2022-05-22 . 2007-03-01.
  12. Web site: USAR musician receives SAMC honor . Benjamin . Garnett . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716084848/http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/default.asp?unit=100AB&p=news&NewsID=915 . dead .
  13. Web site: Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, The Award . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150719073059/http://www.music.army.mil/hamiltonaward/ . dead .
  14. Web site: Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, Eligibility Criteria . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150717131351/http://www.music.army.mil/hamiltonaward/?i=eligibility . dead .
  15. Web site: Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, 2016 Award Recipients . 2017-02-02 . 2017-02-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170203081519/http://www.music.army.mil/hamiltonaward/Default.asp?i=recipients&y=2016 . dead .
  16. Web site: Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, 2012 Award Recipients . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716095911/http://www.music.army.mil/hamiltonaward/Default.asp?i=recipients&y=2012 . dead .
  17. Web site: Reserve Musician receives COL Hamilton Award . Garnett . Benjamin . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716072622/http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/default.asp?unit=100AB&p=news&NewsID=964 . dead .
  18. Web site: Army Reserve bandsman named one of the 2010 top military musicians . Bell . Mark . 2015-07-15 . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716093446/http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/default.asp?unit=100AB&p=news&NewsID=784 . dead .
  19. Web site: 100th Army Band . The Institute of Heraldry . 2015-07-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716060211/http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/HeraldryList.aspx?CategoryId=5870&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services&hilite=100th%20army%20band . 2015-07-16 . dead .
  20. News: Francis . Catrina . 113th Army Band, Army's second oldest, prepares for Oct. 1 inactivation . . 2016-01-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161221065328/http://www.fkgoldstandard.com/content/113th-army-band-army%E2%80%99s-second-oldest-prepares-oct-1-inactivation . 2016-12-21.