100th Army Band

Last updated
100th Army Band
100th Army Band tabard.jpeg
Tabard
Active1943-46; 1956 - present
CountryUnited States
Branch Seal of the United States Army Reserve.svg United States Army Reserve
TypeArmy Band
Part of81st Readiness Division
Garrison/HQ Fort Knox
Nickname(s)Band of the Century
Motto(s)Wildcats Never Quit
MarchThe Wildcat March
EngagementsRhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Commanders
Current
commander
CW3 Chad Alward
First Sergeant 1SG Curtis Moss
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 attached to 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.

Contents

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

Leadership

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

Commanding OfficerChief Warrant Officer 3 Chad Alward
Executive OfficerChief Warrant Officer 2 Brooke Woods
First SergeantFirst Sergeant Curtis Moss
Human Resources NCOICSergeant First Class Kelly Mitchell
Training NCOICSergeant First Class Douglas Wurtele
Operations NCOICStaff Sergeant Chris Currens
Logistics NCOICStaff Sergeant Courtney Drown
Public Affairs NCOICSergeant Christopher Van Dyke
Unit AdministratorVacant

Musical performance teams

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

EnsembleOIC/NCOIC
Concert BandCW3 Chad Alward
Ceremonial BandSSG Jeffery Parks
"Hard Knox" Rock BandSSG Lee Clements
Brass QuintetSSG Jonathan Staples
Marching BandSFC Billy Eff, Drum Major
Jazz BandSPC Brandon McKinley
Jazz ComboSGT Chris Abell
Woodwind QuintetSSG Rachel Carman

Performances

Army bands are most commonly requested for performances which fall 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

RibbonAwardDateStreamer embroideredOrder No.
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)EUROPEAN THEATER

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]

  • In November 2011, 100th Army Band member Staff Sergeant Tyler Myers was inducted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. [12]

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:

  • Sergeant Brooke Woods, 2016 [15]
  • Sergeant Benjamin Garnett, 2012 [16]
  • Staff Sergeant Billy Eff, 2011 [17]
  • Staff Sergeant Chad Alward, 2010 [18]

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.

100th Army Band Drum Major's baldric 100th AB Baldric.jpeg
100th Army Band Drum Major's baldric
100th Army Band Drum Major's mace 100th AB drum major's mace.jpeg
100th Army Band Drum Major's mace
100th Army Band herald trumpet's tabard 100th Army Band tabard.jpeg
100th Army Band herald trumpet's tabard
100th Army Band snare drum design 100th Army Band drum.jpeg
100th Army Band snare drum design
100th Army Band unit tab 100th Army Band unit tab.jpeg
100th Army Band unit tab

Trivia

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  10. "Sergeant Audie Murphy Club".
  11. "FORSCOM Sergeant Audie Murphy Award" (PDF). 2007-03-01. FORSCOM Regulation 600-80. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-10-15. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
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  13. "Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, The Award". Archived from the original on 2015-07-19. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  14. "Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, Eligibility Criteria". Archived from the original on 2015-07-17. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  15. "Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, 2016 Award Recipients". Archived from the original on 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-02-02.
  16. "Colonel Finley R. Hamilton Outstanding Military Musician Award, 2012 Award Recipients". Archived from the original on 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
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